Both Twitch And TwitchCon Are Everything Inclusive Spaces Should Be

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Twitch’s evolution as a platform felt palpable throughout the streaming service’s annual three-day convention. From drag shows to discussions on diversity, most of the sights and sounds of TwitchCon 2024 affirmed the strides the platform has made in creating inclusive spaces for gamers. And Kotaku Senior Editor Alyssa Mercante was there to capture it all.

Scroll or click through to catchup on Alyssa’s in-depth coverage from her time in San Diego.

A drag performer dances at TwitchCon while flanked by two dancers in white bodysuits with bright purple spots on them.

I’m in the Glitch Theater at the San Diego Convention Center during TwitchCon 2024, watching a drag artist dressed as Silent Hill’s Pyramid Head lip-sync to a nu-metal song on stage. The crowd is a mix of high-profile streamers like Central Committee and KaceyTron, smaller Twitch affiliates, and fans—and all of them are living for the third annual TwitchCon Drag Showcase. JuiceBoxx, a streamer and one of the hosts this year, has her face plastered all over the convention center. Ru Paul’s Drag Race superstar Trixie Mattel has a makeup space on the show floor where employees are offering beauty tips and touch-ups, and at an off-site Capcom party, several drag queens mill about, their hair nearly grazing the ceiling of the bar. Pronoun pins are available for attendees to display on their badges, and non-profits like TransLifeline have booths on the show floor. — Alyssa Mercante

During TwitchCon 2024’s opening ceremony, the streaming service announced upcoming changes and advancements to its ban policy—namely that it would be making it more clear what constitutes a violation of the platform’s terms of service. According to Twitch, these changes “seek to improve clarity about our enforcements and reduce the risk that streamers lose their livelihood for low severity infractions.” But that doesn’t mean that intentional, repeat offenders will be able to weasel their way back onto the platform, as the company “will continue to issue suspensions, including indefinite suspensions for high severity infractions.” — Alyssa Mercante

Caroline Kwan looks into the camera, with Twitch logos emblazoned behind her.

Caroline Kwan is tired, but you can’t tell. The political fundraiser turned actor turned Twitch streamer is sitting across from me in a TwitchCon meeting room on the last day of the convention, wearing a pink boilersuit and sneakers, her hair pulled back off her face, looking clear-eyed and alert. — Alyssa Mercante

The San Diego Convention Center draped in TwitchCon imagery.

Aside from a few years off due to the covid pandemic and one outlier weekend when it took place in Vegas instead, every fall in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter, TwitchCon takes over. The three-day long convention brings together Twitch partners (the more exclusive tier of streamers with higher revenue shares), affiliates (the more accessible tier with lower revenue shares), and “community” members, who are often either moderators for streamers or fans. — Alyssa Mercante