For three years, thousands of gamers and streamers flocked to Ahoy for the European edition of TwitchCon. For the City of Rotterdam, it was a perfect opportunity to connect young people with the city’s digital economy. ‘Entirely new kinds of jobs are emerging, and these young people already know how to fill them,’ says Britt Doornenkamp of the City of Rotterdam.
On the online livestreaming platform Twitch, millions of young people come together every day to game, chat, and stream. Gaming is serious business, and streamers are its star players. On the platform, they show how they play and offer commentary along the way. Viewers respond and chat with one another. Some streamers have become genuine celebrities, also making music and inviting viewers into their daily lives.
Cosplayers en streamers
TwitchCon was held in Rotterdam for the past three years. Cosplayers dressed as game heroes or beloved characters turned up all over the city, and on the metro, you’d run into streamers heading to event venue Ahoy. There, they celebrated their community with gaming tournaments, meet and greets, panel discussions, and new product launches. The event moves to Berlin in 2027, but it put Rotterdam on the map as a frontrunner in the digital economy.
Entirely new kinds of jobs are emerging, and these young people already know how to fill them.
Young economy
‘The digital economy makes up 40% of our economy,’ says Britt Doornenkamp, programme manager for digital economy at the City of Rotterdam. ‘There are huge numbers of companies and organisations offering all kinds of things online, selling digital products. It’s a young economy, full of young talent.’ That’s why Rotterdam, together with partners from across the city, was well represented at TwitchCon. The police force had a stand there, and so did Hogeschool Rotterdam and Grafisch Lyceum Rotterdam, both with a presence at Ahoy.
Creative young people
Ruwhel Emers is artistic director of Stichting Levels, a breeding ground for creative young people. They work with music, but also with gaming, specifically the fighting game Tekken. ‘We’ve got the best Tekken players in the Benelux training with us,’ Ruwhel says proudly. Besides being a musician, he’s a dedicated gamer, and he’s seen the stigma around gaming slowly fade. ‘Everyone used to think we were frying our brains. But the benefits are becoming clearer and clearer. You learn to solve problems, to think through routes to reach your goals, and to handle opportunities carefully.’
Sometimes things feel too good to be true. For a large part of this target group, an event like this just isn’t affordable.
The City of Rotterdam invited Ruwhel to organise a fifty-player Tekken tournament at TwitchCon. ‘Sometimes things feel too good to be true. For a large part of this target group, an event like this just isn’t affordable. Growing up, I never got to go to things like this. So I feel incredibly proud to bring such a big group here with me. And that we get to create something that’s truly ours, something all Europeans can connect with.’
The outsiders
With Levels, Ruwhel focuses on a particular group of young people. ‘They’re really the outsiders, the ones who don’t want to act tough, who just want to be themselves and love gaming. I’m one of those outsiders too. My cousins were drug dealers, and that wasn’t a world I wanted to be part of. They told me I should become a lawyer. But the nerds didn’t want me either, because I was too tough for them. So I’ve always been stuck somewhere in between.’
Everyone used to think we were frying our brains. But the benefits are becoming clearer and clearer.
Inclusive
At Twitch, outsiders are exactly who’s welcome. The community is known as being super inclusive, a place where everyone feels at home. Britt agrees: ‘It’s a world all its own, incredibly diverse, where so many different people feel completely welcome. It’s low-barrier because it’s online. You don’t always have to show your face, but you can always join in.’ You can see that many people have shed that barrier entirely at TwitchCon, walking around enthusiastically with a selfie stick, proudly showing the world exactly who they are.
Identity
Rotterdam’s investment in young people, and its constant search for solutions, has made Ruwhel a huge fan of his city. ‘I was born in Bonaire. My dad is from Venezuela, but I’m from Rotterdam. This city, I just love its guts. I love everything we stand for: the identity, the hard work. We got knocked down, and we build ourselves back up. We do it together.’
I was born in Bonaire. My dad is from Venezuela, but I’m from Rotterdam.
Online skills
Although TwitchCon is leaving Rotterdam, Britt still sees plenty of opportunity ahead. ‘The digital economy is much broader than streaming alone. Think gaming, esports, and the creative sector, from film to media production.’ Getting young people into the city remains essential. ‘Right now, they’re all developing online skills, and we need those skills badly in Rotterdam. They’re our future.’
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