Women in Esports - interview with Quiana Dang
-Written by Tara Edwards
Quiana Dang is a graduating senior in the USC Games Interactive Entertainment program and the manager of the USC Overwatch esports team, which she helped officially establish four years ago. Aside from scheduling scrimmages, entering her team into tournaments, and managing her players, Quiana is involved in organizing a plethora of USC esports events, both on the club and varsity side.
How did you first get into esports?
I played OverWatch when it first came out. I was 17 years old and it was the first video game that I had ever touched in my life besides Pokemon. I loved it so much that I started watching streamers and those streamers all happened to compete in grassroots esports programs before Overwatch League was even around. I got really invested in their performance and I started following them. That was the summer before I went to college. When I got to USC, I was blown away that there were actually esports clubs here. Back then, we didn't really have an organized group, it was just club activities. I wanted to get involved in esports, particularly Overwatch esports, in any way that I could so I gathered a bunch of people who played OverWatch and was like, ‘why don't we compete in the collegiate OverWatch tournaments?’ So I decided to start organizing them. I became the de facto manager, organizing everything for the tournaments and, from there, it turned into a varsity team under Trojan Esports.
What do you do as an esports manager?
I make sure all the players do what they're supposed to do... on time. So that includes any logistical things behind the scenes, like ordering jerseys or gathering student info. I get it all and I put it in the right place. I also schedule scrimmages and enter us into tournaments and look for tournaments for us to compete in. I also help look for players when we are recruiting. The biggest part of my job though is probably calling the players on the phone when they are not responding so that they show up two scrims. Most of the time, I'm waking them up when I call them. This is the probably most memorable part of the job.
What are your career goals after USC?
Since I am a part of the Interactive Entertainment program, I am more inclined to get a job in game production. I am an artist, so ideally I’d do concept art or any kind of 2-D art for games, but I would not be opposed to working in esports, honestly, because I've been doing it for so long. Management comes naturally to me now and I’d be very comfortable doing it.
After being a part of USC Trojan Esports, what progress would you like to see in the esports industry?
I want to see more diversity because, right now, it's clearly dominated by men, especially white men. I'd also like to see more accessibility and less nepotism. It'd be nice if there was an easier way for people who are disconnected but who really want to get into esports to get in and be able to work at any organization or studio.
What can esports teams and organizations like USC Trojan Esports do to encourage more women to join?
The other day, Riot announced a tournament program specifically designed for women and people of other genders who are underrepresented in esports. I think that it is supposed to bring them the same opportunities that currently only men, particularly White men, have. I think things like that are good because, while there is the argument that separating genders into different tournaments and programs doesn't really position them as equal, the point of those programs is to bring the spotlight to women and other genders who are competing in the same esports as men. Every single one of those programs brings us closer to having actual gender equality in esports. I’m glad it’s happening, especially with Valorant because it is a game that is marketed towards all genders. I really appreciate that because you have the competitiveness of this high fidelity game along with its accessibility- put that together and you create a great game. And that’s what we need in order to bring in more people.
How can esports become more inclusive?
I wrote a paper about this actually, asking the questions: Why are there no women in esports? Why is it all just men? Why are other sexualities and genders just not represented? A big reason for that is because video games have been marketed as something for men and boys for so long and everyone else hasn’t been given the same chance to play. They are either scorned or just discouraged from playing, which is why you don't see that many female players. When I was growing up, I wasn't allowed to play PS2, but my brother was- I just didn't question it because I was 6 years old. Because of that, I feel like I missed out on a lot of experiences that I could have had playing video games. I really wanted to be good at playing Overwatch and Valorant, but the truth is, I don't have 10 years of experience playing shooters like other kids do. They were playing TF2 when they were eight years old. They have a clear advantage. The more that we create games that cater towards all genders and sexualities, the more that we’ll see diverse player pools and more diverse esports players. It will take time because there's no instant solution, but I think games like Fortnite open the pool up so much more. There are so many memorable female and LGBTQ Fortnite players. It makes me really happy.
What has been your favorite memory involving esports?
My favorite memory is probably managing my Overwatch team. Literally anything that I do with them is just so fun. I feel like, nowadays, I'm in it for the players more than I am in it for the game. I just really like seeing my players happy and having a good time together competing, whether or not we win or lose. I remember when we were in person, we would go out to K-BBQ after tournaments and have a great time. Being together, improving, focusing on the game- those are my favorite memories.
Where do you see the future of esports headed?
Video games are mainstream now- no one doesn't game, really. I think esports is close on its heels. Right now, I see esports broadcasts and programs, rather than trying to cater solely to gamers, trying to cater to mainstream audiences. I say this because if you look at the graphic styles of production and social media, they all have very accessible themes. The graphics themselves don't look “gamer-y”, they look like regular marketing graphics that you would see from a clothing brand. Like 100 Thieves for example - their merch looks like Hypebeast and Hypebeast isn't isn’t tied to gaming culture, it’s just a part of pop culture. And that works for them. That is helping esports become more mainstream. I think that we'll see a lot more esports on TV, but also in pop culture and media. 100 thieves is already working on this by trying to diversify their brand, from being only an esports brand to becoming a lifestyle brand. You actually see their merch on Hypebeast resale sites. I think that some people don't even realize that 100 Thieves is an esports brand because they house so many streamers and content creators that are just in daily life now. You see them on TikTok rather than on Twitch. There will be a blurred line between esports and pop culture soon and more people will start following esports, even people you wouldn’t expect. There will always be a little area for those hardcore gamers who are really into their games. But basically, TL;DR: Esports becomes mainstream. It'll be on every billboard. It's in our blood.
Check out Quiana’s game art portfolio on Instagram. Follow USC Trojan Esports onTwitter,Instagram, andFacebook for news and updates about the USC Esports teams and communities. View the entire interview with Quiana on USC Games’ YouTube channelhere.