Tyler "Ninja" Blevins Photo: IC

Fortnite star Tyler "Ninja" Blevins on Monday defended not streaming video game play with women, saying it was to guard against marriage-wrecking rumors.

Blevins took to Twitter to address a furor that erupted online after his reasoning for not streaming live play with women was shared at gaming website Polygon.

"While I understand some people have implied my views mean I have something against playing with women, I want to make clear the issue I'm addressing is online harassment, and my attempt to minimize it from my own life," Blevins said in a message at his verified @ninja Twitter account with more than three million followers.

"It is something that affects all streamers, especially ones that make their relationships public."

Critics accused the US gamer of reinforcing a gender stereotype that the world of gaming is for men.

"I really like Ninja, but this feels like a cop out," a fan tweeted.

"You are free to do what you want, but understand you are encouraging a system that already heavily excludes women."

Blevins has millions of subscribers to his channels on YouTube and Twitch, reportedly earning more than $500,000 monthly thanks to his fans.

In the Polygon interview, Blevins said that fame comes with online viewers intensely scrutinizing words and actions, reading into what they see and potentially starting rumors of flirting or affairs that could wreck a marriage,

He and his wife, also a gamer, recently celebrated one year of marriage

"I didn't see it as a hit against women at all," streamer @MissAliCatt tweeted.

"He just wants to make his wife happy and in my opinion that's amazing."