At this year’s South By Southwest festival held here in Austin, I had the pleasure of sitting down and talking to members of the all girl pro gaming group, the  Frag Dolls. I watched them destroy hard core gamers and Pwn noobs time after time, and I was also able to gain some insight into what it is like to be a sponsored pro gamer.

 

Tony Salvaggio: This is Tony Salvaggio here with RGX Life and we’re here with the Frag Dolls at the Seagate Booth, sponsors along with Ubisoft. And you are?

Brookelyn:  I’m Brookelyn , and this is Calyber She’s playing right now.

Tony Salvaggio: And doing a pretty good job of it too, Ouch! Well, getting right to it; how long have you been gaming in general and how long have you been doing competitive gaming?

Brookelyn: Well I’ve been gaming my whole life- well, when I was five I got my first Nintendo. I played Super Mario, Punch-out, and stuff like that. As far as playing hardcore, it was the original Ghost Recon for XBOX that got me hooked. That was the first time I got to play XBOX Live, and you know it’s a completely different experience when you are playing against people instead of AI. From there I moved on to Rainbow 6, where I joined the clan PMS. We were hardcore eight hours a day or more, every day. I didn’t go to school- I was enrolled in school, I just never went. So, it was good that Ubisoft hired me, or who knows, I’d be some drop out, living with my mom in the basement (laughs)

TS:  Yeah, I mean I worked as an animator in the games industry and --

B: --That’s awesome- that’s my degree-in animation and graphics--

TS: -- that is cool! --and I can empathize that it's nice when you can finally turn it around so that you can kind of justify playing all those games. Once you've turned it into a career. It feels legit finally.

B: Exactly, because my mom thought only people who were into drugs, were severely insecure, or had to live in this fantasy world were hardcore gamers. But the day I got my first paycheck, she never said anything else about it.

TS: So, how long have you been a Frag Doll for Ubisoft?

B: Going on three years. Basically, Ubisoft put out an ad on Craigslist looking to sponsor girl gamers. Tons of girl gamers put in their resumes with how many hours they play, that they were dedicated to Ubisoft games, etc. Ubisoft narrowed it down, and the girls on the team were hired from there.

TS: How many hours per day do you usually play games?

B: When I started and my obsession was at its fullest, it was eight hours a day or more, I even lost a relationship over it. Now I've actually slowed down a lot. I would say I am down to only about 4 hours a day. I'm doing really well.

TS: [laughs] That is about what I average on a good gaming day when I get home, so I can see that. I just don't do it as a pro.

B: Yeah, compared to what I typically do, I'm doing pretty well for myself now.

TS: In that respect what is your typical day like being a competitive gamer? Besides just keeping up with playing games, how do split your time between press, etc.

B: There are a lot of aspects to it. A lot of people think it is just playing games, but when you are sponsored by a company like we are (we’re sponsored and we're employees) we have to promote for them. It's a give and take. You have to be good in front of the camera, not camera shy. Luckily they gave me a chance, I was severely camera shy at first, but I got over that really fast. You have to be a good public speaker, and you have to play well, of course.

Also, knowing games overall is a big factor. For example many of us compete (especially in First Person Shooters), however we have some girls who don't compete, they just know   almost every game and can answer almost any gaming question you can throw at them.

I'm biased though, I stick to XBOX. It's all I want to know, mainly because if I play something I'm not good at, I'll say "Screw this; I'm going back to XBOX" [laughs].

TS: So within the Frag Dolls, it sounds like you specialize on one system or genre. How many of the girls on the team are specialized, or is there a pretty broad range of gamers?

B: There are five us, seven Frag Dolls altogether. Four of us are hardcore First Person Shooter [FPS] players, and one back up who will sub in on FPS if needed. Then there are two members of the team who play DS games, arcade games, etc.

TS: So now that you're a professional gamer, do you find yourself catching flak for being a girl gamer. Is it hard to be taken seriously?

B: Well, there are a lot of haters our there still. They think that the novelty of us being girl gamers is why we are getting paid to do this. That's not really true. We're in the Pro circuit and we know tons of guys who are sponsored, with even bigger sponsorship than us. People are say "oh you think you're the best huh?", and we never claimed to be the best. Ubisoft wants good gamers with passion, and who know what they are talking about. If we are out promoting a product, for example, ask us vs. the booth babes and you can tell who really knows about the games and gaming. Even though a lot of guys think we're only sponsored because we're girls (and yes that is a part of the reason for sure, that is just good marketing which don't deny). We're not trying to say we're the best; we are good gamers with passion.

[Note: I do have to interject: Despite their modesty, during the interview and throughout my time at the booth, no one was able to beat Brookelyn or Calyber, it was a massacre when I was there]

TS: I have to agree that is good marketing; however I've always wondered why so many guy gamers have this attitude. It seems to me that you would want more people getting into games, and that you would want equal representation. I guess if you are macho and it stings to be beat by a girl, that is your own thing. If someone is good, they're good, young or old, male or female. Especially on a console where there is a standard platform with a pretty even playing field.

B: It's definitely like a sport. When you have a team and you all put in time to working together, versus just playing the single player mode, it is just like practicing for a soccer team or any other sport. You're getting better at what you do, and you are learning to interact and work together.

TS: Back to console gaming in general... Now that XBOX live is more prevalent, and it is so easy to connect and play people all over, have you seen the playing field expand vs. what was once primarily a LAN based or fast internet only realm.

BL: It's definitely bigger. It's pretty interesting that now that so many consoles are online capable, kids who normally couldn't go enter huge tournaments have a chance to enter sponsored events and win a lot of money, just through their console's online connection. For example I am in a tournament now that is twelve bucks, which is pretty reasonable. It is a cool way to get a lot of gamers playing and entering tournaments where there weren't those opportunities before.

TS: So what are some of your favorite games? Ones that you play regularly and go back to again and again?

B: Ok, my favorite game of all time is Rainbow Six; it’s the first one I got. Right now I am all about Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter 2 (it's what I'm playing and competing in now) I started out Ghost Recon is part of what started the FPS addiction that I have now.

TS: So what about Ghost Recon draws you in, as opposed to other games like Half Life, Fear, Gears of War, etc.

B: Well, GRAW is more realistic. When you get shot you die almost instantly, it's not a spray bullets and take lots of damage kind of game. It's a lot slower, not run and gun. You have to think and use strategy. You have to work with you team, and communicate if you want to win.

TS: So being a pretty hardcore gamer, what do you think about systems like the Wii? Do you think that it's innovative, or just gimmicky? What do you think about playing FPS games on it?

B: I love the Wii. It's a different experience altogether. I find myself getting tired more often (leaning my elbow on my knee and such). There are a lot of really fun, cute games on the system. I have always been biased. I thought I only would play First Person Shooters, but I was totally drawn in. There are a lot of fun party games. Or Guitar Hero, I never thought I would get into that, but I love it.

TS: Have you played Call of Duty or any other FPS games on the Wii?

B: I haven't played Call of Duty, but I have played Red Steel. At first it was difficult, but I got the hang of it fairly quickly.

TS: So what do you think about that type of control scheme, do you think it will catch on with FPS gamers?

B: Actually, I like my XBOX controller just the way it is. I don't like having to learn a new controller every time. I wish that there was a better gaming headset though. I want a hardcore gaming headset.

TS: So, to wrap up how does one go about playing against you outside an event like this one? What games should people practice up on?

B: Well if someone goes to www.fragdolls.com and you can check out our gaming schedule. We also have Frag Doll Fridays where one Friday out of the month we'll play with gamers from all over and hang out. As far as games go, GRAW 2 of course, and Rainbow Six for the MLG gaming tournaments. Those are the main games we are focusing on now.

TS: Well thanks for your time; I hope to see you online. If your performance is anything like what I've seen today I'll probably get beat, so I'll have to practice up.

B: You're welcome; we hope to see you there.

Once again, I’d like to thank the Frag Dolls for hanging out with us and for Ubisoft for setting up the chance to talk to these really cool gamers for RGX Life.  Join us here at RGX Life Gaming next week for part 2 of our professional girl gamer interviews. This time with Athena Twin of PMS Clan.