TheBigBois team (Zachary and Dustin) just returned from TwitchCon San Diego 2025 and its 10th-anniversary celebration. From the groundbreaking announcements at the Keynote to late-night card games and exclusive demos, the weekend was a whirlwind of innovation and community. San Diego played the perfect host, offering a beautiful backdrop for an event that truly felt like the start of a new era for content creation.
Friday Morning: The Keynote & Twitch’s Next Evolution
The weekend kicked off on Friday with CEO Dan Clancy’s opening Keynote, which revealed a wave of features designed to maximize creator growth and revenue. The biggest takeaways signal Twitch’s commitment to adapting to the mobile and short-form video landscape:
- Dual-Format Streaming: This is a game-changer. Streamers can now broadcast both vertical and horizontal video simultaneously, ensuring optimal viewing on mobile and desktop without needing to manage two separate streams.
- AI Integration: New features like Auto Clips will automatically identify and splice together the best moments from a stream, saving countless hours of post-production work.
- Monetization for All: Twitch announced that brand sponsorships will be rolling out to all monetizing streamers, including Affiliates, vastly increasing earning potential.
- Moderation Support: The introduction of the Lead Moderator role gives streamers more tools to delegate channel management, finally easing the administrative burden that comes with channel growth.
The excitement around these changes was palpable, setting a forward-looking tone for the entire convention.
Exclusive Demos and Show Floor Hits
We spent the majority of our time on the Expo floor, diving into the latest titles and meeting the passionate developers behind them. The energy was electric, with large, engaging booths for games like Phasmophobia and the main stage hosting live events like ‘Win It in a Minute’.
The Noir Vibe of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire
Our first major appointment was a hands-off demo of MOUSE: P.I. For Hire at the Indie Showcase. We sat down with PlaySide Studios’ Global Senior Communications Manager, Jonny Roses, who showed off the game’s striking 1930s rubber hose animation art style.
The hands-off demo was incredibly informative. Roses explained how the unique black-and-white, hand-drawn look was achieved within the Unity Engine, giving the First-Person Shooter a truly distinct, visceral quality. It was fascinating to see the story unfold for Private Investigator Jack Pepper, and hearing that the release date might be announced this month or next has us eagerly waiting for a hands-on opportunity!
Gaming and Food at the Block Party
The Saturday night TwitchCon Block Party was the perfect capstone to the weekend. Held in the Gaslamp district, the event was a chaotic blend of food (we definitely took advantage of San Diego’s incredible Mexican food scene!), music, and casual gaming. We even saw some fun merchandise on display, like this cool group of Ghost-type Pokémon on a t-shirt.
The atmosphere was amazing, with people sitting around outside enjoying the evening. We noticed a fun Angry Birds plush on one of the tables—a small touch of nostalgia amid the modern gaming chaos.
The Unexpected Hit: Billionaire Blast Off
The absolute breakout surprise of our trip was the Firefox Billionaire Blast Off card game. After playing a three-way game with one of the makers at the Firefox booth, we were instantly hooked. The game is an addictive blend of the card game War and the chaotic fun of Exploding Kittens.
We loved the game so much, we played it back at the hotel and later at the Block Party bar. We spoke with the Firefox team again at the bar and were thrilled to see how many people were sitting around, eating, drinking, and obsessively playing the card game—though we seemed to be the only ones who had completely mastered the rules! The excitement around a potential digital release later this year for the browser game, Data War, confirmed that the fun physical card game’s chaotic, satirical heart is translating perfectly into the digital space.
Our 2025 Experience
TwitchCon San Diego 2025 was a powerful reminder that the streaming community is pushing creative boundaries in every direction, from the platform’s technology to the games themselves. Between the official announcements and the hands-on fun, this 10th anniversary was truly one for the history books. We came back with plenty of hands-on stories and are excited for the future of streaming and gaming.
