‘We’ve created this beautiful community’: how Covid changed video game streaming forever

In 2020, people of all ages and backgrounds were suddenly stuck at home, with many turning to streaming platforms to connect with their peers - transforming toxic spaces into inclusive environments

Something weird happened to video game streaming in the early part of 2020. For a long time, platforms such as Twitch, Mixer and YouTube Live were clubhouses crammed with teenage and twentysomething dudes who ruthlessly guarded what they saw as their patch, trolling and hate raiding channels run by creators outside their demographic.

Sure, Twitch has worked hard to combat old stereotypes and foster a safe, inclusive environment by improving security, adding new stream categories, and rigidly enforcing community guidelines. But talking to streamers at TwitchCon Paris, a huge get-together for fans and creators, it's clear that if the user-base is more diverse and welcoming now, one key reason has nothing to do with Twitch. It was Covid.