Schwab to sponsor first annual 'Twitch Plays Catan' tournament
Charles Schwab is sponsoring the first annual “Twitch Plays Catan” tournament on September 9 and 10. The live event will be an interactive showdown featuring eight popular streamers and their chat communities competing to become the ultimate Catan champion.
Introduced in 1995, The Settlers of Catan is a landmark strategy game where players build settlements, trade resources, and compete for control of a fictional island. Rebranded simply as Catan in 2015, it remains one of the world’s best-selling and most influential games. Now available on PC and online platforms, Catan has become an interactive universe for modern gamers everywhere.
The tournament will feature a mix of athletes, gamers, streamers, and Catan lovers, including:
- Actor and rapper Khleo Thomas
- Lead singer of Against the Current and gaming streamer Chrissy Costanza
- Streamer and strategy game enthusiast Lunity
- Cozy-chaotic gaming streamer Ciarratonin
- Combat game specialist, analyst, and streamer Sacriel
- Twin gaming streamer duo Bonsaibroz
- Indiana Pacers Small Forward Aaron Nesmith
- Former Big Brother champion and Twitch Streamer Daniel Gheesling
Players will compete live via a custom digital version of the game. In a Twitch twist, fans will provide input in real time to help inform their favorite streamer’s decisions—from settlement placement to trades—turning passive viewers into active teammates.
As title sponsor, Schwab is weaving smart investing insights into the action. Throughout the streams, viewers will see gameplay-inspired investment tips, interactive financial polls, and a live Schwab Resource Tracker monitoring players’ inventories in the game.
Michael Iachini, head of manager research at the Schwab Center for Financial Research, will host the event. A board game enthusiast who has published his own no-dice variant of Catan, Michael will guide viewers through key gameplay moments with an eye for strategy and financial parallels, ranging from long-term investments to diversification.
Tournament details
- Day 1 stream: Tuesday, September 9th from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. PT
- Two qualifying matches will feature four streamers each.
- Day 2 stream: Wednesday, September 10th from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT
- Final round will include the top four players.
- Streamers will broadcast on their personal Twitch channels, with a main stream available for general viewers.
- To watch, go to: https://www.twitch.tv/ and look for the “Twitch Plays Catan” event on the homepage
Fans can expect lively interaction, chat-fueled gameplay, and interviews with the winners, tying game tactics to real-world investing habits like risk management, resource allocation, and long-term planning.
"I think a lot of investors out there will be interested. And of course, I think a ton of gamers will check out this event when it comes up,” says Michael. “I’m just so excited."