The Texan Zack alias “Asmongold” is one of the biggest and most influential MMORPG streamers on Twitch. Thousands of fans watch him when he complains about Blizzard – and that is exactly why he is so important to the gaming studio, says a former employee of Blizzard.
What relationship does Asmongold have with Blizzard? The Twitch streamer has a kind of love-hate relationship with Blizzard. He has been playing WoW for years, building his career on playing and talking about the MMORPG. Nevertheless, the Texan is one of the sharpest critics and the first to complain when something is not going as it should.
Asmongold always shares his opinion with his thousands of fans. Conversely, however, we know significantly less about what Blizzard actually thinks about Asmongold and his Twitch colleagues. A former employee, however, provides insights.
Asmongold, the voice of the people?
What kind of employee is this? Jason Hall worked for Blizzard for 6 years, is now an indie developer and also active on Twitch. On the streaming platform, he talks about his experiences in the gaming industry, also expressing criticism of his former employer.
In a stream, a viewer wanted to know what Blizzard actually thinks about Asmongold and streamers like him. In 2016, when Hall left the company, Asmongold had just 3,000 viewers and was still far from being considered an authority on everything related to MMORPGs and Blizzard.
Nevertheless, the developer had quite a bit to say about the streamer. What exactly that is, you can listen to here:
Why Asmongold is important for Blizzard: As Hall explains, Asmongold is a polarizing figure. Some appreciate him very much, while others can’t stand him. He himself has always liked the streamer, and for one reason: Asmongold is basically the prototypical MMORPG player.
“Asmongold is the consumer. Asmongold is the player. Asmongold is everyone,” says Hall. He means: If as a developer you do not listen to Asmongold, then you are not listening to his community either. However, that does not mean that one must do everything the Twitch streamer demands.
However, if one were to forget that Asmongold is the voice of the people, it would happen at one’s own risk, Hall concludes.
The developer adds: Many people could not stand Asmongold because he only complains. But when the streamer complains, it is because the players are angry, says Hall. They would not watch him if they did not agree with him.
Hall himself says he would watch Asmongold’s content even if he does not always agree. Because even if the player base has a wrong impression of what is happening, it is useful for a developer to know their perception.
This reputation of a prototypical MMORPG nerd has been cultivated by the streamer over the years. For viewers, it is not always clear where the role of “Asmongold” ends, and the “real” Zack begins. And even for the 32-year-old himself, the separation does not always seem to be so easy.
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