TwitchCon 2025 kicked off with high energy as the convention celebrated its 10th anniversary. Many of those years took place right here in San Diego.
The convention focused on everything from video games and technology to live streaming and pop culture.
While it wasn’t quite the size of Comic-Con, it was still a large-scale event that brought in people from all over the country and beyond.
Well-known musician Diplo kicked things off by DJing at the convention this morning. We caught up with him after his set.
“I’m a very mid streamer, I'm just kind of doing my thing,” said Diplo, whose real name is Thomas Pentz. “But it’s fun to be part of it. I live such a crazy life, it's kind of cool to have people tapped in for some of the adventures. And I'm learning about everything, I didn't know about this creator's side of Twitch either, so it's amazing stuff going on right here.”
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TwitchCon attendees gather for the Opening Ceremony at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025. This marks the 10th year of the convention celebrating livestreaming, gaming, art and online culture.
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Crowds stream onto the TwitchCon convention floor at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Attendees snap photos and take in the bright sights and sounds of the convention floor at TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Fans jump and cheer during Diplo's DJ set at the TwitchCon Opening Ceremony in San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Diplo warms up the crowd with a high-energy set during the TwitchCon Opening Ceremony at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Attendees dance to Diplo's EDM set during the TwitchCon Opening Ceremony at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Twitch CEO Dan Clancy speaks during the Opening Ceremony at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025. Clancy announced new features, including dual-format streaming in both landscape and vertical video.
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Diplo along with other musicians welcome attendees on the convention floor during TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025.
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A trio of musicians performs popular anime themes on the convention floor during TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Thousands of TwitchCon attendees wander through the main exhibit hall at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Crowds fill the exhibit hall at TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025, exploring booths, merch tables and live demos.
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Two attendees play Super Mario Kart on the convention floor at TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025.
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A drag performer and streamer plays a video game on the exhibit floor during TwitchCon San Diego at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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A convention-goer plays a racing game at the Revolution of Gaming booth during TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025.
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An attendee tries their luck at a claw machine in the main exhibit hall during TwitchCon San Diego at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Crew members set up the Twitch Rivals Arena for an esports tournament at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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Empty seats await fans at the Twitch Rivals Arena at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025. Throughout the weekend, esports athletes will compete in several tournaments.
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A TwitchCon attendee livestreams while walking through the main exhibit hall at the San Diego Convention Center on Oct. 17, 2025.
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An attendee streams while waiting in line for a meet-and-greet with VTuber Ironmouse during TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025. VTubers — or virtual YouTubers — use digital avatars to connect with fans on Twitch.
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Ironmouse, a popular VTuber, meets fans during TwitchCon San Diego on Oct. 17, 2025. VTubers use digital avatars to create content online.
KPBS also spoke to other streamers on TwitchCon’s first day, like Ace Watkins, who streams under the username “WakeUpAce_.”
“What I just heard about partnership and different things that are happening with Twitch, it seems very inspiring and makes me want to keep streaming on Twitch and keep going,” Watkins said.
Announcements were made early Friday morning during the TwitchCon kickoff, including new dual-format streaming for both horizontal and vertical video on Twitch, along with a host of new AI-based features designed to help streamers on the platform.
TwitchCon runs Friday through Sunday, and the annual event is set to remain in San Diego through 2028.
