Tech Girl Talks Tech Girl Talks

Team Falcons was meant to be the incredible Counter-Strike super team. Rumours flowed as Falcons was touted as the Saudi Arabian CS2 team with deep pockets and a list of legendary players were linked with signing to the organisation after they announced Major winning coach Zonic had agreed to move to Falcons from Team Vitality. However, the lineup never materialised and now the team consisting of Snappi, Magisk, maden, du Preeh and Sunpayus appears to be struggling. So what is wrong with Team Falcons? Kassad joins  @Thooorin  and myself to discuss what went wrong for the (not so) super team.

0:00 Kassad & Thorin the grumpy men of Counter-Strike
01:10 What is a Super Team? Kassad's answer
03:08 What is a Super Team? Thorin's answer
06:20 What was Team Falcons supposed to look like
09:20 Kassad "the decision makers at Falcons did everything wrong"
14:59 Did Team Falcons damage the Counter-Strike scene?
19:55 Why does this current lineup not work?
23:07 Falcons vs. HenryG's Cloud9
29:08 Too much hype and too much money?
32:30 Kassad fires everyone
36:30 Learning from the past on how to succeed
38:31 Let's discuss Zonic
45:50 Kassad reveals industry buy-outs and salaries
50:00 When unlimited money demands results
55:30 What would your super team look like?
59:00 We like the players in Team Falcons

Find Kassad on x:
http://www.x.com/kassad

Find Thorin on x:
http://www.x.com/Thorin

Find me on the socials:
Blog - http://www.techgirlblog.com
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/techgirlza
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/techgirlza
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/techgirlza
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Discord - https://discord.gg/SKvCd82nv4
TikTok - http://www.tiktok.com/@TechGirlZA

The Heroic Astralis drama that dominated social media and HLTV forums started a soap opera in competitive counter-strike. Stavn and Jabbi joined Astralis to create a “super team” which never got off the starting line. Recently, the Danish move was to drop IGL BlameF and announced that multiple Major winning MVP dev1ce would take up IGL duties. The announcement was met with shock and concern by the CS trolls. However, a few top tournaments in the small sample size would point towards this… working? On this episode of Feed The Trolls I’m joined by  @Thooorin  & SPUNJ (yeah, these two reunited again, old school analyst desk vibes) to weigh in on dev1ce as an IGL. How did Astralis get to this point, could it work and what are the potential pitfalls?

While we’re here we also weigh in on the recent rumours that ex-Heroic IGL Cadian may be getting the ex from Team Liquid and where he might go. From the role of the IGL in and out the server, the origins story of dev1ce and BlameF’s exit from Astralis to focusing on what the future looks like for competitive Counter-Strike as a whole - there is a lot to sink your teeth into with this episode.

Follow Thorin on X: http://www.x.com/thorin
Follow SPUNJ on X: http://www.x.com/spunj

0:00 Intro and why we think dev1ce is great
06:05 The dev1ce origins story
11:45 the fall of BlameF
25:36 Addressing the negative response to dev1ce being announced as Astralis IGL
30:51 Do we buy into the dev1ce as IGL?
32:08 Taking a look at the Astralis team roles now
34:11 Potential downfalls of dev1ce as IGL
38:44 What does Cadian do now? Where to from here?
40:59 Are the Astralis players with dev1ce good enough?
48:53 Will we ever see another dominant counter-strike run like the Astralis of old?
58:28 Ruggah as Astralis coach

Find me on the socials:
Blog - http://www.techgirlblog.com
Instagram - http://www.instagram.com/techgirlza
Twitter - http://www.twitter.com/techgirlza
Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/techgirlza
Twitch - http://www.twitch.tv/techgirlza
Discord - https://discord.gg/SKvCd82nv4
TikTok - http://www.tiktok.com/@TechGirlZA

This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright, an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid.

Meet Jonathan Bandli, the Creative Director at Bad Weather Productions. Jonathan discusses the intersection of entertainment and esports in South Africa. He emphasises the importance of caring about the success of the event and creating tools which enhance the viewer experience. He also highlights the need for authenticity and research when entering the gaming and esports space. Jonathan suggests focusing on building the gaming community and creating inclusive events to attract new gamers. He believes success in esports broadcasts is measured by engagement and entertainment value. He also discusses the challenges of managing client expectations and production costs. 

This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright, an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid.

This episode’s guest is South African gaming creator and streamer, Thea Booysen, who discusses her journey in the industry and the differences she has noticed between the local and international scenes. She emphasises the importance of making international connections and knowing one’s worth as a creator. Thea also talks about her involvement with Nixuh, an esports organisation, and her goal to empower South African creators and ensure they’re properly compensated. She highlights the need for better education and understanding among local brands and agencies and suggests creating more opportunities and resources for South African gaming creators. 

This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright, an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid.

In this episode, Nick Holden, one of the founders of ACGL.gg, discusses the evolution of the ACGL esports platform and the growth of the esports community in South Africa. The ACGL platform allows gamers from South Africa and other African countries to set up profiles and play with one another in competitive events. The platform caters to both professional and casual gamers, providing opportunities for all skill levels. ACGL runs around 20 to 25 tournaments a week, with regular cash prize pools. The South African esports community in South Africa faces challenges because of distance, communication and cultural differences but ACGL aims to make esports more accessible and engaging for all players. Nick discusses why building a strong long esports community and focusing on regular play and engagement will lead to growth. He also chats about the high school and university esports space in the country. The episode highlights how important it is to understand the culture of esports and engage with the community in a meaningful way - with a strong focus on brands which support and celebrate the interests and experiences of competitive gamers.

This is a special short series dissecting the Business of Gaming and Esports in South Africa. Hosted by Sam “Tech Girl” Wright, an esports broadcaster and desk host who was raised in South Africa but now works primarily in Europe on Counter-Strike events, the series targets agencies and business people looking to enter the gaming and esports space in South Africa. It is a unique and developing market littered with potholes - which Sam attempts to showcase and also help your business avoid.

Episode 2’s guest is Kamza Mbatha. Kamza is a seasoned traditional broadcast professional. He started as a television host at a young age and has continued to work in the broadcasting industry on a host of shows. He is also a long standing MC and stage host for various gaming and esports events throughout South Africa. In this conversation, Sam and Kamza discuss the landscape of gaming and esports in South Africa. They touch on topics such as the history of gaming in the country, the challenges of online gaming because of data costs, the lack of diversity in the gaming industry, and the need for a more localised approach to gaming in South Africa. They also discuss the importance of cultivating a strong gaming community and the role of sponsors and brands in supporting the growth of the industry.