A New Season In Esports

A recent examine 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 within the male dominated gaming world. This Toronto based mostly streamer, who started playing games with her dad at a younger age, talks about her experiences in an trade not always open to the fairer sex.

1. How did you get into eSports?

I started playing video games at a very young age because of my father and my brother, 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 individual, I made a decision it was time to take my love for gaming to the subsequent level, and once I discovered Twitch.tv and all the amazing possibilities I had in entrance of me.

2. What exactly do you do within the eSports enviornment?

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 those games, always practising, and always attempting to be the very 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 women in eSports, specifically in your region?

I think the ladies involved in eSports around my area, which is Toronto, give a great name for all of us. They know how difficult it might be in this business as a lady, they usually work hard to keep up their image as not only a critical competitive player however as a lady who can play just as well as any man. Because Toronto has such a high population there is a lot competition in the eSports world.

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

A few of my experiences in this discipline haven't always been great, however different occasions they have been fantastic. I keep in mind being within the Cineplex World Gaming CoD tournament final yr, and as I walked into the theater the men had been just shocked as to why I was even there. The male I faced was so terrified because he never had to play in opposition to a girl earlier than and he did not know what to anticipate; it made him so nervous. Meanwhile, some other males on the tournament figured because I'm a woman that I would simply be beaten because there's no way I may very well be good at any games. Being in an trade where we're told we "cannot presumably play video games because we're girls" is really disappointing in right this moment's society. There are just SO many males who hate on ladies who are concerned in the gaming business, and I don't know if this is because society has taught people that ONLY boys can play video games or if a few of them are just too ignorant to realize that our sex has absolutely nothing to do with our capability of being great 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 every other. It's such an excellent feeling going to competitions and events and having a lot in widespread with everyone. All of us can relate in a single way or another.

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

Essentially the most tough part about being in eSports as a girl is how so many males look at us. They not often take us seriously and it's quite annoying because we've worked just as hard as them or harder to get the place we are within the gaming industry.

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

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

8. What are your hopes for girls in eSports?

My hope for women in eSports is that one day males won't decide us for being a part of the gaming season community and that they will realize we can play games just as well as them and even better. I can inform over the past couple of years more and more individuals are opening up to females within the gaming world, which is such a reduction because it is not honest to the ladies akin to myself who put so much time and dedication into competitive gaming to just be shut down because society says we can't be good at games.