If you're not a stranger to the local Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB) scene, you've surely heard of Edward Mah, better known as' 'Edwardo Gaming' or simply 'Edo.'
Edwardo started gaming at a tender age, when his grandmother found an old Gameboy from a bus station near their home. This kickstarted his lifelong passion for gaming, starting with beloved classics such as Pokemon.
As he grew older, his horizons expanded to new genres and platforms, diving into the world of PC gaming with popular esports titles such as League of Legends, Dota 2, Starcraft, Hearthstone, and more.
However, between juggling a part-time job, his academic studies, and other responsibilities, his free time diminished. It was then he realised that he needed to find something that could scratch his gaming itch in short bursts instead of the typical 30 to 45-minute-long playtime of MOBA games - that's when he discovered mobile gaming.
He started out with various titles including Heroes of Order & Chaos, Vainglory, Honor of Kings, and eventually settled on Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, where he found his calling as a streamer and shout-caster.
Now, Edwardo boasts an impressive following of 478,000, and is practically a household name within the local MLBB scene. At one point, he was also a Facebook Gaming Partner and Spotlighted Creator, as well as an official contracted Moonton streamer.
Today, we'll delve into the mind of the man behind Edwardo Gaming, and find out a little more about the person behind the spotlight.
What were you doing before you became a streamer?
I was in college and I was running my own online business for 2 years. I was also involved in my college's esports club in UTAR
What are your other passions besides streaming?
I like to watch meaningful content on Youtube to learn as many skills as possible that will develop myself as a person.
I also enjoy shoutcasting esports titles, and am still learning how to present my shoutcasting skills to the public - usually I do it during my livestreams. I was able to shoutcast several online tournaments and offline tournaments while exploring this passion.
Apart from that, I also like reviewing movies, listening and reviewing music pieces, and watching meaningful TV series or movies that will change or challenge my perspective on issues.
How and why did you get into streaming?
Gaming has always been my favourite pastime. It has helped me cope through difficult times - it is like an escape from the harsh realities and difficult situations in life. So I told myself: if there is a chance to earn a living through gaming, I am all for it.
At first, I was busy managing my business, but once it got a little bit more stable, I had more time to play games. So I thought to myself: why not livestream it on Facebook?
Personally, Facebook was my favourite platform to use at the time. I did not consider which was the best platform to earn money while streaming - I just did it on Facebook because it was my favourite platform to catch up with friends.
What is your best achievement in the industry so far?
Apart from being signed as a Facebook partner and subsequently featured as a spotlight creator, I am proud of multiple achievements I made in the shoutcasting and esports fields.
My proudest stints as a shoutcaster were the 515 MLBB Developer Challenge Match, MPL MY/SG Season 2, XPAX KEK (Borneo & Selatan Zone), and the FSL Elite MLBB Elite League.
For competitive esports, I joined Last Saiyan - now known as Bosskur Family - from 2018 to 2019. I also joined the Ace Championship Playoffs as a showmatch player and founded the EDG Project for MPL, where we finished Top 4 in the MPL MY/SG Season 3 Qualifiers.
I was also the manager of Nara Esports for MPL MY/SG Season 3. The team holds a historic record for MPL MY/SG: undefeated during the regular season, having never lost a series.
How long do you see yourself doing this? What are your career plans for the future?
I would love to keep streaming and entertaining the gaming community for a few more years - maybe 1-5 years to come! I'd also like to grow my Youtube Channel by making meaningful, educational, and funny content around the gaming lifestyle and events. Perhaps I'd like to start a business again - maybe related to food or gaming products.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming talents?
Self-learning is crucial for this career! This is due to the fact that there are no degrees or official certifications as a streamer or content creator. Network well and do your best to maintain a positive relationship with everyone within the industry.
It can be difficult to maintain a certain character while streaming; sometimes being yourself is not good enough to keep the audience entertained. Personally, I have to speak Bahasa Malaysia to the audience despite the fact that I am better at speaking English. This is one of my many struggles as a streamer.
Also, remember to take breaks and give yourself some time to meditate and heal, so you can be your best self while streaming and playing games while you are live. This job/career is more than just playing games - it is about mental strength, so you'll need to be mentally prepared for this.
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