A New Season In Esports

A recent research in the U.S. revealed that of the 31.4 million gaming fans, only 30% are female. As a full-time streamer on Twitch, Autumn Rhodes has made a name for herself within the male dominated gaming world. This Toronto primarily based streamer, who started enjoying games with her dad at a young age, talks about her experiences in an trade not always open to the fairer sex.

1. How did you get into eSports?

I started enjoying video games at a very young age because of my father and my brother, and ever since then I've by no means been able to stop. After I was introduced to the eSports world I used to be astonished about how it all worked. Being a really competitive particular person, I decided it was time to take my love for gaming to the next level, and once I discovered Twitch.tv and all of the amazing possibilities I had in entrance of me.

2. What precisely do you do within the eSports area?

I'm 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 training, and aim labs always attempting to be the perfect 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 area?

I think the ladies concerned in eSports around my area, which is Toronto, give a very good name for all of us. They know how difficult it can be in this trade as a woman, they usually work hard to take care of their image as not only a serious competitive player however as a woman who can play just as well as any man. Because Toronto has such a high population there may be so much competition within the eSports world.

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

Some of my experiences in this area haven't always been great, however different occasions they have been fantastic. I keep in mind being in the Cineplex World Gaming CoD tournament last 12 months, and as I walked into the theater the men have been just shocked as to why I was even there. The male I confronted was so terrified because he never had to play towards a girl before and he didn't know what to expect; it made him so nervous. Meanwhile, some other males at the tournament figured because I'm a girl that I'd easily be crushed because there is no way I may very well be good at any games. Being in an business where we're told we "cannot probably play video games because we're women" is really disappointing in at the moment's society. There are just SO many men who hate on ladies who are concerned within the gaming industry, and I do not know if this is because society has taught folks that ONLY boys can play video games or if a few of them are just too ignorant to realize that our sex has completely nothing to do with our capability of being great at something.

5. What is 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 is such a fantastic feeling going to competitions and events and having a lot in widespread with everyone. We all can relate in a single way or another.

6. What is the most tough part of being in eSports?

Probably the most tough part about being in eSports as a woman is how so many males look at us. They not often take us seriously and it's quite annoying because we have worked just as hard as them or harder to get where we're in the gaming industry.

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

I think it's essential that more ladies are represented in eSports because we have to break the stereotype that it's only a man's world. SO many ladies keep away from the gaming business because of the truth that so many get harassed and bullied for showing an interest in gaming. It is good to see that people are finally starting to shed light on this subject and speak out about it.

8. What are your hopes for ladies in eSports?

My hope for ladies in eSports is that at some point males won't choose 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 past couple of years more and more persons are opening as much as females within the gaming world, which is such a aid because it is not fair to the ladies resembling myself who put a lot time and dedication into competitive gaming to just be shut down because society says we will not be good at games.