11 People in Gaming to Follow on Twitter
One of the benefits of writing about the video game industry on a weekly basis is that you become very familiar with content creators who consistently deliver valuable insights. After covering the industry for the better part of six months, we’ve discovered a handful of people who we think consistently deliver stuff worth covering. If you’re interested in diving head first in the games industry, or just want to consume more gaming-related content on Twitter, these people are a great place to start. This is by no means an exhaustive list. As we continue to grow and discuss with new people across the platform, check back for more up-to-date recommendations, or feel free to send people our way via Twitter.
@FishStix — Ben Goldhaber, CEO of Juked
Content Specialties: Esports, Tournament Updates, Entrepreneurship
Ben is a long-time industry vet. An early Twitch employee focused on Content Marketing, his passion for the industry shines through in his Tweets. Ben recently launched his own company, an esports-viewing platform called Juked. Between the mix of up-to-date esports news and little glimpses into his journey as a founder, Ben consistently creates content that is interesting, engaging, and just plain fun.
@Tocelot — Jon Lai, Games & Media at a16z
Content Specialities: Venture Capital, Investments, Partnerships/Biz Dev
Nothing makes us more excited than VC’s getting into the industry, and when one of the most notable, Andreessen Horowitz, brings someone onboard to focus on games, you should start listening. A recent addition to the firm, Jon has been around some of the biggest names in the industry, including Tencent and Riot Games. If our careers have taught us anything, it’s that experience is the best teacher. Jon’s unique background & experiences have positioned him to provide plenty of perspective. Give him a follow if you’re hoping to keep a pulse on where Gaming is headed in the future.
@delane — Delane Parnell, CEO of PlayVS
Content Specialities: Starting a Company, Leadership
As Gaming becomes a viable market for businesses, more and more young people are interested in making their passion a full-time career. Delane is capitalizing on that opportunity. His start-up, PlayVs (which just raised a hefty Series C ), is leading the way in the competitive high school gaming scene. If we think back to what we did in high school (play Halo & Call of Duty with friends), Delane and PlayVs’s idea seems like a no brainer. Outside of unique industry insight, Delane is also very transparent on the ins and outs of running a gaming-focused company. If you’re an up and coming player or entrepreneur, Delane is someone you should be following.
@ZhugeEX — Daniel Ahmad, Analyst for Niko Partners
Content Specialties: Gaming in Asia, Industry Trends, Venture Capital
Daniel Ahmed is one of our sources of truth for Gaming in Asia. His tweets are a combination of Asia-focused knowledge, trends, recent releases, and publications worth reading. Outside of games, Daniel’s tweets also occasionally provide a much needed insight into the larger tech trends that are influencing both gaming and the global economy. Daniel is one of the more business-oriented accounts we follow, but if you geek out on numbers and learning, Daniel is a good follow. (PS: Daniel,
@blakeir — Blake Robbins, Partner at Ludlow Ventures, Investor in 100Thieves
Content Specialities: Venture Capital, Esports,
When you’re early in your career, most people take their time and slowly work their way up the ladder, eventually earning themselves a seat at the table. Blake is not one of those people. After joining as an Associate at Ludlow Ventures, he sourced a number of deals with huge upside (most notably Esports giants 100Thieves.) Blake is both an inspiration to young professionals, and a valuable source of knowledge when identifying future opportunities and analyzing the industry.
@jacksondahl — Jackson Dahl, Founder & Business Development at 100Thieves
Content Specialties: Esports, 100Thieves, Venture Capital
Like many young up and comers, Jackson has vision. He saw the future of VC when he joined Lowercase Capital (best known for early investments in Stripe, Twitter, Uber, Instagram…the list goes on.) Jackson has seemingly done it again, joining 100Theives as an early employee and touching pretty much every part of the business (esports, apparel, partnerships etc). We got the chance to chat 1:1 with Jackson, and his vision for 100T and gaming, media, and entertainment provided us a healthy dose of perspective. The vision that he and the team are planning for 100Theives is gutsy, and seems to be paying off so far.
@Slasher — Rod Bresleau, Esports Consultant
Content Specialties: Industry Critiques, Breaking News, Dunking on Twitch
In the last few months, Slasher has represented gaming on many major news outlets (BBC, WaPo, Cheddar etc), and with good reason. Slasher is not afraid to speak his mind, and as such has garnered a large following across social media. He’s uniquely positioned himself to be a go-to source for both mainstream and grassroots media for all things gaming. On a given week you can find the most recent leaks, news, and heated opinions on Rod’s timeline. If you’re looking for a well-rounded content feed with a bit of a personal flair, Slasher is the person to follow.
@esportsguy — Avi Bhuiyan, SVP Product & Strategy @ Popdog
Content Specialties: Product, Esports, Industry-wide Trends
When we were brainstorming ideas for what would eventually become our newsletter, The Pause Button, we were stumped on what kind of content focus on. Our eventual focus of industry trends, analysis, and strategy is because of Avi. His thread around the Product Strategy of Discord and its game store was a catalyst for conversations across our friends, co-workers, and peers. Avi mixes in his personal interests with a well-versed set of opinions and facts, and is clearly an asset for content creators across social media.
@SJeneris — Jeff Chau, CEO of GameGether
Content Specialties: Mobile Gaming & Gaming in Asia
Jeff is our go-to guy for Mobile Gaming. With the industry already taking off in Asia, and starting to find its legs in the West, being an expert in the high potential future of on the go gaming seems like a great place to be. Similarly to others on the list, much of Jeff’s content takes a professional and analytical approach. If you’re willing to do a bit of reading, following Jeff will certainly make you a more well-rounded industry expert.
@Fwiz — Ryan Wyatt, Head of Gaming at YouTube
Content Specialties: Future of Gaming, Industry Trends, YouTube (obviously)
Ryan Wyatt has a little bit of everything to offer. Industry data via YouTube, career tips and etiquette from his time at Google, and a passion for the industry that stretches back to the early grassroots days of gaming. Despite all his success, Ryan’s tweets still find a way to be grounding. You can tell he has a genuine excitement for the work he’s doing everyday, and that makes learning from him all the more meaningful.
@RdotChadha — Rishi Chadha, Head of Gaming Content Partnerships at Twitter
Content Specialties: Industry Trends, Twitter Data & Insights, Recent News
What kind of list about Gaming on Twitter would be complete without Twitter’s own gaming content leader, Rishi Chadha? Rishi regularly releases monthly metrics and reports from Twitter on engagement, top events, and trending topics. The info he provides is incredibly useful for getting a quick pulse on what’s happening on the most active gaming social media platform.
This article was made in conjunction with my weekly gaming newsletter called The Pause Button, which explores the intersection of innovation, entertainment, and socialization in games, and their impact on society.
Sign up at pausebutton.substack.com
