A New Season In Esports

A recent study in the U.S. revealed that of the 31.four million gaming fans, only 30% are female. As a full-time streamer on Twitch, Autumn Rhodes has made a name for herself in the male dominated gaming world. This Toronto based mostly streamer, who started playing games with her dad at a young age, talks about her experiences in an business not always open to the fairer sex.

1. How did you get into eSports?

I started taking part in video games at a very younger age because of my father and my brother, flexor injuries and ever since then I've never been able to stop. Once I was introduced to the eSports world I was astonished about how it all worked. Being a very competitive particular person, I decided it was time to take my love for gaming to the next stage, and once I discovered Twitch.tv and all of the wonderful possibilities I had in front of me.

2. What exactly do you do in the eSports arena?

I am a full time streamer on Twitch. I play games similar to CS:GO, CoD, LoL, and so many more. I dedicate hours and hours a day to these games, always practising, and always trying to be one of the best I can be. I've performed competitively in many games and I always have such a great time doing so.

3. What do you think of girls in eSports, specifically in your region?

I think the women concerned in eSports around my area, which is Toronto, give a good name for all of us. They know how difficult it might be in this industry as a girl, and they work hard to maintain their image as not only a critical competitive player but as a woman who can play just as well as any man. Because Toronto has such a high population there's so much competition within the eSports world.

4. What has been some of your experiences of being in a area that has been dominated by males?

Some of my experiences in this area haven't always been great, but other occasions they have been fantastic. I bear in mind being in the Cineplex World Gaming CoD tournament final 12 months, and as I walked into the theater the boys were just shocked as to why I was even there. The male I confronted was so terrified because he by no means had to play towards a girl before and he didn't know what to expect; it made him so nervous. Meanwhile, some other males on the tournament figured because I am a lady that I'd easily be overwhelmed because there is not any way I could possibly be good at any games. Being in an business the place we're told we "can't presumably play video games because we're girls" is really disappointing in right this moment's society. There are just SO many men who hate on women who are concerned within the gaming industry, and I do not know if this is because society has taught people who ONLY boys can play video games or if a few of them are just too ignorant to realize that our intercourse has completely nothing to do with our capability of being nice at something.

5. What's your favorite thing about being part of the eSports community?

My favorite thing about being a part of the eSports community is how well we all understand each other. It's such a fantastic feeling going to competitions and occasions and having a lot in widespread with everyone. We all can relate in one way or another.

6. What's the most troublesome part of being in eSports?

The most troublesome part about being in eSports as a girl is how so many males look at us. They hardly ever take us seriously and it's quite annoying because we've worked just as hard as them or harder to get where we are in the gaming industry.

7. Why do you think it's so essential that women be represented in eSports?

I think it's very important that more ladies are represented in eSports because we have to break the stereotype that it's only a person's world. SO many women keep away from the gaming industry because of the truth that so many get harassed and bullied for showing an interest in gaming. It is nice to see that individuals are lastly starting to shed light on this subject and speak out about it.

8. What are your hopes for women in eSports?

My hope for women in eSports is that in the future males won't decide us for being a part of the gaming community and that they'll realize we are able to play games just as well as them and even better. I can inform over the previous couple of years more and more individuals are opening as much as females within the gaming world, which is such a aid because it isn't truthful to the ladies such as myself who put a lot time and dedication into competitive gaming to just be shut down because society says we can't be good at games.