We are Madison and Amelia, and we welcome you to eSportsBFF.
eSportBFF is the ultimate gaming and eSports betting site that follows the personal story of two best friends.
Here, we will cover topics related to:
- eSports betting,
- odds & predictions,
- eSports academy and guides,
- eSports teams, games, tournaments,
- and many more related to serious gaming.
To find out what it is like to be a girl in gaming, read on below.
Girls in gaming
As you might assume, a passion for gaming was a reason why our paths crossed.
Back in 2010, two of us were mad about Counter-Strike. We’ve been introduced to each other during a local CS 1.6 tournament, with the help of our mutual friend. If he weren’t there at that time, perhaps none of this would exist now.
However, we’ve been playing CS 1.6 intensively back then, and the chances are that we’ve met each other in-game, even before the introduction IRL. Later on, during one out of many discussions, we figured out that we’ve been playing on more or less the same servers.
Of course, we didn’t have an idea about that. We didn’t feel confident about our in-game presence, so we didn’t speak during matches.
In fact, voice chat in CS can get toxic, so it may not be the best place for a “friendly chat.”
The beginnings of the real (girl) gaming spirit
In the early 2010s, we had a harmonic synergy in Counter-Strike. We’ve been playing together, and without false modesty, we were among the best players on the server.
But that didn’t last for long. As soon as the gaming scene introduced the League of Legends vs Dota 2 rivalry, we became real-life examples.
One started playing Dota, and the other was a LoL fanatic. We still maintained our friendship; only we didn’t play the same games. Well, at least for most of the time.
Fast forward a couple of years, and our gaming paths reunited with the new newcomer, Battle Royale. After more than four years in the MOBA genre, a refreshment was quite welcome.
Together with millions of gamers worldwide, we switched to Fortnite and PubG. From there, we began broadening our points of view. We tried over 30 different titles, and besides the PC, our platform of choice started spreading to Xbox, PS and mobile devices.
Also, this was the time when the idea for eSportBFF was born!
Is female gaming any different?
According to the latest research, the portion of female gamers is at a significant rise every year. Some Asian countries like China and Japan are on the way to exceeding the number of male gamers.
On top of that, Google’s strategic marketing manager, Rohini Bhushan, claims that girls are responsible for the rapid growth of the gaming industry.
So if we look at the future, it’s evident that girls will take up more and more space in eSports, as this is not the male activity anymore.
But like it or not, we’re still a minority in a male-dominated business, and there are many obstacles along the way.
So, what’s it like to be a girl in gaming, but for real?
To be honest, the start was pretty fierce. The circumstances weren’t as good, as they are nowadays.
Often you could be discriminated against by male players due to certain stereotypes. Female characters in video games are also objectified and hypersexualised, making the whole situation even worse.
In addition to these, we entered the gaming period as teenagers. At that age, if you don’t fit into society’s mould, or don’t walk the paved roads, you may have a hard time.
Yet if we look at the brighter side, along the way we’ve made many memorable moments, good friends and fun times. Let’s say that this shaped what we are, and who we are nowadays.
Also, as a girl gamer, you’re more likely to get support from your male fellows.
They’ll be glad to show their “extensive gaming experience,” help you with the obstacles and partner up for a casual gaming session. And although you don’t necessarily need help every time, it comes in handy once you need it.
And as the most significant benefit of being a girl in the gaming industry, we’d like to point out to this:
We are happy to be the ones that, together with many other, more influential girls gamers made the journey much easier for new kids on the block.
Our mission
The number of girls in gaming is continuously growing. They are mostly facing the same obstacles as we did a couple of years ago.
We’ve been there, and we know how it feels.
However, during the past few years, the entire situation went through specific improvements. Girls gamers are not a taboo topic anymore. The social stigma is decreasing, and our mission is pretty straightforward:
“Through in-depth eSports betting tips, eSports predictions and the eSports Academy, we strive to bring the fun of the gaming industry closer to the entire women population.”
Armed with our expertise, we’ll demonstrate that girls often make even better, and certainly more fun gamers compared to guys.
Madison’s gaming beginnings and the game of choice
I’ve played more than 20 different games competently during my lifetime. The serious start was with the famous Counter-Strike, and in the last few years, I’ve tried, like, hundreds of new titles.
However, when it comes to the one game I’d pick as the all-time favourite, there’s no doubt.
My unrivalled pick is Dota 2.
The whole story has a strange start, as the first version of DotA wasn’t something that I’d usually play. As a hardcore Counter-Strike player, the entire genre of MOBA games was a bit odd to me.
Other than CS, I used to play Call of Duty, yet that one wasn’t shining so bright in the competitive field. And the idea of competing was, in fact, the reason why I started playing games.
The beginning of my gaming journey
The primary motivation at the start was to prove to my older brother that I could cope up with him and his guy friends.
It was quite a surprise back then, but I didn’t need much time to achieve so. After around six months of playing CS, I was one of the best in their “professional” crew. More importantly, I could outplay my brother anytime!
And as a girl in gaming, I had a pretty solid start. My brother, together with his friends, gave me sufficient support in the beginning. As soon as I learned the basics, I was welcome in their games.
We went to numerous tournaments together, both as visitors and competitors. During one of those, I met Amelia.
It all starts with a… Dota 2 beta invite
As I’ve previously mentioned, MOBAs weren’t something I’d be attracted to. However, once Valve started taking over the DotA, the gaming circles created a huge hype.
Luckily, I was among the few players who were invited to a beta version of the game. At the same time, it was a privilege and an opportunity. It was great knowing that I’m among the handful of people who will play the game with a promising future.
To ease the learning curve, I started playing matches against bots. The start was pretty tough, and I needed around a week to get used to the game mechanics.
As the days were passing, the total player count was increasing. Valve improved the game with every update, and the stakes were getting higher.
After just a few months, our whole crew joined the Dota 2. That was the time when real passion started. We’ve jumped deep into the competitive waters, and the rest is history.
Amelia’s game of choice
Just the opposite from Madison’s beginning journey – I actually loved MOBAs from the first place. I played the original DotA as a part of The Warcraft 3 – Frozen Throne back in 2006.
What I found exceptional at the Defence of the Ancients is the widely unreasonable versatility the game could offer. Although you are limited to one map only, the complexity of heroes, spells, items and gameplay was indeed one of a kind.
The everlasting battle – Dota vs League of Legends
Around 2010 I changed the way I look to the entire Dota gameplay. And yes, that was the time when League of Legends started climbing the top charts in the gaming industry.
Not only was it popular in the MOBA genre, but it occupied the central position in the field of eSports.
What I fell in love with are the graphics, colours and characters. The game introduced a whole different dimension to the competitive eSports field.
Before League of Legends, none of the games had cartoon-inspired graphics. Developers were aiming to make serious-looking games, and the point was to make it look as realistic as possible.
Another great thing about the LoL gameplay is a general speed and length of the matches. The game is quite faster compared to Dota, and you need to think and act in milliseconds. On average, LoL matches last around 30 minutes, while Dota’s expectancy is not less than 40, or even 50 minutes.
Also, you’re spared from losing time while running around the battlefield, as the League of Legends map is considerably smaller.To sum it up, because of the reasons I’ve mentioned, and numerous minor tweaks in favour of LoL, I takeLeague of Legends as my game of choice.
Top female players and streamers – Madison picks
As two of us are not streaming (yet), here are the girls you should keep an eye on. Some of them are outstanding solo players, others are influential streamers, and above all, they are all fun to watch.
1# Sheever
Jorien van der Heijden is Dutch Dota 2 player, caster, and a tournament host. If you’ve seen any of the previous The International tournaments, chances are you know who this person is.
Besides being among the best female Dota 2 players, she appeared in more than ten major Dota 2 tournaments as a host, commentator, interviewer, or analyst.
In addition to Dota, she was pretty serious about the World of Warcraft back in the days.
You can find her daily streams on Twitch, under the name sheevergaming. If she’s not online on the platform, there’s a great possibility that some of the most lucrative tournaments in the world of eSports are ongoing.
2# iHasCupquake
Tiffany is the record-breaking YouTube streamer. She is known for the highest number of views on her videos, and currently, she is close to 7 million subscribers.
iHasCupquake started a career in 2010 with League of Legends and World of Warcraft, but at the end, she achieved tremendous success with Minecraft.
On the downside, she didn’t stream any Dota related content, yet bonus points go for her influence on the whole female gaming society.
Top female players and streamers – Amelia picks
The good thing is that there are many girls in League of Legends. So besides the general content, I’m often able to find reasonably good LoL players and streamers.
1# Kaceytron
Known for the bold personality and wicked sense of humour, this Twitch streamer is among the most popular ones, with more than a half-million subscribers.
Many controversies are connected with her name. Recently, the hot topic was her ban from the platform, due to the spread of misinformation about the COVID-19 pandemic.
Besides LoL, she plays and streams Overwatch, WoW, CS:GO and even GTA.
2# xMinks
This full-time streamer since 2014 is the most famous for her Call of Duty plays. xMinks is considered to be among the best CoD players in Australia.
She didn’t start a gaming career as a girl, like many other famous streamers. Instead, she worked as a dispensary technician at the pharmacy.
Her arsenal of games is mostly related to CoD: Modern Warfare, Overwatch and Fortnite.
Conclusion
With trends working in favour of girls gamers, we are about to see some admirable changes in the following years.
By taking a part of the women in gaming movement, we will continuously seek to improve the position of girls in this male-dominated industry.
Our primary focus will be on eSports betting, including tips, prediction and betting guides. However, we won’t limit only to that. With a hint of our personal story, we’ll publish the comprehensive betting academy, for all the newcomers in the field.
For the end, we wish you a successful eSports journey, packed with fun and thrilling moments.
May the odds be ever in your favour.