Meet the Season Two Commentary Team

K0R8Z: A Familiar Voice Returns

You might remember K0R8Z from the nail-biting Season Finals of our first season. We’re thrilled to announce that K0R8Z will continue to lend their expert insights and lively commentary to each Saturday’s live streams on YouTube. Not only can you catch K0R8Z on our streams, but you can also find them sharing gameplay regularly on their Twitch channel.

ZEROCOOL: From Marketing to the Mic

Joining K0R8Z is ZEROCOOL, who may be a new voice in the commentary box but is no stranger to the ESC. As the ESC’s Marketing Director, ZEROCOOL brings over 25 years of gaming experience, from casual play to competitive arenas. His deep passion for gaming and understanding of the esports landscape will no doubt enhance our broadcasts.

Getting to Know Your Commentators

We sat down with both K0R8Z and ZEROCOOL to dive deeper into their gaming histories, what drives their commentary, and how they plan to bring Season Two to life for viewers all over the world.

What first drew you to the world of esports?

K0R8Z: I would watch the odd Halo esports match or whatever I stumbled across online that interested me. I thought it was cool but I didn’t really follow any teams. But what really made me get more invested was the first Overwatch World Cup in 2016. I was really into the game when it first came out and I was excited that there was an Australian team competing.

ZEROCOOL: I have been a gamer every since I was 10 years old and I am a very competitive person in general. Before work and family took priority, I was a competitive Call of Duty 4  and Battlefield 3 player. Most games I play these days also have some sort of competitive aspect, whether a FPS, sports or racing game.

How did you get your start as a shoutcaster?

K0R8Z: I had studied media and theatre at university along with an interest in voice work and experience hosting trivia so when one of my side jobs needed another person to host games during the whole Covid ordeal in 2020 I was a natural candidate. The next big step was helping out my mate MacApsu with his work in the ANZ and Asia Halo scene last year.

ZEROCOOL: This is actually my first official shoutcaster role, however, I have done commentary and event hosting throughout my adult life across a range of sports.

What are your favourite aspects of the ESC?

K0R8Z: I appreciate when groups that are producing shows like this think of the little things that add to the production quality. I like that ESC has done their research and are going all in.

ZEROCOOL: Trying not to be bias, given my role as the Marketing Director for ESC, I think ESC’s biggest draw card is our consistency in the frequency of events, the promotion of both the esports and our players, and the quality of our broadcasts and content. We do things differently but that is intentional as exposure for esports overall in Australia and New Zealand is our main focus. 

Can you share a particularly memorable or funny moment from your shoutcasting career?

K0R8Z: I’m still very new to shoutcasting but one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had so far was getting a lot of compliments for my efforts from players in the Halo scene the first time I helped out with that. That really meant a lot. If they didn’t see my potential I probably wouldn’t have continued.

ZEROCOOL: To be advised, but I am looking forward to creating a lot of them 😉

What’s your typical process when preparing for a tournament?

K0R8Z: I just try to refresh myself about what happened last time and all the information the audience will need to understand what’s going on whether this is the first or seventh esports comp they’ve watched.

ZEROCOOL: Making sure I have the knowledge of the format and rules as well as key aspects of the games, but most importantly learning about the players and their ESC journey, to help build the stories.

Apart from the games you cast, what do you enjoy playing in your downtime?

K0R8Z: At the moment I play a lot of Red Dead RP and Helldivers 2 amongst revisiting old favourites when I really should be getting through my backlog of games I’ve never played before.

ZEROCOOL: It changes but when I get the chance to game, I do play a range of different games, depending on how I feel in the moment. I play on Xbox so games like Street Fighter 6, Modern Warfare 3, Kingdom Come Deliverance, Planet Zoo, Red Dead Redemption 2, Madden 24, Forza Motorsport. Super keen for Manor Lords but not on console yet 🙁

Do you have any shoutcasting role models or sources of inspiration?

K0R8Z: I don’t follow it a lot these days but what I’ve seen of the professionals in the current Halo and Counter-Strike scene is really inspiring. For inspiration I remember when Pete Burns from Back Pocket told me that I’m a good natural hype caster.

ZEROCOOL: Not really that I can name however I do think K0R8Z does a great job and I hope I can reach his level.

What advice would you give to someone looking to break into esports shoutcasting?

K0R8Z: Get yourself an at least half decent microphone, familiarise yourself with recording software like OBS and ask players in the community of a game you like if you can cast their matches privately or when you’re brave enough publicly.

ZEROCOOL: I agree with K0R8Z but I will add that just do it. Ask to help out at a local event or shoutcast your mates playing.

We’re confident that our new commentary duo will elevate your viewing experience during our weekly Saturday live streams. Don’t miss out on the action and insights they will bring every week!

Tune in to Season Two

Season Two kicks off on May 4th, and registration for all Qualifiers is now open. Join us on YouTube for all the live action, and be part of the excitement from the first match to the last!