TwitchCon Reverses Course, Will Have COVID-19 Safety Measures After All

Earlier this month, Twitch announced that TwitchCon would be returning to San Diego with no COVID-19 safety measures in place, per local California guidelines. Today, however, the company announced that it has reversed its policy, implementing a mask mandate indoors and requiring proof of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test for admittance into the event.

"We’ve been listening to all of your feedback and know that many of you–especially those who are immunocompromised and the people who support them–want stricter health measures in place to help you feel safe attending TwitchCon San Diego in person…Today, we’re updating our health measures to require masks in all indoor spaces at TwitchCon. Additionally, we will require all attendees to provide proof of vaccination or proof of a negative covid test taken within 72 hours of attending the show," reads the now-updated post on TwitchCon's website.

Additionally, anyone who purchased a ticket to TwitchCon before August 12 is eligible for a refund until August 19 if they are upset with the revised policy.

The change comes on the heels of backlash from the Twitch community around the lack of any safety measures during TwitchCon's announcement earlier this month. Fans of the site immediately expressed disappointment over the lack of caution, and countless Twitch streamers suggested they might pull out of the convention entirely unless the company reconsidered its stance.

At the time, a number of Twitch employees, including Lead Community Producer Zachary Ryan, directed fans and streamers alike to UserVoice, a tool that Twitch uses to take suggestions and feedback from its users who then vote on it for employees to bring forward internally. The post on UserVoice, which noted the rise in COVID-19 numbers after TwitchCon in Amsterdam, has gained over 4,000 votes and, despite only asking for a mask requirement, pushed Twitch to introduce more measures that are in line with most ongoing conventions as of now.

TwitchCon San Diego will be taking place October 7-9 at the San Diego Convention Center.