Interview: MrGM

Over the past week, I’ve had the chance to sit down with MrGM, a World of Warcraft YouTuber, and ask him a few questions. As we lead up to PAX East 2018, I’ll be doing more interviews with a variety of YouTubers and developers. So, let’s get on with the interview!

Me: Tell us a bit about yourself. Who is MrGM?

MrGM: So MrGM is the name I go by online, my real name is Dan! I’m 26 from Surrey, England and I’ve been creating World of Warcraft content over on YouTube on and off since 2011. Previously covering more Legacy based content of the game, but as of last year I’ve switched up the channel and I now cover the future of the game by recently covering the upcoming Battle for Azeroth expansion through its current Alpha testing.

Me:  What made you choose to focus of World of Warcraft instead of other games?

MrGM: Well, I’ve been playing the game pretty much non-stop since 2005 (even through Warlords of Draenor). I’ve had an absolute blast playing it over the years and in 2011 I thought I’d share my experiences with the world. It’s really been a mainstay in my gaming catalog for the entire time and even today I’m learning daily about different and new aspects of the game and its rich lore.

Me: How has becoming a YouTuber affected your life?

MrGM: Doing YouTube has always been a big part of my life. For the last 2 years I really put it as my main focus outside of my social life and “real life” job. So much so that as of February 2018 I was able to leave my previous employment and start creating content as my sole income. I’m about 3 weeks in and so far, I haven’t looked back.

Me: What are some hurdles you face on a day-to-day basis when creating content?

MrGM: Sleeping too much? I joke. Currently just trying to figure out some sort of schedule for my uploads/streams. Before I’d be up all hours of the night trying to finish a video before I go to bed, but now I create a schedule on a weekly basis and try my hardest to keep to it! So far it’s been quite nice, I’d finish a video and schedule it for the next day. Then focus on the next video for a couple days later, it’s great to have so much more time to put into  my content.

Me: Veering away from World of Warcraft, YouTube and the general purpose of this interview for a moment, what do you do for fun? How do you escape from a busy life and just relax?

MrGM: I actually travel quite a bit. It’s always great to see new and exciting places. Last year I visited Sweden for the first time, it was such an amazing country and I definitely want to head over there again sometime. I also made the trip to Blizzcon for the first time last year, that was a surreal experience and I actually ended up meeting and chatting to some of my more recent inspirations such as Taliesin & Evitel and Asmongold. Beyond travelling, just hanging out with friends and attending events around the UK such as EGX and Comic Con. I like to keep busy!

Me: Bringing it back to WoW and YouTubing. Would you say that gaming has become more of a chore since you’ve started making videos? Or did it breathe new life into the game for you?

MrGM: It’s funny. My friends had a bet on how long it would take me before I’m sick of playing WoW while I’m doing it as a job. But honestly, it’s been a real refreshing experience so far! I’ve been spending my first couple weeks trying to get better at the game and trying things that I’d never done before, like starting to learn a new class for example. It’s great to stream these experiences as well because my viewers collectively have such an advance knowledge of the game, they’re always great to have around when trying out new things and I’m sure they love watching me struggle too…

Me: What would you say are some common misconceptions about being a content creator, especially for World of Warcraft?

MrGM: I can’t speak for everyone, but I find myself (beyond streaming) very rarely just sitting down and actually playing the game. When you make videos on the game, most of the time while logged in you’ll be spending your time trying to get the best camera angle for a video or just grabbing some quick footage of a dungeon or battleground for some background clips! Not that I don’t enjoy it, but it’s definitely a change of pace from just casually playing the game as a side hobby.

Me: It seems that a trend going around is content creators using Discord as a way to interact with their viewers and fan base. What do you believe the pros and cons of owning a Discord Server are for this purpose?

MrGM: I love Discord. It’s so great to have an instant interaction with the fans and I’m actually able to get to know some of them on a personal level! I honestly recommend any creators out there to create one. It’s free and (if you’re popular enough) you’ll get a sweet free hoodie out of it! It also has integration with YouTube sponsors and Patreon, so I have a super secret channel just for those guys to have an even closer and in-depth look into the creation process, and some early content of course!

Me: Any upcoming plans or projects that you’d like to talk about?

MrGM: Not really any massive projects per say. I’m currently hoping everyday that I gain access into the BofA Alpha testing servers so I can start creating detailed content on that. Luckily right now I have some friends on Discord that are helpful enough to gather me footage when I request it! But it would be nice to be able to get those things for myself. This year I’m hoping to get back out to Anaheim for Blizzcon and possibly over to Germany for Gamescom. Alongside my usual EGX (Eurogamer Expo) and London Comic Con that I attend every year.

Me: Lastly, before you go. Is there anything you’d like to plug?

MrGM: I guess if you want to follow me you can catch me at these places;

YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/user/MrGamemasterReviews

Twitter https://twitter.com/MrGMYT

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MrGMReviews/?ref=settings

Discord –  discordapp.com/invite/mrgm

A huge thanks to MrGM for taking the time to answer a fair amount of questions. I highly suggest that if you’re interested in World of Warcraft videos, check him out and join the Discord. The content is solid and the community is great! Next up we should be having Taliesin and Evitel stop back in to talk with us again. Until then, stay classy everyone!