jumper. Uniqlo
skirt.404 Not Found
boots. Current Mood
jewellery. Layers Of
watch. G-SHOCK GMAS2100-4A
opposite
top. Sarah Regensburger
trousers. Dickies
sunglasses. James Oro
jewellery. David Yurman
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BrookeAB is the American gamer and Twitch streamer taking the Internet by storm. Starting her streaming career in university, Brooke quickly realised her passion for the industry and committed full-time, leading to skyrocketing viewership and near-daily streams. Now, not only does Brooke have over 18 million channel views on Twitch, but she’s used her attention for good, putting a spotlight on mental health causes whilst raising awareness about stalking and other prominent social issues. Brooke joins Schön! alongside the G-SHOCK GMAS2100 to discuss her career, her essentials, sexism in the gaming industry and the importance of mental health awareness.
Let’s begin with a discussion about the start of your career. When and why did you decide to begin streaming on Twitch?
I began streaming in 2018, my senior year of college. My friends and I were always playing games, and they told me that I should try streaming games when we played. I had actually never heard of Twitch before that, but once I checked it out I loved it. My first year of streaming I hadn’t planned on doing it long-term, just a couple months to get through college. I was a full-time student while working part time and also streaming on the side. I was very busy, but it was something that I was extremely passionate about and I loved.
Upon joining Twitch, your following grew rapidly. What impact did that have on your life?
It was a surreal feeling. One day I was streaming to 60 viewers, and the next day to THOUSANDS. Having a jump like that overnight was exciting at first, but I didn’t think about the aftermath of it. I wish that I had taken the time to protect my information and be more secure with what I shared online, but I never expected to be a big streamer, or for this to be my career. It was a great feeling to feel appreciated and like my hard work was paying off. I was completely surprised, but so thankful that people wanted to watch my stream. Also, because of Twitch I have been able to travel to places I might not have had the opportunity to go to if I wasn’t in this career, and have made some amazing memories because of it.
jacket. Huddersfield
sweatsuit. Champion
earrings. David Yurman
ring. Layers of
watch. G-SHOCK GMAS2100
opposite
jacket. Prophetic
shirt. Adidas
shorts. FRAME
belt. Marc Jacobs
shoes. Lamoda
stockings. Wolford
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jacket. Prophetic
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What’s your favourite part about being a full-time gamer and streamer?
This is such a hard question because I have SO many answers! My favourite part of being a full-time gamer is definitely the relationships that I’ve made through this community. I have met some of the best people through gaming — my roommates, my close friends, and my boyfriend. On the topic of people, my community is also one of my favourite things about streaming. It’s a great feeling to see people come into my chat every day that genuinely enjoy my content and want to hang out for the day and game. Being your own boss isn’t too bad either! I’m not a morning person, so being able to sleep in and make my own hours is incredible.
Conversely, there are several negatives to having this job — including the stalkers and abusers who pushed you to take a hiatus in 2020. How did you find the reaction from the community when you posted your official statement upon your return?
The community has been nothing but supportive and amazing during what I’ve been going through. The gaming community as a whole, my friends and many other streamers individually reached out to me and offered to help in any way they could as well. As lonely as I felt going through something that scary, it was comforting to realise that people did care, and I wasn’t alone. Many women reached out to me to tell me their stories and what they have gone through, and it was very eye-opening. My community and chat were very supportive as well, and I couldn’t be more thankful for them.
What are some of the other obstacles you face as a woman in a male-dominated industry? How do you think platforms can do a better job of helping women entering the industry to overcome these challenges?
It’s hard to be a woman in this industry because many times your achievements are downplayed. I’m often told that I’m only where I am because ‘my boyfriend made my career.’ In my opinion, that’s an easy assumption to make; everybody starts somewhere. My boyfriend got his big break from another large streamer, and so on… everybody gets to these points with a little bit of help, but you usually only see women being called out for it. I worked hard to get where I am today, and it’s disappointing that people think I somehow had it easier just because I’m a woman. In gaming in general, I’ll speak in a public lobby and immediately get called names and harassed just because they hear my voice and know that I’m a girl. It’s sad, and it shouldn’t be normalised in the community. Twitch recently created the Women’s Alliance group that is meant to support all of the women in gaming — this is exactly the type of step platforms should be taking to help overcome these challenges.
jacket. Prophetic
shirt. Adidas
shorts. FRAME
belt. Marc Jacobs
necklaces. Layers Of
watch. G-SHOCK GMAS2100
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all clothing. Helen Anthony London
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You’re signed with 100 Thieves. What makes this organisation special to you?
100 Thieves is my family away from home. Moving away from my friends, family, everything I knew back home was terrifying, but I was welcomed instantly. Every person is so kind and talented, and it’s an honour to be a part of it. Not only do we have talented creators, but amazing people who work hard behind the scenes everyday at 100 Thieves. One thing that makes this organization so special is how many women are a part of it. We are now up to six women content creators, and hopefully that number will continue to grow! We did a collaboration with Gucci earlier this year, are constantly putting out content videos and are just thriving all around. I’m excited to see what is next for 100 Thieves.
What are your gaming essentials these days?
I have a couple gaming essentials! Number one, a comfortable chair. I think it’s important so you can get through long stream days. Sitting in one spot for up to 8 or 9 hours a day is harmful enough, but if you don’t have a good chair the whole time your body is going to hurt. Second, great headphones are a necessity. I use JBL Quantums so when I’m playing games I am able to hear footsteps or people walking up to me in games. Lastly, a good PC. I’ve definitely struggled through some not so great PC’s and it’s hard to enjoy games when you’re lagging or your computer isn’t doing what you need.
You stream almost every day. How are you able to stay motivated?
Having regular people who may not even know much about gaming who just show up to watch me stream every time I am on is so amazing. I want to be there for them and make them proud, because they have supported me so much and are the reason I get to do what I love to do. I also love playing video games, especially with friends, so that makes it easy to stay motivated.
What’s your favourite game currently?
Currently, my favourite game is Valorant. I’ve been playing it every single day for so many hours. I’ve never considered myself to be very good at gaming (even though it’s my job) and Valorant has a ranking system that I really like. It gives me something to work for, and want to get better. I also really enjoy story games because they can be a nice change of pace from my normal gameplay. Games like Detroit: Become Human, The Walking Dead series, and Life is Strange are some of my favourites. They are like an immersive movie that you get to make the decisions for; they are a blast.
jacket. Barrow
bra. 5=TEN
shorts. Girlfriend Collective
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coat. SpiritHoods
jumper. Juicy Couture
shorts. Adidas
socks. Free People
shoes. Buffalo London
jewellery. Layers Of
hat. Purgatory
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Throughout your career, you have been an advocate for mental health. As a psychology major, why do you believe it’s important for these discussions to take place in the gaming industry?
I think a lot of people play video games as an escape for difficult things going on in their lives or struggles similar to mine, like severe anxiety issues. I think it’s so important for people to know they are not alone and that there are other people out there that they can talk to. I am always open about my mental health and mental health in general so that people don’t feel like they’re alone. I know that some of my audience is younger and may be going through some difficult things but don’t know how to talk to somebody about it. I don’t ever want a single person to feel like they’re going through it alone, and maybe if they see a streamer they watch going through the same thing they are, it could make a difference. I always advocate for people to get professional help because I know firsthand how helpful it can be.
What are your plans for the future?
I plan on continuing to build a community through streaming. It makes me so happy to create content and spend time with friends and my community. I’d love to incorporate more of my passions into my career such as makeup and beauty, reading, and so many more of my favourite hobbies. I think there are endless opportunities out there especially as gaming grows into a mainstream form of entertainment. Ultimately, I want to be an inspiration to women out there and do my best to make a difference in people’s lives. I will continue to bring awareness to important issues such as mental health, female empowerment and safety for stalking victims. Knowing I helped at least one person will make me happy and make me feel like all of the pain I’ve gone through was worth it.
coat. SpiritHoods
hat. Purgatory
watch. G-SHOCK GMAS2100
opposite
jacket. Barrow
bra. 5=TEN
shorts. Girlfriend Collective
socks. Free People
shoes. Buffalo London
watch. G-SHOCK GMAS2100
Watch BrookeAB stream live on Twitch.
photography. James Pereira
fashion. Ton Aguilar + Nilufar Yarmo
talent. Brooke @ 100 Thieves
production + casting. Alabama Blonde
hair. Archangela Chelsea @ Celestine Agency using Shiseido
make up. Cherilyn Farris @ Mane Addicts using Dyson Hair, OUAI, IGK Hair + Oribe
location. Sachi and Sylvain Studios
photographer’s assistant. Davon King
film, development + scans. Last Good Film Lab
words. Faseeha Khalid
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