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Interview: Stephanie Harvey, pro eSports gamer

Giles Fitzgerald, Trends & Insight Editor at FRUKT, chats to Stephanie Harvey (missharvey), a professional gamer and winner of five eSports world championships, about the evolving eSports market and the role brands can play in this space.

What kick-started your gaming journey, was there a pivotal moment when you knew that gaming could be more than just a part time leisure pursuit?

Honestly it is really hard to say what was the turning point, as esports and competitive gaming were still only hobbies for most people when I won my first world cup. I would say that there was always hope to do this full time but it wasn’t financially viable until about five years ago with the growth of Twitch and esports as mainstream entertainment. Even then, I didn’t want to make the jump full time because I really loved my job (Harvey was previously at Ubisoft, working on titles such as Prince Of Persia and Far Cry Primal) and was just trying to juggle with both at the same time. Eventually, esports started becoming so big that I really couldn’t keep up and had to make a choice, and I chose esports.

You co-founded Misscliks, which looks to address gender discrimination in and around gaming and geek culture. Can you tell us a bit about the motivation behind the platform and how you see it evolving?  

Misscliks was born in an effort to unite people that want to talk about the geek and gaming culture in a safe environment. We were a few girls looking for a way to unite our dedication to gaming and make it more inclusive, so we started a Twitch channel with the goal of being only positive and lifting each other up. That has always been our goal and we will continue going in that direction.

Is gaming becoming a safer, more diverse, place for gamers regardless of gender association, or does the engrained culture of gaming still throw up barriers?

I believe it is getting better slowly but surely. It is hard to change the mentalities of the mass, related to gaming or not, and this problem isn’t only in gaming but in our society overall. We like to point fingers and isolate the difference, but gaming has that unique aspect of being able to gather everyone from everywhere around the world and I am sure there are as many success stories as problems within our community. We just gotta keep up the positivity and try to focus on the solutions instead of the problems. 


“I think we are just at the tip of the iceberg regarding investments in esports…not a lot of sponsors have very interesting marketing campaigns or ideas that really standout”

With the rising interest in eSports, numerous brands are looking to stake a claim in the space. Where can brands add the most value? And is there more they could do beyond just sponsorship?

I think we are just at the tip of the iceberg regarding investments in esports. There are many avenues and opportunities that haven’t been explored yet. Not a lot of sponsors have very interesting marketing campaigns or ideas that really stand out, but for the moment the community is still being very responsive to the support. Most of the time, when a new sponsor jumps into esports, a lot of the fans are ready to support them back. We are so grateful to finally have support that we are proud to help the sponsors in return. However, this won’t last and we need new ideas to sustain the whole esports ecosystem; it cannot only live out of sponsors and private investments. It is hard to say what the solution is but hopefully we will figure it out.


“Intel are one of the brands that invests the most into gaming …they are always trying to find new ways to break barriers and reach new markets with their technology and their events”

You’re sponsored by Intel, how does the technology brand’s involvement - and ongoing commitment to diversity - help to support the growth of gaming culture?  

Honestly, Intel is just awesome to work with. Not only have their products been the best on the market for years, used by gamers and professionals all across the spectrums, but they also care about their community and want to support it. They are one of the brands that invests the most into gaming from tournaments to streamers and fans. They are always trying to find new ways to break barriers and reach new markets with their technology and their events. A couple of years ago, they also invested a lot of money into diversity, internally and externally, supporting minorities and trying to create a better environment for all with initiatives like the AnyKey program aimed at making esports a safer place for all.

Clearly the bulk of your gaming time is dedicated to CS: GO but what other games have caught your attention that could potentially cross over into competitive eSports?

I don’t think I will ever be ready to start over in a new game. I have invested close to 15 years of my life into CS (Counter Strike) and cannot honestly imagine starting over in a new community. Although I do love playing most of the games, they stay as entertainment and my desire to compete in them at a high level isn’t there. I just want to have fun!

 Follow Stephanie on Twitter @missharvey and on Twitch here