Twitch and Reddit have partnered to create a four-day live Ask Me Anything experience at the social event SXSW in Austin, Texas.
The ‘Twitch X Reddit IRL’ activation will bring the combined power of their online communities to SXSW for the first time. It will be a livestreamed event featuring AMAs, performances, movie teasers, and more. It will take place on March 13-16 at Austin’s Rio venue.
The event will feature a cross section of entertainment industry personalities who will stream and interact with viewers via Twitch. A core part of the event combines Reddit’s popular AMA (“Ask Me Anything”) format with the real-time appeal of Twitch video and chat.
Reddit’s AMA forums have become a primary destination on the internet for direct interaction with thought leaders in all industries, while Twitch has expanded its live and video on demand content beyond gaming in recent years.
The Twitch X Reddit IRL stage will feature different themes throughout SXSW. This includes music with band interviews and performances, movies with actors and previews, and game demos with publisher and developer interviews. Tastemakers, artists, and celebrities will also gather here to talk directly with fans via Reddit’s “Ask Me Anything” forums.
“Twitch has expanded to new categories that allow our streamers to share a much broader range of content beyond gaming,” said Emmett Shear, CEO, Twitch, in a statement. “Twitch streamers can now share everything they do, just like Reddit has long allowed for subreddits that address every different kind of post. Partnering with Reddit for a live AMA experience at SXSW will help connect these two like-minded communities.”
Event hosts include Twitch’s Jon Carnage and Mary Kish, along with gaming personalities Rachel “Seltzer” Quirico, Jose Sanchez, and Kelly Link. All content will be broadcast daily on Twitch.
“Reddit is the home of conversation online and we are excited to go live and in person with Twitch at SXSW,” said Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit, in a statement. “From music, gaming, and film, to the latest in science and tech, we look forward to hosting the leaders, artists, and thinkers who come to Austin.”
Twitch is also partnering with SXSW Gaming Expo again as the official broadcaster of the event’s SXSW Gaming Awards and SXSW Gaming Opening Party Cosplay Contest.
Reddit co-founder, Alexis Ohanian will deliver a SXSW keynote on Friday, March 10th. The focus of his remarks will be Reddit’s evolution and will tease what new product offerings are in store for the site in 2017.