Over the past year we’ve introduced several new members to the Audio-Technica Gaming family. Joining Summit1G, Gold Glove and TimTheTatman is professional gamer Lirik. Since launching his stream in 2011, Lirik has become one of Twitch’s most popular streamers. We recently sat down with Lirik to discuss his all-time favorite video games and what inspires him to stream for charity. Audio-Technica: Do you remember the first video game you ever played?  Lirik: I used to watch my brother play DOOM on the PC and sometimes, I would get a turn! A-T: DOOM is a classic! What would you consider your all-time favorite video game? Lirik: This is probably an obvious response but I’d say World of Warcraft. The game shaped my childhood and teenage years and really pushed my gaming passion to the next level. A-T: Obviously gaming is something you’ve loved since childhood, but when did you decide to pursue live streaming full time? Lirik: I was an avid Twitch viewer and was introduced to the culture by many broadcasters already making a living off of streaming. I told myself, hey...maybe I could do this too! So, I took the plunge and luckily, it all worked out. A-T: Can you talk a little bit about a day in the life of a professional streamer? Lirik: I have a very consistent schedule or at least I try to be as consistent as possible. I stream six days a week for 7 hours, so I try to get all my chores done before my stream starts and finish up anything I need to do for the day after the stream. A-T: You’re one of the most followed streamers on Twitch. What do you attribute your popularity to? Lirik: I have never figured this out myself to be honest. A lot of people tell me though that they watch because I am easy to listen to, natural to hear, and I make it sound like I’m hanging out with a bunch of friends. It makes my environment very easy to dive into and be welcomed. A-T: You’ve been known to host marathon streams to raise money for charity. Tell us what inspires you to give back. Lirik: It is usually the fact of stepping back and realizing the power that I potentially hold and the influence that I have. When I realized that, I felt the obvious choice was to give back and give to charity. It just made sense because it is the right thing to do. A-T: What’s your favorite aspect of live streaming? Lirik: The interaction and me being able to be me. I feel like it is hard for me to fit in or meet new people but one thing I do know is that I am in the presence of a lot of like-minded people that are all interested in almost everything I am interested in. There is something so unique and special about that. A-T: Tell us about your gaming setup; what are your streaming essentials? Lirik: Streaming essentials are literally everything. From the microphone, to the mixer, to the hum destroyers. Everything in my setup plays a huge role and does its job. If one thing breaks or stops working the whole stream is injured. A-T: Can you give some advice to anyone looking to become a professional streamer? Lirik: Be consistent. Be motivated. Be ready for discouragement. Don’t expect to rise to stardom because you put in the ‘effort.’ Anyone can stream, you need to be at the right place and the right time to make it. Failure and being unsuccessful will always be there and it isn’t necessarily because of you, it’s because the environment is so sporadic and competitive. A-T: Let’s close with the most important question - PlayStation, Xbox or PC? Lirik: I’ve always been a PC person. My favorite games are all on PC and I grew up with a PC. It is my bread and butter for gaming and it will always be my first choice over console. We’d like to thank Lirik for taking the time to speak with us. Make sure you follow his streams on Twitch.