1993, nearly two decades before Twitch went online, the then 12-year-old J.J. Styles became perhaps the first gaming streamer. We, at MeinMMO, tell you the story of Zot the Avenger.
Who is Zot the Avenger? Behind the name is the American J.J. Styles. In the 90s, when the internet was still in its infancy, the then 12-year-old Zot broadcast his TV show “Video Games and More”.
The show bore a striking resemblance to modern Twitch streams as we know them today. This earned Zot the nickname “the original streamer”. But let’s take it one step at a time.
It all started at a small local station in Tucson
How does a 12-year-old get his own show? Video Games and More aired on Access Tucson, a public access channel. It was a local station in Arizona that allowed citizens to broadcast their own shows.
Styles’ mother worked with an organization for adopted children to track down their biological parents. A TV show helped them bring information about the organization to the public.
The boy accompanied his mother to the studio and learned how to light a set, operate cameras, and use editing equipment. Styles developed a knack for working behind the scenes and was already involved in the productions of the station at the age of 10.
Styles could hardly have imagined that one day a “Ninja” would be playing Fortnite in front of over 600,000 viewers.
A streamer before streaming even existed
When did it all begin? After Styles had collaborated on other people’s projects, he eventually started his own show. For this, he sought support in the form of his buddy Jason Kingman. In an interview with the US site PC Gamer, he said in 2021:
I worked on his program, directed it, and said, ‘Look, you need to help me co-host my show because I don’t want to do this alone.’ That’s too much pressure for a 12-year-old.
J.J. Styles via PC Gamer
Why is he considered the original streamer? Video Games and More managed to be a clear product of its time while being far ahead of it at the same time. The similarities to a modern Twitch stream are astonishing:
- Like many Twitch streamers, Styles appeared under a pseudonym: Zot the Avenger
- Zot and Jason played in front of a green screen while gameplay footage was shown behind them
- The two commented not only on their gameplay and talked to each other but also interacted with their viewers who were connected live
We have embedded one of the first episodes here so you can get a sense of the predecessor to Twitch streams. Zot the Avenger also worked with the website Internet Archive to digitize the original S-VHS tapes. You can find the result here.
Baseball caps and Mortal Kombat
What did the show look like? With Video Games and More, the then 12-year-old combined his enthusiasm for the talk show “Wayne’s World” from the film of the same name with his passion for gaming. Equipped with long hair, oversized shirts, and a baseball cap worn backward, Zot the Avenger stood before the camera.
In the first two episodes, precursors to the 37-part series, Styles and his friend played the hockey game EA Sports NHL ’93 and Mortal Kombat, whose bloody battles sparked debates about violence in video games.
In other segments, Zot showed previously recorded gameplay while his floating head was displayed alongside. Additionally, callers were connected live and could ask questions. He reportedly averaged around 50 viewers with his show.
However, Zot The Avenger was not only about chilling out while gaming and chatting. At a time when one could not just pull up nearly any conceivable information with a few clicks, he made an effort to make gaming more accessible for his viewers.
Television by kids for kids
How did he manage that? Due to his young age, he knew exactly what concerned his target audience, other kids and teenagers: In one episode, he criticized the Game Boy, as it could only be played in the dark with a battery-powered add-on light – where were kids supposed to get the money for new batteries all the time?
Styles subscribed to a number of gaming and technology magazines, so he was always well-informed. He also had the advantage of being supported by his tech-savvy mother:
She encouraged him to invest the money he received for a “McDonald’s” commercial into an Apple II. Equipped with unlimited internet access – a big deal back then – he began collecting cheat codes and walkthroughs online.
Zot the Avenger shared his gathered and extensive knowledge with his viewers: from the coveted blood code for Mortal Kombat to a segment dedicated to hardware news:
Video games have always been out of reach for kids because they involve expensive hardware. So, if you want to beg your parents for a birthday gift, you need to know in advance what to ask for. I tried to provide this information because I knew how important it was.
J.J. Styles via PC Gamer
Styles had experience making the most of little. With a soldering iron or a drill, he converted regular VHS tapes into the slightly more expensive S-VHS tapes that had better resolution.
Overall, he did a lot by himself: The spinning logo that appears in later episodes was created by him using Deluxe Paint on an Amiga 2,000 and animated by him. For other tasks, such as displaying codes at the right time, he relied on his team:
I am very proud of what I achieved in this TV studio because I really put in the effort. I relied on no one except my crew members. They were usually included in the program because I was a little control freak who told them live on air what to do.
J.J. Styles via PC Gamer
Technology should connect people
What became of Zot The Avenger? Video Games and More ended in 1997. Styles had to focus on school, studied, and became a music producer. For him, it was no big deal; he said he did not need a ceremony for his farewell, Styles told PC Gamer.
The streaming culture, for which he paved the way in the 90s, he followed less, although he believes that live streaming could completely replace radio and television in many areas. However, he has an attitude that many modern streamers could learn from:
I was very aware of what I was broadcasting. And the more power you give a child, the more responsible they will be. And streaming is power.
J.J. Styles via PC Gamer
For Styles, Video Games and More was something that brought people together. No one was rich, and no one could afford the technological equipment alone, but they worked together to share their messages.
That is ultimately what technology is for: to enable and improve communication between people.
10 years after Zot the Avenger and Video Games and More said goodbye, a site went online that would later become the streaming giant Twitch. You can read the story of the website and the answer to the question of who can actually claim the title of the first Twitch streamer here:
Who was actually the first Twitch streamer and what is he doing today?
