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The Preamble So, you have stumbled across The Gamer Guide and you are wondering, “Why do I need a guide to gaming?” Well, we will not guide you on how to game, but we will keep you informed as to what the gaming industry has to offer to get you the best gaming experience! Now, the second thing you are probably wondering is, “How did The Gamer Guide start?” Well, it can be a slightly long story. However, the shortened version is that the journey of three Twitch streamers brought them together, and with their passion for gaming, their experiences of streaming, and their love for everything within the world of entertainment… The Gamer Guide was born. But what exactly is The Gamer Guide? The Gamer Guide is a digital magazine that focuses on everything gaming and streaming. This includes the latest/ upcoming releases, reviews on gaming accessories, streaming tips, and even interviews with streamers and industry professionals from across the globe. Our readership is predominantly other gamers and steamers, just like us! We understand that the love and passion for gaming extends far beyond just playing a game, and that is what we are all about! So, who are the three steamers behind this magazine?

DifferentialUK Differential UK (or Diff for short!) has been streaming since September 2020 but has been gaming ever since he was gifted a Commodore 64 from his family. His platform of choice depends on the game! He currently has an Xbox One, PS4, and a gaming PC. Diff’s go to games include Destiny 2, Gears 5, The Last of Us series, and anything comic related. But in all honesty, if Diff finds it entertaining, he will probably play it! But that’s not all, Diff also hosts an automotive podcast/chat show, AND he is a beatboxer/singer/ songwriter which he also streams!

CreativeTrashGaming CreativeTrashGaming (Or just Emily, depending on how you feel) started streaming in the latter half of 2020 with the goal of bringing a bit of joy and laughter to the world, as well as the aim of raising money for various charities. She has been gaming since she could hold a controller, with the help of her two older sisters who are also avid gamers as well.

Her favourite types of games are those with a compelling story, or those that just make her inner Fantasy Nerd go ballistic. She also likes spooky stuff, not just in the gaming realm but in general, and has a podcast with her two sisters where they discuss all things horror.

EyeStayProd Everyone calls him Eye and a few calls him Prod. He has been gaming since the Nintendo 64 and his favourite game for that was Pokémon Snap even though Goldeneye was about! He has been steaming since September 2020 and loves everything about it whether it be the community, the rage moments or even just having fun and brightening people’s days! Predominantly he is an Xbox Gamer and recently added the Series X to his arsenal, but he also has a PS4 for certain games as well as having the Nintendo Switch to hand! His game of choice is Apex Legends but is no stranger to RPGs and other games, such as every Pokémon game in the franchise, the Fable Series, Call of Duty amongst loads more. A favourite hobby for him is collecting Pokémon cards which he unboxes on stream too! Finally, Eye is a graphic designer and will always help out where possible, but you can always get at him for merch/ logo/emotes etc via his Instagram. Why not check them out? So, there you have it, what we do, who we are and where to find us. The only thing left… is to enjoy the rest of the magazine! DifferentialUK | www.twitch.tv/differentialuk CreativeTrashGaming | www.twitch.tv/ creativetrashgaming EyeStayProductions | www.twitch.tv/eyestayprod So, there you have it, what we do, who we are and where to find us. The only thing left… is to enjoy the rest of the magazine!

contents 4 6

Recent releases

Little nightmares

clutch chairz & ghost keyboards

Warrior gaming competitions

neonburst energy

beem energy

fanfit gaming

streaming start-ups

comic cons and covid

Call of Duty league round up

confab corner - chlooeeeexo

Ones to watch - cyberh3ro

Ones to watch - zepollion

super servers Battlefield 3 - Electronic Arts

Credit: SQUAREENIX LTD.

RECENT RELEASES Find out about the upcoming titles that are due to be released in April - May 2021

April 2021 Outriders Platform: PS5/ Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 1st April 2021

Scarlet Hood and The Wicked Wood Platform: PC, Mac Release date: 8th April 2021

Credit: SQUAREENIX LTD.

The Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel IV Platform: Nintendo Switch, PC Release date: 9th April 2021

MLB The Show 21 Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One Release date: 20th April 2021

Humankind Platform: PC Release date: 22nd April 2021

Credit: Nintendo

New Pokémon Snap - 2021 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc. Nintendo Switch Release date: 30th April 2021

Returnal Platform: PS5 Release date: 30th April 2021 Credit: Sony Interactive Entertainment

May 2021 Sayri: The Beginning Platform: PC Release date: 4th May 2021

Resident Evil Village

Credit: CAPCOM

Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 7th May 2021

Hood: Outlaws and Legends Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 10th May 2021

Mass Effect Legendary Edition Platform: PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 14th May 2021

Deathloop

Credit: Sumo Digital Newcastle

Platform: PS5, PC Release date: 21st May 2021

Biomutant Platform: PS4, Xbox One, PC Release date: 25th May 2021

Credit: Arkane Studios

Things that go bump in the night... Off the back of an amazing successful first instalment, Little Nightmares returns to our platforms with Little Nightmares II. Tarsier Studios had fantastic success with their first original game Little Nightmares, which was released in April 2017 and within less than a year and a half, it had sold over one million copies both digitally and physically. Little Nightmares II is a single player suspense-adventure based game in which you play as Mono, a young boy trapped in a world that has been distorted by the humming transmission of a distant tower. With Six, the girl in the yellow raincoat, as his guide, Mono sets out to discover the dark secrets of The Signal Tower and save Six from her terrible fate; but their journey will not be straightforward as Mono and Six will face a gallery of new threats from the terrible residents of this world. Little Nightmares II will be released in February 2021, and will be available on Xbox One, PlayStation 4, PC Digital and Nintendo Switch. Later in 2021, the game will also be available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. PLAY A DARK, THRILLING, SUSPENSE ADVENTURE Take Mono and Six on their adventure while a host of brand-new Residents lie in wait to haunt your steps and disturb your sleep. Outsmart the sadistic Teacher, survive the bloodthirsty Hunter and more hair-raising characters down to the roots of evil. DISCOVER A FANTASTICAL HORROR WORLD CORRUPTED BY THE SIGNAL TOWER Escape a world that’s rotten from the inside. Your journey will take you from creepy woodlands, to sinister schools, on your way to the dreadful Signal Tower to find the source of the evil that spreads through the TV screens of the world. REKINDLE YOUR DORMANT HEROIC CHILD AS MONO A NEW RESOURCEFUL CHARACTER Play as Mono, make the most of your size to hide and sneak in twisted environments, or grasp your courage and nearby tools to fend off your tormenters. Use your wits to solve puzzles, tip-toe around traps, and co-operate with Six to make sense of The Signal Tower.

We truly cannot wait to get our hands on a copy of Little Nightmares II (especially CreativeTrashGaming as she loves this genre of game) and if the first instalment was anything to go by, part two will be just as thrilling and brilliant! For more information regarding the game, visit: www.bandainamcoent.eu

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Comfort is a key element to gaming, where you sit and how comfortable the chair you are sitting in is vital. You can be in the same position for hours on end, so having something that is super comfy is a bonus! When it comes to streaming, investing into solid hardware is a must. The saying “Buy cheap, Buy twice” definitely comes into play when deciding on what equipment you will be using when gaming and streaming. We take a look at two sister companies that are truly breaking ground in the Gaming Accessory market, Clutch Gaming Chairz & Ghost Keyboards. Clutch Chairz was founded in 2016. Selling a variety of gaming chairs and gaming desks. Roughly in 2017, Pewdiepie and Clutch collaborated to make Pewdiepie a custom chair. An iconic collaboration that has left Clutch Chairz and Pewdiepie partners for years to come. Clutch Gaming Chairz have also had a collaboration with those such as WWE and other upcoming creators. Ghost Keyboards were newly founded in September of 2020. Starting with two classic keyboards known as the K1 ghost keyboard and the A1 Ghost Keyboard. K1 being their plastic base keyboard and A1 being a premium heavyweight aluminum base keyboard. With mouse pads and mice, they are covering the desk with all gaming peripherals.

As a sub-brand from Clutch Chairz and with the solid partnership with Pewdiepie, Ghost Keyboards launched a Limited Edition Combo with Pewdiepie, which included a numbered collectors case with a keyboard and mouse for Pewdiepie fans. Launching mid-November 2020, the launch was an instant success selling out quicker than they thought. Fast forward to February 14th, they have successfully launched a second big collaboration with Belle Delphine that also surrounded the same idea of a collectors combo case with a keyboard, mouse and a couple of new items such as a new coil cable and unique Belle Delphine Edition mouse pad extra large and small. The mission with Ghost Keyboards is to continue to create phenomenal products for such creators for their fans and to give everyone an experience that will last. Ultimately the goal is to continue to raise the bar with their products and always look to set high standards in quality, with a vision to launch new innovative designs and products, whilst continuing collaborations with Content producers. We caught up with Rob, Chief Marketing Officer at Clutch Gaming Chairz and Founder of Ghost Keyboards, to find out more!

TGG: Hey Rob, thanks for speaking with us, tell me a bit yourself and your history. What made you decide the gaming industry was for you?

with the first lockdown in Europe, and it was around March and April that things started to happen here in the US and Canada.

I actually grew up in Dubai, and gaming wasn’t that big when I was younger, the UAE was a developing country. I moved to there around 2002/03 and I then grew up playing different types of games. I’ve been playing games throughout my life. Fast forward 10-15 years, following on from University, I saw an opening for a social media role, and really my talents lie in Digital media and marketing. So I started at Clutch around June 2019, just as their social media guy and it quickly developed into a bigger role due to it being a smaller company. I was given Lots of responsibility. I feel it just comes from the passion around gaming, I never planned or thought the industry would be something I would get into, it just made sense at the time and I have been going with it ever since.

The result was that we were around 4 shipments out of stock, and we were getting pre-orders on top of pre-orders on top of pre-orders. This opened a lot of opportunity and ultimately It led to the creation of Ghost Keyboards. We definitely see the real growth with regards to the industry, we are heavily involved with Twitch, Facebook, YouTube and even TikTok is a big thing now. The most negative side we saw was the stigma around buying products from China, which led to shipping having a knock-on effect. Fast forward a few months, people started to buy online, which meant shipping companies getting booked up, which led to a crazy increase in the price of shipping goods. Overall, more business is good, the growth rate is good, so things are looking healthy moving forward.

TGG: That’s super interesting hearing about you growing up in Dubai, to the move to US, and how things just aligned at the right moment of time! What is your take on the gaming industry now especially with a global pandemic, Is it an exciting space to be working in? I really hoped you asked this question! Firstly, the pandemic is absolutely terrible, I get to see it first hand as my Mum is a doctor, being on the frontline and handing out the vaccines. So, my heart goes out to all those affected by this. It’s horrible, really horrible. On a separate note if you look at it as a business analytically, It’s been Clutch’s biggest every year, and we have seen enormous growth. Simply because when everyone has been sent home, professionals and students alike, they aren’t spending money on their daily coffee, they sitting down most of the day, their backs hurt, what are they going to spend their money on – a new chair. Things started to go crazy in February

TGG: That’s great to see how you have overcome the challenges of 2020. So what for you, differentiates Clutch and Ghost from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? Secret Lab will be our main competitor, how we differentiate is attention to detail, what’s inside our chair. If you look at the market, there a lot of companies offering Racing style chairs, and they all basically offer the same thing, they come from the same factory. From the inception of Clutch, we wanted to “upgrade the standard”. We wanted to take the same formula upgraded the internals, doubled the thickness, so that it has a longer lasting effect, it is softer and there is more moulding which means it will be better for posture, and that is something the founder was really passionate about, body composition and posture. Comfort is something, and I truly believe

in the product, the comfort is fantastic. With some of the cheaper chairs in the market, you find that after a few years the leather has become really worn out, with our chairs this doesn’t happen. We don’t use real leather; we use synthetic leather and we just upgraded to one of the best in the market. We try to use more expensive parts, we have a full custom aluminium base which is patented to us, and you won’t find it anywhere else in the world. TGG: So it seems you have spent a lot of time into the R&D which is fantastic. Being such a recognisable brand both with Clutch and Ghost, how do you ensure you retain that position? How important is innovation, and do you feel that you would rate your social media presence as one of your priorities? “Personally, I believe that social media is the most important thing when it comes to being seen and being relevant. The trends are always changing so you have got to keep moving forward with Social Media or you will be left behind. One of the things we think works well is working with influencers and having them share with their audiences and also share our audiences together. Everyone is buying on social media now including Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and it’s incredibly important.

TGG: We totally agree, social media is certainly important for being seen. With your growing community and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? If so, could you name a few, and how important are they to the growth and success of the business? We have a few influencers one of which is Pewdie Pie, which we have collaborated with him for both Clutch and Ghost, and his team were incredible. They were heavily invested in the project, gave their opinions, which in turn we now have amazing products that come to fruition. We also have recently partnered with Belle Delphine for Ghost Keyboards and once again her team were truly fantastic. They were also heavily involved in the design process, and we wanted to stand by our influencers and partners, we wanted to truly put our foot on the gas and go all in. One thing I really dislike is when brands just drop their partners and influencers over the smallest of things. We are all human, we all make mistakes, and things can get taken out of context – context is everything. We support our partners and influencers and we tried to be as laid back as possible.

TGG: It’s great to see that you stick by your partners and influencers. Look at 2020, it was your biggest year, but looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? With Clutch, the development for this is a much lengthier process for projects. However, by the end of 2021, we want to redesign whole lineup. We’re looking to move away from the racing style chair and more towards an updated gamer chair. We will also look at upgrading the internal materials, and try to make all of products in unison, whereby the look of the different ranges will be relatively similar however they will each have their own features and upgrades. We would also like to bring in the throttle mechanism to our chairs across the board. With Ghost, we have two main keyboards; the K1 and the A1. The K1 stands for Keyboard 1, while the A1 stands for Aluminium 1. The A1 has a fully solid aluminium base and you will probably never find this with our competitors. Most will have a metal base, that has various different alloys and compounds, but having a fully solid base is pretty uncommon. I wanted to have a product that felt premium, but with a cheaper price. We have another Keyboard coming out, which is completely different! We have created a keyboard called the Phantom Series which will be a fully RGB acrylic case, so a full 360 of RGB lighting, and I believe we are one of, if not the first companies, that will be manufacturing this keyboard on a large scale. In our new products we are using a new type of switch with gator on which is custom made for us, which means the actuation, point and force, is the lowest on any of the mechanical switches out there. This creates a real smooth experience for the end user. These will be released later this year. We will also be creating our own switch later this year, which has been inspired by other switches, release date is TBC on this. We are focusing on product improvement, whereby we will be adding a custom moulded piece of acoustic foam to dampen sound of the keyboard, which will make it a much more enjoyable experience, and there is a significant difference. Another thing is upgrading the battery, so that they last longer. But the biggest thing that we are working on right now is making software for our keyboards. We have listened to the feedback from our customers, and we hear

ya! It is just one of those things that can take a bit of time, and it’s a very complicated thing to do. A little teaser… we have some new PewDie Pie things coming… that’s all I am saying. TGG: Some exciting stuff in the pipeline! On a personal note, are you a gamer, and if so what is your gaming platform choice, what is your go to game, and what really excites you about the gaming world? That is a HARD freaking question! Okay so… my favourite system is definitely PC, I became a PC gamer in 2018, I’ve never looked back. I made the switch because I got really into fortnight. The game that I have played for the last year and my go to game at the moment is Dead By Daylight, I mean I have probably put in well over 1000 hours gameplay into it! My game of choice if you couldn’t choose any other game ever – It would have to be Runescape. There is so much to do, you can never really beat it, it’s always updating. And growing up in Dubai there wasn’t a lot of gaming consoles, there were PC’s and Runescape was my game growing up. So, there is an element of Nostalgia there! Honourable mentions though, I was a big Call of Duty Zombies player, loved the older Harry Potter games and I am super excited for the new Harry Potter game that is coming out. TGG: Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered? Thank you very much for taking the time to cover us, we really appreciate it and are supe excited to see how it comes out. We have a lot of things coming out with Ghost, we’re working on new products, loads of new partnerships, so we would be honoured to come back and chat with you again! Finally, we would like to shout out Clutch, because Ghost wouldn’t exist without clutch.

For more information, visit: www.clutchchairz.com www. ghostkeyboards.com Twitter: @ClutchChairz | @GhostKeyboards Instagram: @clutchchairz | @ghostkeyboards

Little entry, big prizes! Imagine if you could win fantastic gaming tech, accessories, drinks, merch, games, and even your next console! Well Warrior Gaming Competitions enables that very thing to happen. Raffle competitions have become increasingly popular across various different industries, with more and more companies entering the market. It’s fantastic to see these types of companies enter the Gaming industry, and with the increase of streamers, and the development of e-sports, we can see why companies want a piece of the cake! We caught up with John Lilburne, Co-Founder of Warrior Gaming Competitions to learn more.

TGG: Hey John, thanks for chatting with us, first off, tell us about you and how you came to be in the gaming industry My current “day job/career” is actually in Football, having worked in this area for approaching the past 4 years. However I have been a gamer since I was probably about 8-10 years old, so it’s something that I sort of fell in love with at a young age, and here I am still the same big kid 15-18 years down the line! TGG: Awesome, we are all big kids at heart! What is your take on the gaming industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Really exciting times. A lot more people from my everyday life have become gamers since the pandemic kicked in. Partly because there isn’t anything to do during lockdown, but also due to rise of a free-to-play game like Warzone, I think it has appealed to the masses, and I have seen an increase in the number of people who are now gaming, but also a massive increase in streamers too!

TGG: We completely agree, gaming and streaming has certainly been the light at the end of a dark tunnel! So, briefly introduce me to Warrior Competitions. Warrior Gaming Competitions is the birth child of myself, and my business partner Hayden. The company came into existence whilst we were both out playing Airsoft, and there was a similar idea that was carried out on the site we regularly visit. We looked at that, considered how we could adapt and evolve it, and applied it to another one of our passions... Gaming. And that is exactly what we did. Our main focus is on providing gamers and streamers with top end tech, and the opportunity to get their hands on those items. We keep our ticket costs, and odds really low, to give everybody the chance to get involved. We have a massive emphasis on supporting streamers and content creators, and continue to try and improve how we do this on a day to day basis.

TGG: Adapting it to the Gaming industry sounds brilliant! However What, for you, differentiates Warrior Competitions from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? There are some fantastic companies in the same industry as ourselves. Some really big players. However, I like to think what sets us apart is that fact we approach this business more like a community, rather than a company. We try to focus on giving as much back as we possibly can. We regularly finish our live streams and then raid streamers. Sometimes they only have 2-3 viewers, so when we roll into town with 50+ people dropping into their live streams, as you can imagine it makes a huge difference to their day. We are genuinely passionate about helping and supporting gamers and streamers in whatever way we can. TGG: Supporting small streamers is a great thing that we love to see! We have seen that you only started in 2020 yet have given away £1000s of prizes away, and have built quite the following, how do you ensure you keep on this upward trajectory? Is your social media presence one of your highest priorities? For us, we’re approaching a 1-year anniversary, but we are only just getting started. 15

We always considered this business venture a marathon and not a sprint, and therefore, so long as we continue to build a following and keep pressing forward then we’ll be happy. We have given away £1000’s in prizes, but this is only possibly because of the fantastic support our followers give us. They are absolutely immense. Our Social media presence is still steadily building, and hopefully we can kick it up a notch as we move forward. TGG: Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of? We recently put together a charity competition, which was really well received by our followers. We raised over £400 for charity, and donated all proceeds to a mental health charity, as chosen by the winner of the competition. We’re super proud of this! TGG: Wow! a massive well done! Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? We are pushing forward rapidly towards our first full-build, high spec PC. We constantly get asked to run a competition for a full-build, so this is going to one of our main projects going forward.

We are also in discussions to officially partner with a national charity, so we absolutely want to continue to support others, and try and raise as much money as we can. TGG: With your growing community and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? If so, could you name a few, and how important are they to the growth and success of the business? We do run an affiliation programme, and we currently have in excess of 40 members who help contribute to this. We provide their followers with a discount on all of our competitions, and provide the highest performing affiliate that month with free merch, aswell as other benefits. We could easily name all of our streamers as one to look our for, but you definitely need to check out “Barkerinho” - A fantastic Warzone streamer! We’re really proud to support our affiliates, for example, two recently became fathers, so we ordered some extra-awesome brownies

from a brilliant Instagramer and had them delivered without telling the two affiliates, so it was a nice surprise when they arrived. It’s only a small gesture, but we want to give as much back as we can. TGG: On a personal note, what is your gaming platform choice, and what is your go to game? I’ve dabbled on consoles now and again, but I am an avid PC Gamer through and through. My go-to game at the moment is probably the same as everybody else’s, which is Warzone, but I do constantly go back to either Age of Empires, or CSGO! TGG: Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered? Nothing else to mention other than thank you to you lovely people for taking the time out to read this interview, and we’d love to see you drop over to our Facebook page and drop us a follow!

Have some concerns about legitimacy? No worries! warrior gaming have you covered! How do I know this is legit? We are a fully registered Limited company with the UK’s Companies House (Company Number 12633679). We are also governed by the regulations of the UK Gambling Commission, to which we strictly abide by. All our competition draws are streamed live and directly to Facebook. We use Google’s Random Number Generator to ensure full transparency. In this industry, being open, and honest is absolutely paramount. Our reputation is what sets us apart from other competition providers. As long term PC Gamer’s, and part-time streamers, owners John & Hayden thought it would be a awesome way to get more involved in what we love doing, whilst being able to give you guys some unbelievable bundles to win! Follow us on Facebook (@WarriorGamingCompetitions) to see all of our live videos and content showing the prizes, and if you’re unsure how we work, watch one of the previously live streamed videos for a flavour of what we’re about! 16

Energy, focus, hydration 17

neonburst energy

“Our possibilities are endless, we will grow daily, weekly, monthly and yearly with no limits...” Gaming and streaming can certainly be draining, both mentally and physically, and you need to stay on top of your game. The usual go to pick me up for most will be energy drinks, and these come in various shapes, sizes and forms. What brand do you choose, which flavours are best, how much do you spend, there are so many variables to consider. One thing is for sure, Neonburst Energy are the new kids on the block and they are going full steam ahead, with their momentum and hype building quickly. We decided to speak with one of the founders Leanne Dewey to find out more! TGG: Hey Leanne, thanks for chatting with us! So tell us about your history in terms of career, how you came to be in, not only the gaming industry, but also the energy drinks industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? Hi, great questions! Myself and my two business partners have very different backgrounds, personally I have spent my career in IT and cyber security, I have also recently completed a full twoyear course regarding mental wellbeing and am a certified Life and Mindset Coach and Clinical Hypnotherapist. I will be using these skills to run and support that side of the business and partnership. My colleague has made his career through the fitness and wellbeing industry and is a qualified and certified instructor and nutritionist. Our third partner is an exceptional graphic designer and photographer who has his own personal business, he is also a full-time pro gamer so together we had the idea to create a business that covers more than one niche, designed and created to do more than sell products. Our aim is to build a close net community full of positivity and ‘energy’ that gives back to every member that joins and to the general public, Teamwork makes the dreamwork!

Leanne Dewey

TGG: That sounds like a fantastic partnership! What is your take on the gaming industry & Energy Drinks industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? More than exciting, it’s bigger than ever and growing daily, the community aspects is amazing, and the positivity is unbelievable! We are PROUD to be a part of it all, although the world has some increasing concerns regarding mental health etc, our goal as a company is to bring some real value in the industry and have a positive impact during these trying times and in the future. TGG: That’s a really good take on the industry and we agree that the industry is growing daily! So, how did Neonburst come around? When Neonburst energy was just a concept it started with the three of us sitting around a table wondering how we could bring all of our individual skills together to create something that gives back and spreads awareness alongside positivity... What better niche could have been chosen? Our possibilities are endless, we will grow daily, weekly, monthly and yearly with no limits, we have so many exciting and brilliant ideas to bring and share we couldn’t place a date on to it, we could tell but that would spoil surprises, right? 18

TGG: Oh we can’t wait to see what you have in store! What, for you, differentiates Neonburst from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? This is a question we wholeheartedly hoped would be asked and the answer is really simple... Community, as said before, teamwork makes the dreamwork! We aim to make our business and brand THE PEOPLES BRAND, we will grow as a team and build a following that is more of a family than customers. We aim to bring everyone together, interact, create friendships, collaborate with anybody and everybody willing big and small, OUR SUCCESS WILL BE YOUR SUCCESS. TGG: We love the family aspect of the industry and it is great to see you capitalising on that! As an upcoming brand new energy drink, you have really picked up quite the following. How do you ensure you retain that position, and is social media one of your priorities? Our social media presence is more important than our shop! Without you there is no us! We have many exciting opportunities in the pipeline and following our launch, 2nd April 2021 these will start to drop.

We have big plans for 2021, this is our year, our website for instance will grow monthly in regard to brand new content and new areas and pages, we have a full nutrition page in the making alongside a gamers corner, affiliate and sponsorship page right over to a mind set and mental health awareness page, we have you covered. On top of this, the response and feedback we have had prior to launch has been out of this world, it has reaffirmed that our dream was worth all the hard work and now with the community, the drive and passion is stronger than ever so who knows what opportunities await. TGG: Some exciting stuff this year, and it seems like you are not slowing down! With your growing community and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme?

Watch this space!

We will be running both after our launch, everyone is important to us, we have so many AMAZING people on board and we will be looking to work with them after the launch.

TGG: We cannot wait for the drop! Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like the readers to know about?

TGG: We are sure you will choose some fantastic content producers! Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered?

Personally, my recent compilation of my life and mental wellbeing certifications, not only have they helped me but I WILL go on to use these skills and knowledge to help thousands more, if you need me, I’ll be there.

Just a thank you for giving me the opportunity to speak with you, it has been a pleasure.

My passion in life has always been to help others find theirs and live a life they love.

TGG: That’s awesome, it’s truly important to highlight mental health and it’s great to see another company with their doors open to anyone. Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year?

STAY POSITIVE, STAY SAFE AND STAY HAPPY! Be sure to go check out Neonburst Energy on their social platforms below and stay up to date with their ongoing progress!

NEONBURST ENERGY OFFICIAL BRAND AND WEBSITE LAUNCH ON APRIL 2nd! Facebook: @NEONBURSTENERGY Instagram: @neonburstenergy Twitter: @NEONBURST ENERGY www.neonburst.com 20

Being involved in the gaming industry as a viewer, player, streamer or even a company, can be a truly tiring thing! We all need a pick me up no and again, and Beem Energy is one of the new kids on the block. They have come from the gaming industry and decided to capitalise on the ever growing market. We caught up with Luke Powell, co-founder of Beem Energy, to see what keeps their momentum going. TGG: Hey Luke, thanks for chatting to us, how did you come to be in, not only the gaming industry, but also the energy drinks industry. What made you decide that these industries are right for you? Beem as a company is comprised of three members, collectively we like to think that we have rounded knowledge of the gaming industry, production, finance, design and supplements. I won’t tell you who but one of us used to game competitively! As a company we are concerned with the stigma attached to energy drinks and how they are currently affecting gamers. There are too many companies that are interested in making quick money as opposed to making the gaming experience better for the user. We have said and always will say, Beem is made for gamers by gamers. TGG: Awesome, it’s great you’re trying to shake off that stigma! What is your take on the gaming industry & Energy Drinks industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? The gaming industry is an incredibly exciting industry to be working in, it feels like people are only recently starting to take it seriously. For us as a business, especially a new business, we have had no choice but to learn to adapt throughout the past year.

It’s not been easy and has certainly added to our intended launch date. We have taken it as a positive because it’s given us plenty of time to add our strategy moving forward. We’ve been fortunate enough to plan a lot more than just our energy drink and merch. Keep your eyes peel for some big announcements. TGG: We certainly will keep our eyes peeled, we are looking forward to seeing what you have planned! Briefly introduce me to Beem Energy. Beem energy are a new age of energy drink, we have taken the time to add ingredients specific to gamers to ensure that we’re not just a preworkout in disguise. Our team are working day and night to plan collaborations, events, new flavour drinks and new merch. Our main aim is to give the gamer the option to have something that benefits their gaming ability along with adding health benefits. We’re actively looking at how we can improve the overall experience for both recreational and competitive gamers. TGG: It’s good to see that you will be enjoying your own product and have faith in it! As an upcoming brand new energy drink, you have really picked up quite the following. Do you feel that starting with the launch of merchandise (clothing etc) helped this push? Also How do you ensure you retain that position? If we’re entirely honest, we didn’t intend on releasing our clothing before our energy drink. When the second lock down hit, we had to adapt our plans. Our energy drink was delayed by quite a substantial amount of time and at this point Beem had already gained some pretty good traction. We wanted to give the gang something rather than waiting until March 21st for our drink. The gang are seriously loyal, so it felt like the right move for us. Thankfully our first drop was a success, we sold a pretty good amount of stock, it gave the everyone a taste of what was to come! We’ve got plenty of plans to retain our position, we’re already working on 4 new flavours that we’re going to release. For us, social media plays a big part in our business, it gives us the flexibility to be free and show everyone what 23

Beem are about. We have a background in graphic design, so you’ll be seeing some sick designs dropped daily. TGG: Wicked! Adaption is key to an everchanging industry, and it looks like you nailed it! Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? We’ve got our launch date announced as March 19th so that’s going to be a pretty big date for us. To celebrate our launch, we are giving away a PS5 plus the ultimate Beem bundle – 1x rage juice, 1x artic chills, 2 x snap backs, 2 x t-shirts and 2 x shakers. People can enter here - https:// wearebeem.co.uk/pages/hack TGG: Exciting stuff, and that’s a brilliant way to launch! On a personal note, are you a gamer, and if so what is your gaming platform choice, what is your go to game, and what really excites you about the gaming world? Well, if you’ve seen our launch giveaway then you’ll know that we’re big PlayStation fans. Our go to game has to be Call of Duty: Modern Warfare, it’s a bit like us, strategized anarchy that can’t be stopped! For us, the most exciting thing about the gaming world has to be the community. We’re all about the gang and we’re here to take over! TGG: A solid game choice and a solid platform to play it on! Thanks for hanging out Luke and look forward to the launch!

If you would like to find out more about Beem Energy check out their socials below! Instagram: @beem_energy Twitter: @we_are_beem www.wearebeem.co.uk

The gaming culture covers more than just playing games. It is a passion that flows though us and drives us to continue doing what we love. It also covers collectables and having something that reminds you of a game you love, or just having something super cool. FanFit Gaming (FFG) has you covered when it comes to collectibles, they offer neon lights, LED Lights, ceramic mugs and more. The lights are super cool, and will definitely look right at home in your gaming set ups! We wanted to learn more about FFG, so we caught up with Founder Rob Green.

TGG: Hey Rob, thanks for taking the time to chat! Tell me about yourself, your history in terms of career, how you came to be in the gaming industry, but also what made you decide that the gaming industry was right for you? My background is in Sales - but In 2013 I started an art company called WallHop where we represented over 1500 artists across North America. I fell in love with e-commerce at that point, and after exiting the company I was looking for my next opportunity. I have been a PC gamer since I was 6 years old. I remember playing shareware versions of Warcraft Orcs vs Humans - and then really sinking my teeth into Diablo and Starcraft as I got older. I just took my passion for gaming and love for ecommerce and figured out the rest from there. 25

TGG: That sounds quite the journey! What is your take on the gaming industry now especially with a global pandemic? Is it an exciting space to be working in? Gaming is a great space to be in - from the content creators, large publishers, and organizations - young or old - people are here to accomplish something but at the same time have fun. There’s always new business models, new games, updates, and events to keep an eye on. I think the gaming medium has so much potential to create memorable experiences for players, it offers an ecosystem to connect with friends, and it is still in its infancy compared to the TV, or music industry. The gaming industry is exciting, fun, challenging, fulfilling, and it’s on a Rocketship!

TGG: That analogy is spot on! So, tell our readers what FanFit Gaming is exactly.

of Minnesota USA, that’s where we market, and that’s where the majority of our customer are.

Basically, it started with a simple idea to make gifts gamers love. I wanted to make things that were really interesting and cool, and spoke to me personally. I started FanFit Gaming part time in 2017 making small orders and shipping them out of my tiny apartment in Toronto. After seeing the demand for the business, I turned to full time with FanFit Gaming in 2018. To date we are probably most well-known for our hand bent glass Neon Lights, but we make coffee mugs, LED Lights, apparel, collector pins, mousepads, and loads of other gamer gifts. Today my home office is still in Canada, but our warehouse is based out

TGG: It’s great that it has really taken off for you and it seems to be gathering momentum! What, for you, differentiates FanFit Gaming from other similar companies operating within the same industries as yourselves? We have several things that differentiate us. Our product line is unique, our licenses mean our customers can expect quality, and I actually visit each of our manufacturing partners to ensure quality of life, working standards, and that everything is sourced ethically. We’re not just slapping a logo on a mug, we’re designing everything from the ground up

- including the type of ceramic, to the shape of the mug etc. When customers shop with us, there’s a trust that we will provide great service and great quality products.

lot more fun and meaningful to work with people that are putting out content like Get Flanked - than it is to just setup some ads on Facebook, Instagram, and Google.

TGG: We totally feel you on that, social media is forever evolving and changing, sometimes it is hard to keep up! Are there any past projects or achievements that you’re particularly proud of which you’d like to share?

TGG: It’s great to see you connecting with content creators and building communities! On a personal note, are you a gamer, and if so what is your gaming platform choice, what is your go to game, and what really excites you about the gaming world?

One of the coolest things that I get to do when working with corporate partners is design and manufacture unique items for large game launches / tradeshows / other events. One of my favourite projects was with Ubisoft - with the launch of Assassin’s Creed Odyssey - we designed and manufactured 4 styles of rings that were given away as a free gift with purchase at gamestop for the game launch. The rings were super cool and it was really amazing to take prat in an awesome launch event of a triple A title.

Yep definitely a gamer and PC gaming is my platform. I have probably sunk the most hours into DOTA2 - but recently i’ve started enjoying some Valorant. I kind of mix it up, I’m looking forward to CorePunk - Baldurs Gate 3, Overwatch 2, and Diablo 4 right now. I’m an RPG fan that likes to throw in some PVP & PVE games here and there.

TGG: Oh that is super cool! Looking ahead, what does 2021 bring, what are the plans and projects for the coming year? We’re continuing to expand our product categorization - as well as our licenses. We have some big things in store for 2021 absolutely! TGG: Exciting times, we will make sure we keep an eye out. With your growing community and social presence, do you run a sponsorship or brand ambassador programme? If so, could you name a few, and how important are they to the growth and success of the business? Yes we do run brand ambassador programs - right now we have a Rainbow Six Siege program running with Get Flanked who is a prominent R6 YouTube content creator and Twitch Streamer. These partnerships are part of the puzzle when it comes to our marketing and the customer journey in discovering our brand. I don’t think we can rely exclusively on partnerships - but they do play a big role. more importantly though, it’s

TGG: Some awesome games mentioned! Finally, is there anything else that you feel you would like to mention that we may not have covered? Recently I started a podcast called Pixel Scouters - where we interview guests in the esports and gaming industry to talk about content creation, and carving a career path out in this awesome industry. We go live Thursdays at 10:00pm EST twitch every week, and then the content is available on YouTube + every major podcast app. TGG: Oh that is really interesting, we would love to throw our name into the hat and collaborate with you on that! Thanks so much for chatting with us and giving us more of an insight into FanFit Gaming. Be sure to check out FanFit Gaming’s socials and give them a follow. Go get yourself some super cool collectibles!

www.fanfitgaming.com Facebook: @FanFitGaming Instagram: @fanfitgaming Twitter: @FantFitGaming

streaming startups

Written by: Josh Hyland

Streaming to a platform has been around for some time, and I remember watching musicians on Ustream, which now goes by the name of IBM Cloud Video. It is a great way of connecting with others across the globe, sharing your content live and building your connections, be it business or personal. Additionally, it is quite easy to do and you can pretty much stream with the smallest of budgets, the one key thing you need to bring however is engaging content. So, if you are a musician, gamer, host of a podcast, or even just a chatterbox, the streaming world can be your oyster! Recently due to a various number of reasons including, a global pandemic, lockdowns through countries across the world, alongside the e-sports industry boom, there has been a massive increase in streamers and viewers across various platforms. In 2019 there was approximately 127 Million viewers on twitch, and in 2020 there was 29

approximately 143 million Twitch viewers. Regarding hours watched, Twitch hit 5 Billion for the quarter ending June 2020. This is a 12% increase year on-year, which in terms of upwards trajectory, is staggering! Furthermore, in July 2020 Mixer (created by Microsoft in 2017) shutdown their streaming platform and decided to merge with Facebook Gaming. Subsequently, Facebook Gaming has said that more than 700 million of their 2.4 Billion active users, have engaged with gaming content on its platform every month, and the hours watched has increased by 200% in the last quarter! This means it is an exciting time to start streaming your content. Or is it? In this feature, I will be examining what is needed to start your streaming journey, what platforms are available to you, and my personal experience as a musician, gamer, and streamer.

Getting Set Up Firstly, before getting your stream going or even investing in the tools to start streaming, you will need to have an idea as to what you want to share with the world. There are several different options including but not limited to, Music, Gaming, Podcasts, Arts and Craft, and even just chatting away. Once you have that idea in your head is time to start your journey. The easiest way to stream gaming content is direct from your console or PC, however if it is direct from console, the only platform available will be Twitch via the downloadable app. If you are gaming via PC, then you will need a broadcasting software such as Streamlabs or OBS Studio for example. Furthermore, you can get away with not having a camera or microphone and just sharing the game you are playing, however this will not make for engaging content. A cheap microphone or headset, and a webcam will certainly help your viewers engage with your channel and allows viewers to feel connected to the person they are watching. If you are streaming anything other than gaming, a PC with broadcasting software will be required, and you certainly would need a camera and a microphone! Another option is to stream your gaming content via a PC by means of a capture card, and by doing so opens endless possibilities including overlays, starting screens and much more engaging content. There are several capture cards on the market ranging from the budget to premium, with the most known brand being Elgato. If you plan on using a capture card, you will need broadcasting software like the forementioned Streamlabs or OBS Studio as a medium to the streaming platform of your choice. Both mentioned broadcasting software are free to use (with in software purchases) and give you access to a variety of overlays and apps that you may wish to include on your stream.

Now that you have the basic tools to start streaming, the question is what platform you are going to stream to. The three main contenders are Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Gaming. All the mentioned platforms have their pros and cons but deciding which platform you would like to use will be the starting point of your streaming journey. As an FYI Streamlabs will certainly allow you to multi-stream to more than once platform, however, to do so will mean upgrading to their premium monthly service at a cost of $19.99 (£14.50) a month or $149 (£108) for the year. You will get added extras for upgrading, including a wider catalogue of overlays and apps.

The Very Stream So it’s your very first stream and you have ticked off the boxes on the checklist to get you set up. My question to you now is, “What is your end goal from streaming?” There is no wrong answer here but figuring out what you would like to get from streaming will certainly carve the path on your journey. There are several different outcomes that streamers aim for including, making new friends, and just having fun with it, or making this into a full-time job and “making it rain” with your well earnt fun coupons. Again, neither is a wrong answer and it is certainly not impossible to combine the two but having that goal in your sights will help you shape how and what you will be streaming. 30

Now that you are live, it can take some time to see any sort of return in terms of viewership, follows and subscriptions, so do not feel deflated if you have a low number of viewers at the start. Remember, you have just dived into an ocean full of new and experienced streamers, all on their very own path, with their very own goals. This will increase as you produce more content and the more you stream. Depending on what your end goal is and how quickly you would like to get there, there are means of speeding this process up which I will cover below.

Growing Your Channel It would be silly to assume, that any streamer will be happy to stay at zero to low viewers for the rest of their streaming journey, even if they are simply doing it just for fun. As a baseline, growing your community, connecting with new people, and making new friends should be the starting goals, and this is simply not possible if no one is watching! Growing your channel is possible through several ways, and utilising all of them will certainly help share your channel, grow your community, and start the upward trajectory for you. Watching Other Streamers The first and most simple way of growing you community is to join someone else’s. Head over to other small streamers’ channels, interact engage, drop a follow if you like what you see, but be sure not to head into another channel just for selfpromotion. There is certainly an unspoken etiquette that streamers follow and selfpromoting in another channel is just bad play. Be genuine, be kind, and the same will certainly be returned. Facebook Groups Joining Facebook Groups can be essential to sharing that you are live and will certainly help get your name out there. However, there are a lot of groups, with a lot of members, all doing the same thing.

So, it can be very hit and miss at times but in my personal experience the smaller groups with more of a community feel, tend to work better for growth. Discord Servers One of the easiest ways to grow your community, meet new people, and to showcase your streaming channel is through Discord Servers. Sure, everyone and their mother will have their own Discord server. For example you could certainly join my server Diff’s Den (shameless plug I know) or you could even join Trash Talks (which is our Creative Director’s Discord!). What I am trying to say, is that even though there are thousands upon thousands of servers, each having various amounts of members, being part of several different communities is never a bad thing. Try to not to overdo it by joining hundreds of servers, not only will your phone hate you for the number of notifications you will get, but it will become increasingly hard to keep track and to truly connect and engage with the other members. Social Media Finally, sharing your channel through social media is a great way to let your existing followers and friends know about your streaming activity. Platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, are a great way of sharing content and sharing your streaming schedule.

Personal experience In my personal experience of being a gamer, musician, chat show host, and a streamer, the one bit of advice I will give is to put the enjoyment and community aspect first. If you compare building your streaming journey to building a house, you need a solid foundation. I truly believe that friendship and a great community is the best foundation you can get, and from this you will certainly be able to build upon this.

Furthermore, I personally try not to put all my eggs into one basket. What I mean by this, is I aim to keep my channel as fresh and diverse as possible. This means, playing a variety of games, but also having special rarity streams including a live music performance once a month and live automotive chat show once a week. This certainly helps draw in new people too, as you will be reaching out to numerous viewers, all with different interests, across multiple categories on the platform of your choosing.

Recommended Brands

Finally, as a viewer I tend to engage more with streamers that have a camera. For me, I find that having a camera on whilst streaming truly connects me to the person creating the content and helps with the engagement and interaction.

Time to Conquer The World So, there you have it, you have your set up, your platforms, and it is now time to conquer the world. There will be many hurdles along the way, loads of things that will still need to be learnt, but with the right foundations, the right community, and people around you, anything is possible. Let me be the first to wish you the best of luck on your path, and I hope to enjoy watching some of your amazing streams someday. Remember, as long as you are enjoying it, keeping your viewers entertained, and having the time of your life, that is all that really matters.

comic con &

covid

I remember my first comic con well. I was around the age of thirteen, and had saved up enough money to buy myself a Yuna (Final Fantasy X) cosplay. My mother and I had spent hours creating her staff with an old broom stick and some cardboard. I was beyond excited but also a little nervous. Being quite the shy kid, I wasn’t quite sure how people would take to me going to an event dressed up as a game character. But when I got there, all of those feelings of nervousness washed away in an instant. It was MCM London Comic Con in its early days, when the event was only just big enough to fill just one of the many halls at the ExCel Centre in London. At that point it 33

was very anime and game-oriented rather than a full-blown comic convention, but it was just as exciting all the same. Arriving there, I instantly saw other people dressed as characters from the same game, and I recognised characters from other games too. People would just run up to us and ask for pictures and/or talk to us. For the first time ever I felt confident talking to new people. It was so amazing meeting others who loved the same things you did; people who shared the same passions and ambitions. Not only did it allow me to make new friends, but the convention itself was just as exciting. I had access to games that I

Credit: geeksyndicate.co.uk

the entire ExCel building for the weekend, with massive movie, game and TV stars turning up for Meet and Greets, panels being held to tease upcoming shows, and huge stages set up just to hold cosplay performances. Gaming companies took an interest as well, with Nintendo having a giant stand where one could try out an upcoming title or even purchase a console or Microsoft showcasing their latest updates on Xbox at their green-carpeted corner. Twitch even have their own stand now, offering help and advice to new or aspiring streamers, and often have a few of the larger streamers there for people to meet. It has been amazing seeing how much comic cons have become more mainstream and popular, though it also came with its negatives. Because of the increase of people, con-flu became a wellknown phrase. Con-flu was the complete opposite of fun. Due to the sheer amount of people you came into contact with at these events, it was inevitable that someone with a cold (or worse) would end up spreading their illness among the crowds. It became so common at these events that you were often told you were lucky if you didn’t get it. A lot of the time it was the cosplayers who would suffer the most, due to being approached so often, and with them being exhausted from essentially performing the entire weekend. So, now that this dreadful pandemic has made itself known in the world, what is next for comic cons?

had long forgotten about at a retro games stand, and games that I had heard of but could never buy due to them being Japanese and extremely expensive to purchase online. I remember coming home with a tote full of stuff hanging off one arm, and a giant plush toy in the other, my heart full with happiness. I met some of my best and closest friends from attending comic cons, and have many fond memories. I continued to go to MCM Comic Con year upon year, and as I grew, so did the event. With each passing year, the amount of people going increased dramatically, along with the size of the show. It eventually became so big that it essentially took over

How will they cope with the new way of life that we now have to lead? Will comic cons ever be the same? The one thing that will be the most apparent at comic conventions in the future will definitely be limited numbers. From a visitor’s perspective, I always wondered if the capacity limit was exceeded at these events (that’s how busy it got!), but I also know that said limit was rather high for such a huge building like the ExCel centre. Sometimes it was so busy in there that you would take a full 10 minutes just to walk down one aisle of stalls, to which was not a very big distance. 34

That will definitely be one of the first and most obvious things to change. Numbers would have to be drastically reduced at these events in order to comply with the new safety laws regarding the virus, including social distancing. Even with the vaccinations rolling out slowly but surely, I think it would be best to have these rules in place, not even just for the new virus but for other illnesses as well. It would also make the experience of comic con a lot easier for people who suffer in large crowds, or for those who need better and easier access such as wheelchair users. There is the question as to whether they would implement a one-way system in these types of events, of which would definitely help with the flow of traffic in the large function halls but could prove to be annoying for visitors at the same time, though I think it would be the best way to keep everyone safe. Another thing that would be glaringly obvious is the use of masks. This is both good but also unfortunate, as I imagine cosplayers would struggle to implement the use of a mask when performing as a certain character, but safety is much more important. I imagine that cosplayers who are already wearing masks as part of the character would be able to get away with this, though. A second very apparent change would be meet and greets. Lining up to meet your favourite character in a movie/game and giving them a hug will be a big ‘nono’ for a while. There are two types of meet and greets, however. Firstly, there is the kind where you can physically walk up to the celebrity, give them a hug, get a photo and chat with them for a little bit; then there is the second way, in which the celebrity sits behind a table and simply signs a piece of merch/paper and has a small chat with the fan. Would they still possibly do the second option at comic cons? Personally, I think they shouldn’t, as it still puts both the celebrity and the fans at risk, but there are also precautions that could be 35

put in place to protect both parties whilst still being able to have that small interaction as well. Lastly, the performances and panels. Before, one could line up ready for a performance on the main stage of the event, crowding into the curtained-off room and sitting on one of the hundreds of plastic chairs that were incredibly uncomfortable. You were literally elbow-to-elbow with the people either side of you, and the room got hot, fast. Again, this would be something that would have to change drastically. Audience numbers would have to be reduced, chairs would have to be suitably distanced, and all the precautions for performers and crew would have to be implemented backstage. There would have to be more staff on-hand to find out the sizes of certain parties entering the stage, constantly reminding visitors to keep a chairs distance away from the group of people next to them. I can see comic cons being a logistical nightmare for these types of issues. Security would have to be higher than usual to ensure people are keeping to the rules of social distancing and more staff would need to be on-site to regulate the numbers of people crowding in certain areas and ensuring that game-testing equipment and such are constantly cleaned, ready for the next user. Sounds pretty expensive for the organisers, and with the organisers, and with the reduced numbers that will

inevitably have to happen, will comic cons be returning any time soon? London Film and Comic Con have pushed their next event to late July this year and Insomnia Gaming Festival have scheduled their Dublin event in November. The event organisers seem to be very keen on getting back on track, but is there a possibility they will have to cancel again? Only time will tell. As much as I miss going to comic cons, I do think I would be rather concerned about my safety and the safety of my loved ones upon going to such a crowded place.

Upcoming Comic Cons

London Film and Comic Con Date: 23rd - 25th July 2021 Location: Olympia London - UK

There are so many factors to consider, and I do hope that the organisers of these shows are doing everything they can to make it as safe as possible for their visitors. In conclusion, though, I don’t think comic cons are going to be the same for quite a while, and it is up to you if you think they will be worth returning to again so soon. Either way, do stay safe out there, wear your mask, wash your hands, and game on!

London MCM Comic Con Date: 22nd - 24th October 2021 Location: London ExCel Centre - UK

Written by: Emily Welfare Creative Director

Insomnia Gaming Festival Date: 6th - 7th November 2021 Location: RDS Hall 1 - Dublin - Ireland

Birmingham MCM Comic Con Date: 13th - 14th November 2021 Location: To be determined

MAJOR 1 ROUND UP The Call of Duty League is back in full swing this year, taking the best players in CoD Esports and creating some amazing teams to compete against each other. Here we have Peter Easto, who will be creating round-ups for us to catch up on the progress of the teams in the league. Also being a streamer, Peter is well-versed in Call of Duty from his own playtime. He has an incredible channel full of amazing content. If you are interested, see the end of this article for all of his socials and channel!

The 2021 Call of Duty League kicked off this past month with 3 weeks of incredible matches from some incredible pro players. I came into this season with my eye on four teams. Chicago Optic, Atlanta Faze, L.A. Thieves, and Dallas Empire. Let’s start off with the L.A. Thieves journey through their first major event back in the CDL. The Los Angeles Thieves had played through the prelims dominating 4 out of 5 the teams they played. They lost to Dallas empire in a 0-3 map count in the last match of the prelim super week for a huge 4-1 prelim record giving them the second seed in their pool play. The thieves looked strong throughout the prelims but unfortunately, they fell short their first match of the finals. They had to play the Los Angeles Guerillas for the “title” of best L.A. team and lost in a crushing 0-3 map count. This bumped them down to play in the loser’s bracket and came out swinging against Toronto Ultra and crushed them with a 3-0 map count. After that they played Optic Chicago and lost full in a 3-1

map count in favor of Optic, bringing their first major back into the CDL to a screeching halt. I for one was a little upset in their showing this event and hope they come around in the next one as the team that was so strong in the prelims. This brings us to our next team and the team I have been following the longest, Optic Chicago. If you are not new to the CDL scene Optic Chicago used to be the Chicago Huntsmen. Hector “H3CZ” Rodriguez re-purchased the rights to the name Optic Gaming and rebranded The Huntsmen to Optic Chicago. This team came out the gate swinging only losing to one team in prelims to have a 4-1 record to secure the second seed of their pool play. Optic went on to dominate the New York Subliners in their first round of winner’s finals with a map count of 3-0. This brought them to round 2 against Dallas Empire in what I would have called a Grand Finals match. This match went to the last round of the last map for a devastating loss to Optic to bump them down

to the loser’s bracket. In their first round of losers bracket they faced off against the L.A. Thieves and took the dub to face off against the New York Subliners for the second time. This time around the Subliners had an answer for everything Optic could throw at them and the Subliners knocked optic out of the event giving Optic the 4th place round of applause. Next up is the third powerhouse team I’m keeping my eye on is Dallas Empire. Now I will admit I did not do my duty and watch all of Empires matches, but from what I did see they did not lose easy. They had a command 4-1 record in prelims giving them first seed in the finals (because they beat the L.A. Thieves). Which gave them a bye match in round 1. Round 2 they knocked Optic down to the loser’s bracket to go on and play Atlanta FaZe. Empire stepped up to play FaZe and got wiped in 3-0 map count in favor of FaZe. This brought them to the loser’s bracket and set a fire under their seats and they wanted a rematch. Empire played the Subliners in the loser’s finals and crushed the Subliners dreams to make it to the grand finals with a 3-0 map count to move on for the rematch that they wanted against FaZe. Unfortunately, they could not repeat what they did to the Subliners and lost in a best of 7 with a map count of 5-2 in favour of FaZe. Last but not least is my second favorite gaming org, and favorite content creation org is non other than FaZe. Atlanta FaZe came into this tournament incredibly hot with an undefeated record throughout prelims. Every player on this roster is a threat in any position on the map. FaZe then went on to run through the rest of the competition only dropping 2 maps in all the finals. They ran through the L.A. Guerrillas 3-0 and Dallas Empire the first time 3-0 to find themselves in the grand finals. They played Dallas for a second time and gave them 2 maps out of the 7 they played. FaZe won the grand finals in a dominating map count of 5-2 to be the winners of the first CDL Major of 2021.

The switch up from console to PC and with the CDL switching back to 4v4 from last years 5v5 events has really made the shake up on all these teams’ rosters and has really shown which players are happy to be back to a 4v4 layout. Keep a look out for the next event, whether it’s a home series or stage 2 of the 2021 season, these 4 teams will definitely make some highlights.

Go and give Peter (Jokersgreed) some love on Twitch and other channels: Twitch: twitch.tv/jokersgreed_ Youtube: JokersGreed To stay up to date with Call of Duty League, visit their site: www.callofdutyleague.com

Credit: Activision Blizzard Entertainment

The 2021 season is going to be a battle between these 4 teams taking turns being at the top. Credit: Activision Blizzard Entertainment

confab corner 39

chlooeeeexo In this issue we chat with Twitch Streamer Chlooeeeexo (or just Chloe for short!) Chloe has over 17,000 followers on Twitch, with her streams racking up average viewers of over 75. Not only this, but her community and following she has built, solidifies her place as one of the most down to earth Twitch Streamers we have come across. Chloe has never been known to shy away from some of the biggest Twitch debates including the age old “Men vs Women Streamers” and giving her thoughts and standpoint as a female streamer on Twitch. We have been following Chloe’s streams for some time and jumped at the opportunity to sit down and learn more about her.

TGG: Away from your streaming life what do you do in your spare time?

TGG: Hey Chloe, thanks for chatting with us, how have you been?

I am a graphic designer, recently finished my degree last year! I love cycling, swimming, playing competitive TFT. However, I play that off stream to avoid distractions or being disappointed if I lose haha! I love drawing, tattoos, horror movies and binging series in one night then complaining there is nothing left of Netflix to watch.

Chloe: Hello! I have been very well :) Despite the world being how it is now! I am content.

TGG: Awesome, so it sounds like you get up to loads away from the screen. Let’s talk set up! What 5 essentials can you not stream without?

TGG: So, tell us, how long have you been streaming and what made you want to start streaming?

Does my PC count? Well in no particular order:

I have been streaming for 2 years, 1 month and a few days! I celebrated the two years not long ago. I remember watching Ninja on Twitch and wanted to try it for myself, as one of those people playing the games and thought, well might as well try streaming!

1. My stream deck is almost essential now! It helps me flick through scenes, funny transitions, change songs, clip and even play those essential sound clips that may suit the time perfectly. 2. I really love my keyboard, because it has custom key caps with rubberised grip.... (so, they’re to blame for my poor gameplay haha) 40

3. MY CHAIR!! My chair has saved my butt and back, and it so so so so comfy! It is a Titan 2020 by secret lab in cookies and cream! I prefer the cotton weave material than leather too. 4. Energy drink, although I tend to have energy coming out of my ass now a days, but energy drink always helps! 5. Ok, my pc is pretty essential... TGG: What advice can you give to any smaller streamers about making their stream better and growing their channel/content? Do not concentrate on the numbers, really focus on the content you’re producing. Use all social media to put that content out or promote yourself! I say it so much, but there is all this social media, free accounts to be made and you can utilise it! TGG: That’s some really good advice! What are your Top 5 Games of all time? Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, Billy Hatcher and the giant egg, Crash Bash, Pokemon yellow, and the Pokemon trading card game. TGG: All fantastic choices, and amazing games. So, If you had to choose one game only to play forever what would you choose? That’s way too difficult! Ok so if I’d never played it but could play it forever because I know it’d hold an audience probably World of Warcraft of Grand Theft Auto. TGG: Oh okay, that is rather interesting but a fine choice, nevertheless. What is the best moment you have had streaming? Or if you have a few what are your Top 3? My community came together on my birthday last year and absolutely spoiled the heck out of me. I’m talking balloons, 30+ presents, a video was made with everyone in my community, my sister even featured on it!

TGG: that sound’s so awesome, and completely bonkers that they managed to include your sister! On a personal note, let’s talk a little bit more about you! What is something that no one who watches your channel/content knows about you? Once upon a time I pierced my own nose with an earring... Oops! Ouch! TGG: Oh my word! Hopefully, it was sanitised haha! Finally, what are you currently working on that you’d like our readers to know about/check out? I have a few things behind closed doors I’m working on but at the moment if you really wanna join a community of people or individuals that love games / community and streaming then get your butts in here! I am working on my own team, as well as casting in some adverts for TV!! Can’t wait to see this year progress! TGG: That sounds super awesome, and we will be sure to keep track of those! Thank you so much for chatting with us Chloe, it’s been a pleasure. Thanks for having me :D

Chlooeeeexo is a fantastic streamer and an incredible person. Head on over to her Twitch channel and other social medias and give her plenty of support! SOCIALS Instagram: @chlooeeeexo Twitch: twitch.tv/chlooeeeexo Twitter @chlooeeeexo TikTok @Chlooeeeexotiktok YouTube @chlooeeee1

ones to watch

cyberh3ro “Partner is a goal that Twitch has set for all us streamers to reach for, however, my real goal is to continue to help others reach their dreams while I strive for mine.”

Everyone who streams will have different goals and different targets that they set their sights on, they will have a different perspective on what they want to get out of streaming. You could be pushing for partner, or just doing it for fun, you might want to make a full-time career out of it, or you may only stream every now and again. Either way, the one thing that is true with all streamers, is that having a strong community around you, and growing your circle is so important. The viewers who follow you, interact with your chat daily, and support you from the get-go, are the backbone of any streamer. Not only does this help you grow as a streamer, but your circle of friends will increase alongside. CyberH3ro is a streamer who truly has his community, his supporters, and his friends at the forefront of his mind every time he goes live. Whether it is simply posting across the social media platforms, or live on his stream, CyberH3ro has created a tightknit community that really supports him through and through. In the last few months of following CyberH3ro, we have seen this momentum increase rapidly, and now that he is applying for Twitch Partnership, we had to have a chat with him! TGG: Hey CyberH3ro, thanks for chatting with us, how have you been? Of course, this is really exciting! I’ve been doing great, just taking it day by day! TGG: So, tell us, how long have you been streaming for now and what made you start? Well, I started streaming in April 2020 after losing my job due to the pandemic. However, I didn’t start streaming for the money. I started because I finally had time to do something that a bunch of people kept telling me to do. 44

I have always been an entertainer and goofball that many people said I should do that while incorporating my love of video games. So, I decided to take my shot and take my passion for entertaining people and bringing that to a platform where games brought people together! TGG: We are sorry to hear that you lost your job, however, it seems like things worked out for the best! What made you choose Twitch as the streaming platform for you? I chose Twitch over the competitors for one reason, the love that is on Twitch. For me, I have always been a big fan of YouTubers, such as Pewdiepie and Mathias. However, I never looked at that platform as a streaming outlet, not like I looked at Twitch. Twitch had my heart because of the way it was for me as a viewer when I entered someone’s chat, I was always welcomed and felt like I belonged to something. TGG: As streamers as well, we completely appreciate that. What is the most important thing to you personally when it comes to your streams? The most important thing is my community. This sounds clique but it is true. My family, which is what my community is to me, is what gets you to where you are. They are the ones who believe in your content and mindset. They are the ones coming out to every stream, whether they are at work, taking care of personal issues, or just having a relaxing night. Time is the most precious thing a person can give to someone and when they choose me over all the thousands of streamers out there, that means something to me. The games will always be there. You can play the game off stream. But during your stream, the people there supporting you, they are everything and all my attention goes to them. For example, I’ve had streams where we will just chat for hours and never get to gameplay because it is the last thing I’m focused on. TGG: That’s great, and we completely agree. You have really been building up quite the following and engagement recently, I noticed that you applied to become a Twitch Partner and was unfortunately unsuccessful at the time, what are your goals for this year? Partner is a goal that Twitch has set for all us streamers to reach for, however, my real goal is to continue to help others reach their dreams while I strive for mine. Helping smaller content creators make friends and help them start their own communities with advice and guidance.

I am a big advocate for the female gamer/streamer community and helping them get treated better and make a more positive atmosphere in the gaming world. So, my goal this year is to keep the growth up and make sure to continue my mindset and vision for the future of Twitch and gaming. TGG: Awesome! How do you keep the momentum going, and keep that upward trajectory? Is it purely social media or does your community play a part? Starting off, I was out supporting other streamers, making genuine friendships, and getting others to their dreams because it brought me happiness to see someone succeed, which gave me the inspiration to grind for mine. Social media, especially TikTok was a huge part in my success because it gave me the chance to get my vision and mindset out there for more of an audience to see, which brought traffic to my Twitch channel. Still to this day, I continue to make content for social media besides Twitch for the fact of bringing in new faces and help others reach their potential with me.

through their workday, to get them through their mental health issues. And that is enough for me to power through and realize that I am here for them and that means the world to me. TGG: That’s a great way of looking at it. What’s your go to game, the one game you couldn’t live without? I’m a big Call of Duty: Warzone guy, I play that so much off stream it’s insane. But my all-time favourite game franchise would have to be Kingdom Hearts. I’m a huge Disney fan and having all the Disney characters in the game, combined with a heartfelt story (see what I did there, fans will understand), it is game I will never forget. TGG: Finally, what is something you’d like our readers to know about/check out? I would love for the readers to check out not just my discord or Twitch channel but check out the YouTube as well. We will be having more videos made, such as travel vlogs and other content that won’t be on the Twitch side. TGG: Thank you so much for chatting with us CyberH3ro, it’s been a pleasure, keep smashing those streams, and we will be sure to keep our readers up to date with how you are getting on!

The community also helps big time, especially mods. They have started bringing in their friends and their personal communities to come hang out and join my family as well, which is insane to me still to this day that people want others to come see my content. TGG: A quick scenario, the last stream you had didn’t go to plan for whatever reason and you were pretty deflated about it, how would you bounce back from that to make sure it doesn’t affect your streams moving forward? This does happen sometimes. There will be slower streams, just like stores have slower days. The way I bounce back is I always come back to the community I have built. Sometimes I get down on myself and ask if I’m doing enough for everyone, am I making the best content I can make. And I always remind myself that I do. If it is one person or one hundred people watching me, there are people who rely on my content to get them out of bed in the morning, to get them

It was a pleasure of mine to talk to you guys and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for all of us! Happy Streaming! CyberH3ro is such a humble and giving streamer that truly has his community at the forefront of his mind. We honestly wish him the very best in his Twitch journey, and we are sure he is going to be smashing those goals this year! SOCIALS Instagram: @Cyberh3rotwitch Twitch: twitch.tv/cyberh3ro Twitter @CyberH3ro TikTok @CyberH3ro STREAMING SCHEDULE Monday – 9pm UK time Wednesday – 9pm UK Time Friday – 9pm UK Time 46

When it comes to streaming, one thing is certain, you need to be engaging and entertaining. Sometimes, what you are wearing will also attract the attention of new viewers. The age-old sales rule is that you have approximately 30 seconds to sell yourself before the recipient decides to continue or close it off. Now you may wonder what this has to do streaming, and quite simply it is easily applicable.

zepollion “The most important thing for each of my streams is that I find ways to bring a smile to people around the world!” 47

You have short window of time where a new viewer comes into your stream and will decide whether to continue watching or to leave, and you must make sure you hit it out of the park with a lasting and memorable impression. We have been following Zepollion for some time, and we can definitively say that he is one of the most energetic, and well-dressed streamers going! As soon as you enter his stream, his notorious Z-Squad community are making sure the chat is never dying out.

Alongside this you will experience dancing, fabulous alerts and soundbites, tonnes of energy, amazing suits, and some awesome game play. With over 2000 followers and growing, Zepollion has popped up on our radar and is certainly one to watch. We caught up with Zepollion to find out more!

TGG: Hey Zepollion, thanks for chatting with us, how have you been? I have been great! I am healthy, happy, and have really been making the most out of life! I really appreciate The Gamer Guide reaching out and wanting to hear about my streaming journey!

TGG: You are more than welcome. So, tell us, how long have you been streaming for now and what made you start? I have been streaming on Facebook Gaming since June of 2020. Though I really did not start taking it seriously until the end of July 2020. I first started streaming to capture highlights in the games I was playing. I eventually began to have viewers show up in my streams and I quickly discovered that it was a lot of fun interacting with an audience while playing video games!

TGG: We can relate with that completely. What is the most important thing to you personally when it comes to your streams? The most important thing for each of my streams is that I find ways to bring a smile to people around the world! Life, especially after the past year, has been hard on everyone. If I can help people forget about the stress of life for even just a minute and get them to literally laugh out loud… then I have done my job! People that need some laughs or some motivation, can find it here!

TGG: Well, they say laughter is the best medicine! You have really been building up quite the following and engagement recently, what are your goals for this year? My streaming journey has been INSANE!!! My Z Squad Family has rallied with me and propelled me farther already that I ever thought possible! We have truly become a tight community and are pushing hard for 10,000 followers by the end of the year! It is a VERY big goal…but with Z Squad behind me cheering me on, I think we have a shot! TGG: Wow, that is big goal, but we are sure you can hit it. You are the self-proclaimed #1 ranked in Black Tie High Energy Streaming. How do you keep up that energy and does it drain you for when you stop streaming? Coffee, coffee, and MORE COFFEE!!! In all seriousness, even on days when I am exhausted, Z Squad finds a way to get the adrenaline going. When the stream starts, and the comments start rolling in, the adrenaline kicks in and IT’S GO TIME BABY!!! Once the stream is over and the camera turns off, I am 100% exhausted some days. I will give the stream everything I got day in and day out. Some days I am soaked in sweat from dancing in a suit having a great time on stream! After the stream, I grab a protein shake, take a cold shower, and then I am good to go! TGG: We find that energy creates energy, so that makes sense. How do you keep the momentum going, and keep that upward trajectory? Is it purely social media or does your community play a part? It is all about the community! They are all that matters to me in my streaming career. I try my best to show my viewers, followers, and subscribers that I genuinely appreciate them coming into my stream. My community and chat make the streams as great as they are, even if I am playing horribly, the chat and community make it a good stream. Facebook Gaming is all about the algorithm. The more likes, comments, views, and activity generated the more my stream gets out to everyone! Z Squad has complete control of my future and they are killing it!!!

TGG: A quick scenario, the last stream you had didn’t go to plan for whatever reason and you were pretty deflated about it, how would you bounce back from that to make sure it doesn’t affect your streams moving forward?

We are looking forward to seeing how Zepollion grows, he is incredibly entertaining and a fantastic streamer. Check him out on Facebook Gaming and show him some support!

It is easy to get deflated or discouraged while trying to grow your stream and it is very important to not compare the speed or size of another streamer’s success to your own. To help bounce back, I always focus on what I already have instead of goals I am trying to get to. If I stream tomorrow and don’t gain any new followers, I try to remember what I already have and be grateful for what this amazing journey has brought me so far.

SOCIALS

TGG: That’s a great way of looking at it! What’s your go to game, the one game you couldn’t live without? Super Mario Games!!! I LOVE some Nintendo Super Mario Games. From Super Mario Bros, Mario Kart, to Super Mario Odyssey, I just cant get enough of my plumber friend! It brings me back to my childhood playing the original Super Mario Brothers on the Original NES. It brings a joy that I cannot explain and couldn’t live without replaying all my childhood favourites. TGG: A very good choice, and some classics there! Finally, what is something you’d like our readers to know about/check out? I would just like to welcome all of your viewers to check out my channel and experience the Z Squad Community that has come together over the last 8 months. I have truly been blessed with the most amazing community that stretches across the entire planet! If you are looking for the best kills, most wins, and slickest moves then I might not be your guy. However, if you want a good laugh, some positive vibes, and some high energy packed streaming, then Zepollion might just be perfect for you!!! TGG: That sounds super awesome, and we will be sure to keep checking back with you! Thank you so much for chatting with us Zepollion, it’s been a pleasure. 49

Facebook Gaming: fb.gg/Zepollion Twitter: @ZepollionLIVE YouTube: @Zepollion STREAMING SCHEDULE Monday – 9AM Wednesday – 8PM Thursday - 8PM Saturday – 11AM Sunday - 11AM

SUPER SERVERS! Want to become part of some amazing communities on Discord? Here you can find servers that we have discovered and highly recommend! Be sure to check them out, engage, interact, and grow that community!

Trash Talks

Diff’s Den

https://discord.gg/3CnadAHh9e

https://discord.gg/Gd4jrhHDHF

Phish Tank

The Mighty Discord

https://discord.gg/fjz8FSBYbJ

https://discord.gg/CsqYRqyhjY

Team Delusional

Glue Squad

https://discord.gg/q9qNkWXERG

https://discord.gg/qwCGh7MaRk

If you fancy showcasing your Discord to thousands of readers across the globe, why not place an advert in our Super Server Section of the magazine! Get in contact on one of the e-mails on the following page for more information on our advertsing rates and opportunites. 50

For advertising information and opportunities, please contact: info@thegamerguidemag.com

The Gamer Guide - Issue 1