Interview with Nysira

This time we have the not so unknown „Nysira„, who is not only a streaming gamer girl, but also a host and interviewer. She made her debute at the Road to Blizzcon and will host the Dreamhack this Thursday and Friday in Sweden!

Hello and good morning Nysira! I’m glad that you’re giving me the opportunity of having this interview. Maybe you could give a very brief wrap-up of yourself to the people who don’t know you?

Well, my game name or Twitch name is Nysira, but my real name is Marcella de Bie. I came up with that name two years ago when I was playing World of Warcraft. Then, 2 years ago when I started to stream, I had no idea how to call my stream. I thought „Well, Nysira is nice“ but I never thought it would get more like this. I’m 25 and I’m from the Netherlands pretty close to Germany like 10 minutes to the border, but „mein Deutsch ist nicht so gut“. I did photography before and after I was working a bit I did computer science and then, even though I had a lot of fun with that, I decided to quit because I was like „Well, this is not it“ and I was looking for a job. A friend of mine told me like „Hey why aren’t u go for streaming“ and I was like „What is streaming?“. So I made some research said to myself „Putting a webcam on, playing a bit, talking a bit… Well this cannot be too hard“. So I started doing it for a hobby in between like searching for a job.

And what you are doing now exactly? Being a host or interviewer?

Right now I’m a streamer and do some Youtube, so also Youtube content creator, but it’s more like vlogging to show people my life behind the scenes. And recently started with hosting! Well, I already did some hosting for a Dutch television program, also with games, but this is my first time with live things. The first one was Road to Blizzcon where I was a side-host/interviewer. And now it’s the first time for me to be a stage host, at Dreamhack in Sweden. I’m very excited but also a bit scared, but it will be awesome! For the Blizzcon, I was invited by Blizzard but only for watching and enjoying the show, I was not working there. Such an incredible event! The Dreamhack is very good to step up. I think my English is not perfect, but the guys from Dreamhack are very confident with me 🙂 I think the passion that I have for Heroes and the way I like to present and to host… I think those together made me to succeed.

So you went straight to the hosting/interviewer part and skipped the progamer phase, unlike Grubby who moved from progamer to caster/analyst.

No, I skipped that part *laughs* I already had some experience with hosting but it was more like looking in the camera, editing and stuff where you can also do a lot of mistakes. But for esports, it’s a different way but also very very enjoyable!

How did you get invited by Blizzard and the Dreamhack?

I’m usually not that type person who asks for anything. The only thing I did to make this possible was being curious. Once, one of the casters asked me when he can see me as a caster. I thought he was kidding, but he was serious. I said „But how to start?“ His answer was „Well, you’ve got Blizzard and ESL!“ I had someone of Blizzard on Twitter and asked him if he knows someone who is going to need a new host or something and he answered „Well that’s me! You are on a good adder here“ Then I had a talk with some people on the Gamescom and they said we could try something out in Prague at the Road to Blizzcon. So Blizzard and ESL gave me the opportunity to try it out and now Dreamhack came to me like „Hey we saw your footage and we’d like to have you as a stage host“. I’m not good in casting or analyzing but for hosting I’ve got enough knowledge not to get embarrassed during an interview. Being found makes you much more confident in the stuff you do instead of asking on your own.

Do you think this is it, travelling around and being not home a lot of time doing the things you like?

I think it’s about trying to make the different places like home. The first night was pretty strange but the next day, everything was in place and I felt much more like home. Especially the esports girls and guys, they both are like a family, they try to help you with everything and as long as the people see that you want to do something and are motivated, everyone is super helpful. This makes it somehow like home and I’m looking forward to see some people again in Sweden! You also don’t feel that alone because you can always fall back to someone and have someone to talk to. They are not only colleagues but also friends with which you are not only talking about work, but also every kind of stuff. About the travelling, before let’s say 4 months ago, I wasn’t flying for like 13 years and I was pretty scared of flying, especially totally alone flying. But the flying part is something you just have to get used to, if you want to stay in this business. This month I was gone for two weeks and home for two weeks. I was in a relationship for 1,5 years but if your lives are totally different like he had a normal job and my job is anything but normal, it’s pretty difficult to handle.

Do you plan to attend the Dreamhack in January 2016 in Leipzig?

If there is something with heroes and this week goes well, maybe Dreamhack will invite me again, that would be great. I really want to go to Leipzig because my brother goes there a lot and he says it’s amazing!

I’m sure you will do fine! But I think there will be only Counter-Strike and Starcraft II tournaments, so far.

Well, maybe they change this part 😉

Where does business start and where does the fun end? Just because you made your hobby your job.

It’s only hobby when I’m offline, but online it’s always business, somehow. I love the work, I love doing all this so it’s no actual work. I have some bad days like everyone has but that’s just normal. I always have fun doing this stuff, on- and offline with friends or viewers, private and in business. So there is no clear border you could draw.

And what are you doing if you are not at the computer?

Well, I try to film a bit, and I love watching movies and television shows and reading books, but time is so rare… My whole day is always full! I have no clue where the time goes. I’m also busy with a brand in the Netherlands for a clothing line. Clothes for gamers but still life-style. It’s going to be fun! There are a lot of little things I’m doing next to my pc stuff. And I go to the gym to free up my mind and as a contrast to sitting at the pc. Ah, and I’d love to play guitar again, but as already said, time is a scarce resource 🙂

Which are your favorite movies and tv shows?

Game of thrones! Boring I know… everyone loves it *laughs* And about movies, well I like love stories even though I always have to cry because I’m a pretty emotional person, like notebook or a walk to remember. But I also like many other genres and movies like drama or action. Just to mention some I’d pick Seven, 40 Year Old Virgin, Rock’n’Rolla, Inglorious Bastards, Sin City. And for tv shows I really liked Daredevil and Californication. I’m watching everyday one or two episodes of a tv show just to calm down after work.

When did you start gaming?

I don’t know, long ago! Maybe with a Gameboy? When I was little little. But “Conquer Online” was the first game I was kind of addicted to (http://co.99.com/), a mixture of PvP and RPG. And then came World of Warcraft.

Do you have a favorite genre?

MMORPG, I guess. I just like being able to do all that kind of things and dive into another world. Even though I’m hooked to the Moba or better, Team brawler genre 😉

So about RPGs, what about the recently released Fallout 4?

I think, if I would not be a streamer I’d love playing it. But as a streamer I prefer games which I can play with others. Besides this, I’m addicted to Blizzard games so I better stick to them and don’t put money into other games, it just doesn’t pay out for me because I will return anyway *laughs*

What do you think about Overwatch? Have you played ityet?

Yes, I played it and I like it, but it just has not that hook on me like heroes has. I can play it for one or two hours but I’m missing that feeling I have when playing Heroes of the Storm. I want to get better, want to reach level 10 (at least) with any hero and could play that game for hours!

But Heroes’ matchmaking is really disastrous at the moment. That’s why I’m not able to rank anymore… There’s always someone in the group who’s not caring about the team and is dying like 1000 times. It makes me really mad because I want to rank up so very bad. But those people just prevent me from doing this. Our team is currently not active so I cannot play team league. I stick to quickmatches with viewers and play just for fun. It’s sometimes really hard not getting salty because some people are doing crazy things but then I try to tell people what to do and how to do right.

Especially you being a public figure and streamer have to stay calm in such situations.

Yes, I try to smile and keep cool but inside I scream „Whyyyyyyyyyyyyy“ *laughs* I really want to win. At the Gamescom we had a show match to show people that you don’t have to be a pro to play that game. If you watch the footage I had to tell everyone how to play. The other guys saw my team which had two girls and thought it would be easy play. But it wasn’t and we won 😉

Which one is your favorite hero in Heroes of the Storm?

Sylvanas and Kael’thas, mostly because I like to play them.

Finally, no Jaina *laughs* All the other girls favor her. Do you play any other games?

A bit of Diablo, a bit of Starcraft, a bit of Overwatch… Well, summed up I play a bit of Blizzar
d except of Hearthstone, it’s not that interesting to me because I suck in deck building *laughs*

Which of the announcements at the Blizzcon did you like the most?

I played arena at Blizzcon and it was so much fun! You just pick one of those three random heroes so the composition can get pretty weird and funny! You play all the known maps but in a very small version and it’s pretty the same but very different. And it’s very fast, matches usually last 5-10 minutes. But it’s great fun! I not even know when they are going to release it, at the opening ceremony when they mentioned it I was just so hyped that I forgot everything. I can barely remember they announced Cho’gall, Lunara and Greymane. I played Lunara but I don’t like her mounting, it’s not actual mounting but some strange jumping around which feels weird. And Greymane seemed to be pretty interesting, too. Ah, and the new battleground of course! Which seems to come pretty soon?

Yes, tomorrow *laughs*

Pretty soon, like I told you *laughs*

What is so special about your stream?

I think nothing in particular. I try to put always positive energy in the stream so I can just energize some people in the stream who want to calm down and enjoy their evening. With funny or also good gameplay, talking with the community (I always try to read and answer the chat). I think this is what people like about my stream.

Are the donations for something special?

They are for savings and also my everyday life, not for shopping or stuff. It’s pretty much supporting my full time job as a streamer and host so I can make a living of both.

Do you have regular streaming times?

I used to have some but now because I’m often on tour I haven’t any. I try to stream 6 days a week for four hours. Usually this will be from noon to four and/or in the evening from 7-11 or 8-12. Sometimes I manage doing two streams. But it all depends on how busy my day is.

What are your negative experiences about being a streaming girl?

Mean stuff, like really mean. Always that same thinglike „You are a girl, this is why you get donations“. You have to prove yourself, really. This comes because there are some female streamers who just want to get attention by male viewers, by any means necessary. And not because they really like the game. You have all kind of people around and sometimes it’s hard to prove yourself. This is why I love hosting so I can show what else I can do. At the beginning, there is really a lot of negativity crushing onto you, I cried a lot because of it but now I just think „Okay, you can leave“ and got a thicker skin towards such comments. Prejudices and dumb people are everywhere. I prefer behaving professional, not only because it’s the way I am but also thinking about my future career possibilities 😉

Where do you see yourself in five years?

Hopefully deeper in all that stuff, enjoying it with another person together who lives a crazy life like I do and esports became much bigger and accepted. I want to do what I’m doing now but on a higher, more professional level. I really hope Blizzard will keep effort in bringing Heroes up into esports so it will last as long as possible. Not only because I won’t have a job as a host anymore *laughs* but also because I love the game so much.

Is there anything you want to tell your fans and the readers?

Just be yourself, try to be positive even it is hard sometimes but as long as you can keep holding on and chase your dreams, everything will be fine! 🙂

Last question: Whilst watching your stream I saw some tattoos on your wrists. Do they have a special meaning?

I’ve got an anchor, standing for hope and the connection to a good friend, and on the other wrist „no fear“.

Thank you for the very nice interview! It was a pleasure and a lot of fun talking to you!

Thank you too and enjoy the show in Sweden 🙂