TwitchCon 2025: A Decade of Innovation – Key Announcements from San Diego
As TwitchCon celebrates its 10th anniversary in San Diego, the platform unveiled a slew of exciting updates during the keynote. These enhancements span mobile streaming, content creation, viewer engagement, monetization, safety, and community building. Whether you’re a streamer, viewer, or brand, these changes promise to elevate the Twitch experience. Let’s dive into the details with interactive breakdowns!
Mobile & Streaming Experience Updates
Twitch is doubling down on mobile, making streaming more accessible and versatile.
Streamers can now broadcast in both vertical and horizontal orientations simultaneously, optimizing for any device. Following alpha tests with OBS and Aitum plugins, the beta expands to include Streamlabs, Streamrun, and StreamElements. Join the waitlist to test it out!
Hands-free IRL streaming is coming via Meta’s AI glasses using the Wearables Device Access Toolkit. Integration hits the Twitch app soon, with third-party support from Streamlabs and UnlimitedIRL.
Clips and Short-Form Content Updates
Capturing and sharing epic moments just got smarter with AI assistance.
AI analyzes streams and chat to auto-generate clips from highlights. It starts with standard clips but will soon edit out filler and add captions. Alpha testing kicks off next month – perfect for social sharing and audience growth.
Say “Clip that” to mark moments live. The same tech will spotlight key parts in VODs for easy catch-up.
The Stories feature is being evolved to focus on clips and helping viewers catch up on key moments they missed.
Adding clips reactions so viewers can participate in the community experience while catching up on moments they didn’t catch live.
Viewer Engagement and Co-Stream Updates
Boost loyalty and event scale with these engagement boosters.
Viewers earn streaks for consecutive watches, now rolling out to all channels. Maintain streaks by viewing clips or VODs if you miss a live session – notifications help!
To address streamer concerns about shorter or off-hour streams breaking viewer streaks, viewers can maintain their watch streak (it won’t advance, but it won’t be broken) by watching a clip or a VOD from the missed stream. Viewers receive a notification if they miss a stream.
Events show combined viewer counts from co-streamers. Hosts can authorize participants, amplifying reach later this year.
Monetization and Earning Updates
New ways to earn and engage supporters.
Twitch will continue exploring ways to run discounts, including experimenting with discounts on channel subscriptions.
The platform is experimenting with the ability for streamers to create badge drops in their channel to celebrate special streams with an exclusive badge.
The Sponsorships tab within the creator dashboard now includes a Creator Profile. This profile acts as a snapshot of the streamer, their content, and their community, making it easier for brands to find and collaborate with the channel.
Bounty board campaigns are being moved to appear alongside all other sponsorship offers.
Sponsorship offers will be rolled out to all monetizing streamers, including Affiliates, in the coming months.
Prime Subs are now available for use in the most recent version of the iOS app.
Safety and Moderation Updates
Smarter enforcement and new roles for better management.
Starting early next year, Twitch is updating how Community Guidelines violations are enforced. For less severe offenses, the suspension will apply to the behavior that violated the rules rather than completely restricting access to Twitch. For example, a streamer suspended from streaming for a low-severity violation might still be able to chat or watch other streamers. Their channel (including clips and VODs) will remain viewable, and viewers can still follow them.
Streamers can appoint this new role for agents, managers, or other representatives. Individuals with this role can view analytics and financial information (including earnings and audience demographics), and receive updates about sponsorship opportunities. Streamers will be able to assign this role before the end of the year.
This new role is designed to help streamers manage day-to-day moderation responsibilities. A Lead Mod can add or remove other moderators and update all channel moderation settings. The community voted for the “hammer” design to represent the new Lead Mod badge. Streamers will be able to assign this role before the end of the year.
Community Updates
Building connections beyond the con.
The Creator Clubs program is expanding. Clubs were recently launched for Roblox and food and drink. New clubs are being added for tabletop, retro gaming, and charity (for streamers who raise money for causes and wish to connect with others).
Creating a dedicated space for college students interested in streaming, mixing aspects of meetups and creator clubs. Students can find each other in Discord servers to collaborate and work with Twitch staff to promote their projects. Applications for this space are currently being accepted.
What Do You Think?
Quick Poll: Your Take
Are you excited about the new AI-powered Auto Clips feature?
