A current examine 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 based mostly streamer, who started playing 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 playing 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. When I was introduced to the eSports world I was astonished about how it all worked. Being a very competitive particular person, I made a decision it was time to take my love for gaming to the next degree, and after I discovered Twitch.tv and all of the amazing possibilities I had in entrance of me.
2. What precisely do you do in the eSports enviornment?
I’m a full time streamer on Twitch. I play games reminiscent of CS:GO, CoD, LoL, and so many more. I dedicate hours and hours a day to those games, always training, and always trying to be one of the best I can be. I’ve performed competitively in lots of games and I always have such a good time doing so.
3. What do you think of ladies in eSports, specifically in your area?
I think the women involved in eSports round my region, which is Toronto, give an excellent name for all of us. They know how troublesome it could be in this business as a woman, they usually work hard to keep up their image as not only a serious competitive player however as a lady who can play just as well as any man. Because Toronto has such a high inhabitants there may be so much competition within the eSports world.
4. What has been a few of your experiences of being in a field that has been dominated by males?
A few of my experiences in this area have not always been nice, but other instances they have been fantastic. I remember being within the Cineplex World Gaming CoD tournament last 12 months, and as I walked into the theater the men were just shocked as to why I used to be even there. The male I faced was so terrified because he by no means had to play against a girl earlier than 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 woman that I’d easily be beaten because there isn’t any way I might be good at any games. Being in an business where we’re told we “can’t presumably play video games because we’re girls” is really disappointing in today’s society. There are just SO many men who hate on girls who are concerned within the gaming business, and I don’t know if this is because society has taught those that ONLY boys can play video games or if some of them are just too ignorant to realize that our intercourse 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 all of us understand every other. It’s such an awesome feeling going to competitions and occasions and having so much in frequent with everyone. We all can relate in one way or another.
6. What is the most tough part of being in eSports?
Probably the most difficult part about being in eSports as a girl is how so many males look at us. They rarely 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 ladies be represented in eSports?
I think it’s very important that more girls are represented in eSports because we need to break the stereotype that it’s only a person’s world. SO many women keep away from the gaming business because of the fact that so many get harassed and bullied for showing an curiosity in gaming. It is nice to see that persons are finally starting to shed light on this topic and speak out about it.
8. What are your hopes for girls in eSports?
My hope for girls in eSports is that at some point men won’t decide us for zaniolo02 being a part of the gaming community and that they will realize we will play games just as well as them and even better. I can tell over the previous couple of years more and more persons are opening up to females in the gaming world, which is such a relief because it isn’t fair to the ladies equivalent to myself who put so much time and dedication into competitive gaming to just be shut down because society says we won’t be good at games.