Joining us today is Alex “Axeltoss” Rodrigues to talk about streaming, education, and the present and future of esports.

Alex is an Esports Host/Commentator, a Producer, Advisor, and Player and Community Development Director at Oxygen Esports. Alex is a Texas A&M University graduate who got his Bachelor of Arts in Communication and Journalism. For the last decade, Alex has been broadcasting consistently from his home studio, following esports and gaming tendencies, and supporting local and international initiatives, always aiming for the industry’s growth and evolution. 

In this episode, we delve into Alex’s journey in the industry, his relationship with casual and competitive gaming, and how he blended his passion for communication, journalism, and video games. He shared his thoughts on the opportunities for newcomers in esports, the many entrance paths available, and the importance of supporting and engaging with local communities. 

We also talk about the opportunities for esports in college and the fertile ground schools provide for students to generate growth for the industry, the educational institutions, and themselves. In the end, Alex shared a tidbit of what we can expect in esports in the following years. 

Resources:

Visit Oxygen Esports website: https://www.oxgesports.com/.

Or connect with Alex on social media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/axeltoss?lang=es

Twitch: https://www.twitch.tv/axeltoss

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Axeltoss

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/axeltoss/

Full Episode Breakdown:

2:21 – Alex shares a bit of his background and what keeps him busy nowadays.

7:38 – Alex talks about what got him into streaming and his first steps as a streamer.

11:08 – Alex describes the main differences between the streaming world as we know it today and how it was when he started back in the day.

15:03 – Alex shares valuable advice on how to start streaming.

18:48 – Alex talks about how challenging the beginning of a streaming career can be and how to sort out those challenges.

24:47 – Alex and John talk about the many opportunities in esports without necessarily competing. 

30:26 – Alex shares his thoughts on volunteering and other options for getting into esports.

39:16 – John and Alex discuss the US gaming cafes’ opportunities and the challenges of getting the same ideas or products into different cultures.

43:23 – Alex talks a bit about some of the massive opportunities in gaming cafes. 

47:13 – Alex does an overview of the different genres in esports.

51:59 – John and Alex talk about the challenges of creating games and how tough it is to make games and ensure their longevity.

55:45 – Alex talks about what he considers the esport of the future: Rocket League.

1:01:03 – Alex shares a tidbit of what he thinks is the next thing in esports.