It’s a Thursday afternoon when four Twitch streamers, a gamer, and a journalist are all packed in a mini SUV preparing for the grueling two-hour ride down to San Diego to attend Twitch’s ninth annual convention. For many who don’t stream or game consistently like myself, the responsibilities and intricacies of that world are foreign. This article aims to bring to light the humanity in these individuals and what streaming on Twitch means to them.
Starting as solely Justin.tv in 2007, Twitch was then co-founded in 2011 by Justin Kim and Emmett Shear under the parent company Amazon to focus on gaming and Esports, but now it has turned into so much more. On Twitch there is anything from gaming to performing to ‘real life’ streamers. These communities are full of people all over the world who come together and share common interests. This is the appeal of streaming: creating community and sharing your passion. Many have made substantial amounts of money off of streaming like Kai Cenat, HasanAbi, and Caseoh_ to name a few. After watching streams for hours on end it may feel as though the viewer knows the streamer, driving them to come to TwitchCon to meet their favorites. For streamers as public figures and viewers, it’s a different battlefield.
The third day in San Diego was an early start for ‘Epic Gamers’, the 10-person group of streamers and gamers attending TwitchCon. As they are all preparing for the day ahead of them, a person outside of their circle, a journalist amongst them approaches these figures only seen behind a screen. @Mayalmao spoke to me about her coming into streaming as a high schooler during COVID-19. She explains the benefits of being part of the streaming community and that there are “benefits if you want to put yourself out there and start out getting used to the camera if you want to do YouTube or TikTok” making your media presence known. However, there are some negatives to streaming. Being in public light can cause unwanted attention, and streamers try to put boundaries in place to curb some of those parasocials. Maya explains in streams there are moderators for crowd control purposes. However, if several warnings by the moderators and the streamers are not having any effect on the viewers, a ban may be placed. Maya makes an interesting point about aggressive behavior: going on live and telling them what they’re saying is making them comfortable normally works better. Seeing the person behind the screen being real and honest about something can change someone’s perspective.
When consuming online content it’s easier to dissociate from reality and forget the person behind the screen is still human. As I sit down with @4Lohko, a relatively new streamer who has been observing the streaming for some time, we discuss what it’s like on both sides of the screen. When asked about Twitchcon, they comment on how fun it is to see people you’ve met online in person, see small artists, and gameplay.” However, some concerns arise when streamers come to a convention. Loh speaks about how the parasocial tendencies viewers picked up after COVID-19 affect streamers on and off the screen. “There’s no dodging those conversations or controlling how people are going to act in person”. Loh explains their hesitancy in streaming as “not wanting it to become a chore” and not wanting to trade their happiness with the friends they have for the unpleasantries of streaming. They explain how to find the balance between an online personality and who they are offline. Loh states there is a “level of performance in streaming” because streamers have outside lives that take away from their energies it can be difficult to be on 24/7.
@Itsbeerooke, a more seasoned streamer, speaks about the toxicities in the streaming community. She believes streaming is “a great way for people just to meet one another that you normally wouldn’t every day” and garner shared experiences with people worldwide. She explains the darker corners of streaming like people selling their bodies and the dangers of IRL streaming when taken too far for views. Brooke finds TwitchCon overall a positive experience, getting to be a part of the large community formed online, now all in the same room.
Each streamer I spoke to — Maya, Loh, and Brooke — described their streaming personalities and motivations. Maya describes herself as, “charismatic and silly” putting herself out there and getting out of her shell. Loh talks about getting into streaming by watching Brooke’s stream and, seeing their enjoyment, becoming part of the community. Having a support system is an important part of streaming, continuing to build relationships and finding yourself within that is a huge part of Twitch. Brooke touches upon the struggles of being a female streamer in a male-dominated field. She feels “it’s very difficult creating those boundaries and setting them because you want people to be interactive but some people just get way too parasocial.” Connectivity is key however, viewers need to remember that streamers are real people as well and have a right to privacy within their offline lives. The importance is the joy gotten from that.
After these insightful conversations, I had the chance to experience TwitchCon firsthand. I picked up my pass and was greeted with a dance floor to start the party. We headed over to a large station to fuel up on a few different energy drinks offered including one by The Group Chat, a popular streaming group among Epic Gamers. Nearby was an arcade sponsored by Differin filled with all sorts of games from ping pong to dancing. Along the outside, there were items to buy such as keychains, plushies, hats and clothing, Pokémon cards, and other items in connection with streaming and their passions. Other events happening at TwitchCon included a Bob Ross painting class, a gaming center to play with friends, meet and greets, and an Artist Alley where independent artists sell their latest. At TwitchCon you are never without an activity. It is the place for all with all different types of proclivities. Even as a journalist, I felt met with open arms within this community. People were making themselves available to talk about their passions and assist in any way. TwitchCon is something everyone can take enjoyment in. So, to everyone who’s just a little curious about the ins and outs of streaming culture; same time next year?
