That dedication — and her determination to be a healthy gamer — has paid off for this French Canadian with (for the moment) light pink hair. Harvey is a five-time world champion gamer who earns money through sponsorships, streaming her games online and playing in tournaments. This month, HP Canada signed Harvey to be its face in the gaming world.
Once the domain of hardcore computer geeks, online gaming has skyrocketed into the mainstream. SuperData Research expects these “esports” to attract 380 million viewers this year, with audiences for some tournaments eclipsing the finals for the NHL and NBA. The gaming research firm predicts that esports will be a $1.9 billion business by 2020.
Selling out Madison Square Garden
Already, elite pro gamer Harvey tours the world attending esports events whose fans number in the thousands, pack the bleachers of giant arenas and sell out Madison Square Garden and Staples Center in Los Angeles to watch their favorite players compete live for prize money.
Still, as a female pioneer in the field, Harvey has been a target for online verbal abuse and sexual harassment from the start, which has made her an outspoken advocate of diversity in gaming.
In 2013, Harvey and other major female gamers co-founded the online community and streaming site Missclicks to help make gaming more welcoming for women and minorities — and to foster discussion about the discrepancy in video game prize money for men and women.