Asmongold

Asmongold was born in Florida and raised in Austin, Texas. He grew up with an interest in video games, particularly role-playing games (RPGs), and was introduced to World of Warcraft by a friend in 2006.{{cite web | title=FAQ With Asmongold | website=YouTube | date=May 24, 2014 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8qELe1wBV0 | access-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318202257/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B8qELe1wBV0 | url-status=live }} He quickly became captivated by the game and started playing it extensively.{{cite web | last=Tsiaoussidis | first=Alex | title=How many hours has Asmongold played WoW? | website=Dot Esports | date=October 27, 2022 | url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/how-many-hours-has-asmongold-played-wow | access-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318203133/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/how-many-hours-has-asmongold-played-wow | url-status=live }} Asmongold later attended college but dropped out to focus on his streaming career.{{cite web | title=Asmongold Story Time: The Origins Of "Sup Yall" And College Years | website=YouTube | date=July 12, 2019 | url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN1wGNUwN7U | access-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318202259/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rN1wGNUwN7U | url-status=live }}

Asmongold began his online career in 2009 by creating YouTube videos about World of Warcraft, in which he shared his insights, strategies, and game knowledge. His YouTube channel experienced steady growth, and he eventually started live-streaming on Twitch in 2011, initially as a hobby, and he began his active streaming career on Twitch in 2014.{{cite web |date=August 4, 2021 |title=Asmongold Reacts to His First Stream Announcement in 2014 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWLEYyQlTQg |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318234824/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vWLEYyQlTQg |archive-date=March 18, 2023 |access-date=March 18, 2023 |website=YouTube}} As of 2019, his content mainly consisted of gameplay, guides, discussions, and reviews related to World of Warcraft expansions and patches.{{cite AV media |date=October 21, 2019 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVvIY3VMqaY |title=The Neckbeard Streamer Dominating Twitch |publisher=theScore esports |via=YouTube |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220420024137/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVvIY3VMqaY |archive-date=April 20, 2022 |url-status=live}}

Upon the release of World of Warcraft Classic in 2019, Asmongold surged in overall popularity. He became one of the most popular streamers on the platform in the same year.{{Cite news |last=Penney |first=Andrew |date=February 27, 2020 |title=Asmongold Opens Up About Streaming Hiatus And His Future |url=https://www.thegamer.com/asmongold-opens-up-streaming-hiatus-future/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210608011211/https://www.thegamer.com/asmongold-opens-up-streaming-hiatus-future/ |archive-date=June 8, 2021 |access-date=March 7, 2020 |work=The Gamer}}{{cite web | last=Vincent | first=Brittany | title=WoW Twitch streamer Asmongold was most watched in Q3 2019 – StreamElements report | website=Shacknews | date=October 14, 2019 | url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/114473/wow-twitch-streamer-asmongold-was-most-watched-in-q3-2019-streamelements-report | access-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-date=March 18, 2023 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230318234608/https://www.shacknews.com/article/114473/wow-twitch-streamer-asmongold-was-most-watched-in-q3-2019-streamelements-report | url-status=live }} He was one of the platform's most popular World of Warcraft streamers during the 2020 release of Shadowlands.{{Cite news |last=Down |first=Aaron |date=November 24, 2020 |title=WoW Shadowlands' launch draws in nearly one million viewers on Twitch |work=PCGamesN |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/shadowlands-launch-twitch |access-date=March 11, 2021 |archive-date=January 26, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210126021256/https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/shadowlands-launch-twitch |url-status=live }} On July 3, 2021, Asmongold started playing Final Fantasy XIV to hundreds of thousands of viewers.{{Cite web |last=Miceli |first=Max |date=July 4, 2021 |title=Asmongold plays Final Fantasy XIV for the first time |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/asmongold-plays-final-fantasy-xiv-for-the-first-time |access-date=September 15, 2022 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US |archive-date=September 1, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210901122911/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/asmongold-plays-final-fantasy-xiv-for-the-first-time |url-status=live }} In 2022, he started to branch out into a larger variety of stream styles.{{cn|date=October 2024}}

In October 2020, he co-founded One True King (OTK), a streaming and content creation organization, with other streamers and content creators, including Mizkif and Sodapoppin. In August 2022, he announced OTK's new PC building company called Starforge Systems in collaboration with fellow content creator Cr1TiKaL.{{Cite web |last=Miceli |first=Max |date=August 8, 2022 |title=One True King creates new PC building company, Starforge Systems |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/one-true-king-creates-new-pc-building-company-starforge-systems |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221023180719/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/one-true-king-creates-new-pc-building-company-starforge-systems |archive-date=October 23, 2022 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US}} The company was quickly met with backlash due to the high prices of their products, to which they responded by decreasing their prices by $100.{{Cite web |last=Miceli |first=Max |date=August 9, 2022 |title=Starforge Systems makes changes to prices for PCs following fan criticism |url=https://dotesports.com/news/starforge-systems-makes-changes-to-prices-for-pcs-following-fan-criticism |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221024033636/https://dotesports.com/news/starforge-systems-makes-changes-to-prices-for-pcs-following-fan-criticism |archive-date=October 24, 2022 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US}} He hosts a weekly podcast entitled Steak & Eggs Podcast along with fellow One True King members Emiru and Tectone.{{Cite tweet |number=1620525832883298305 |user=OTKnetwork |title=Introducing @steakandeggs🍳 Our brand new podcast all about gaming, anime, pop culture and a whole lot more! Hosted by: @Asmongold @emiru @Tectone New episodes every Friday starting Feb 17th! |date=January 31, 2023 |access-date=March 24, 2024 |archive-date=May 22, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230522195030/https://twitter.com/OTKnetwork/status/1620525832883298305?lang=en |url-status=live}} Episode 1 was released on February 17, 2023.{{primary source inline|date=October 2024}} On February 21, 2025, Asmongold announced that he left the organization.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Nick |date=February 22, 2025 |title='Biggest mistake of my life:' Asmongold explains why he left OTK |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/biggest-mistake-of-my-life-asmongold-explains-why-he-left-otk |access-date=February 23, 2025 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503142519/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/biggest-mistake-of-my-life-asmongold-explains-why-he-left-otk |url-status=live}}

Asmongold's main Twitch account was briefly suspended in August 2017 for a comment he made about survivors displaced by Hurricane Katrina. He later addressed the statement in a TwitLonger, clarifying his point of view and reaching an understanding with Twitch staff.{{Cite web |title=TwitLonger — When you talk too much for Twitter |url=http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sq42hp |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212052148/http://www.twitlonger.com/show/n_1sq42hp |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |access-date=February 12, 2023 |website=twitlonger.com}}{{Citation |title=Streamable Video |url=https://streamable.com/t2emt |access-date=February 12, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212051433/https://streamable.com/t2emt |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{cite AV media |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXAnhwMg4zo |title=My Story About Getting Suspended on Twitch and What I Learned From it |date=August 16, 2017 |publisher=Asmongold |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230212051434/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nXAnhwMg4zo |archive-date=February 12, 2023 |url-status=live |via=YouTube}}{{better source needed|date=October 2024|reason=A reliable, independent source should be used to explain why "a comment" would lead to a suspension, and why this would matter. Without context from reliable sources, this is so vague it's basically meaningless.}} In 2022, he reached out to Republican senator Ted Cruz to discuss regulating loot boxes in video games on Cruz's YouTube channel. Cruz expressed interest in meeting him but said he held a "strong libertarian bent" on the subject.{{cite news |last1=Chalk |first1=Andy |title=Ted Cruz says he's 'interested' in talking to Asmongold about loot boxes |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/ted-cruz-says-hes-interested-in-talking-to-asmongold-about-loot-boxes/ |access-date=December 27, 2024 |work=PC Gamer |date=June 21, 2022 |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503142954/https://www.pcgamer.com/ted-cruz-says-hes-interested-in-talking-to-asmongold-about-loot-boxes/ |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Reeve |first=Justin |date=June 21, 2022 |title=US Senator Ted Cruz Wants To Protect Kids From Pay-To-Win Games, Makes No Promises About Gun Violence |url=https://www.thegamer.com/ted-cruz-protect-kids-pay-to-win-games-no-promises-gun-violence/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220621091359/https://www.thegamer.com/ted-cruz-protect-kids-pay-to-win-games-no-promises-gun-violence/ |archive-date=June 21, 2022 |access-date=June 21, 2022 |website=TheGamer |language=en-US}}

Asmongold criticized Samantha Rivera Trevino, commonly known as Rivers, who won the fan vote for the 2024 Esports Awards Streamer of the Year,{{Cite web |last=Richman |first=Olivia |date=August 27, 2024 |title=Asmongold and xQc Believe Streamer of the Year Was 'Rigged' |url=https://www.si.com/esports/news/asmongold-esports-awards-rigged |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=Esports Illustrated On SI |language=en-US |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503143203/https://www.si.com/esports/news/asmongold-esports-awards-rigged |url-status=live}} saying: "I'm salty because it was obviously a diversity pick because she's a woman, and everybody knows it. It should've been Speed or Kai, or CaseOh, or like three other people. You put her up there because she's a female. It's embarrassing, it's patronising. She's not even a top female streamer either."{{Cite web |date=August 27, 2024 |first1=Carlos 'Liber' |last1=Díaz|trans-title=Asmongold believes Rivers is the streamer of the year just because she's a woman. |title=Asmongold cree que Rivers es la streamer del año solo por ser mujer |url=https://esports.as.com/bonus/influencers/Asmongold-cree-Rivers-streamer-mujer_0_1824717512.html |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=Movistar eSports |language=es |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503143928/https://esports.as.com/bonus/influencers/Asmongold-cree-Rivers-streamer-mujer_0_1824717512.html |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |date=August 27, 2024 |title=RiversGG vence a 9 hombres en la elección de Mejor Streamer del Año y un competidor reclama que solo se lo dieron "porque es mujer" |trans-title=RiversGG beats out nine men in the Best Streamer of the Year election, and one competitor claims she only got it "because she's a woman." |url=https://es-us.finanzas.yahoo.com/noticias/riversgg-vence-9-hombres-elecci%C3%B3n-181600777.html |access-date=October 22, 2024 |website=Tarreo |language=es-US |via=Yahoo Finance |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503144442/https://es-us.finanzas.yahoo.com/noticias/riversgg-vence-9-hombres-elecci%C3%B3n-181600777.html |url-status=live}}

In a Twitch stream on October 14, 2024, Asmongold called Palestinians "terrible people" from "an inferior culture" that "kills people for their identity" and "is directly antithetical to everything Western values stand for."{{Cite web |last=Snavely |first=Adam |date=October 14, 2024 |title='I don't give a f**k, they're terrible people': Asmongold sparks huge backlash with Palestine comments |url=https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/i-dont-give-a-fk-theyre-terrible-people-asmongold-sparks-huge-backlash-with-palestine-comments |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=Dot Esports |language=en-US |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250503145121/https://dotesports.com/streaming/news/i-dont-give-a-fk-theyre-terrible-people-asmongold-sparks-huge-backlash-with-palestine-comments |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last=Stedman |first=Alex |date=October 15, 2024 |title=Asmongold's Twitch Channel Banned Following Racist Rant About Palestinians |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/asmongolds-twitch-channel-banned-following-racist-rant-about-palestinians |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=IGN |archive-date=October 16, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241016051325/https://www.ign.com/articles/asmongolds-twitch-channel-banned-following-racist-rant-about-palestinians |url-status=live}} He also said that they "have genocide built into Sharia law right now, so, no, I'm not going to cry a fucking river when people who have genocide that's baked into their laws are getting genocided."{{cite web |last=Gach |first=Ethan |date=October 15, 2024 |title=Twitch Streamer Asmongold Banned After Racist Rant About Palestinians |url=https://kotaku.com/asmongold-twitch-ban-youtube-gaza-israel-hasan-piker-1851672928 |access-date=October 15, 2024 |website=Kotaku |archive-date=October 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241017025144/https://kotaku.com/asmongold-twitch-ban-youtube-gaza-israel-hasan-piker-1851672928 |url-status=live}} His ZackRawrr account on Twitch was banned for 14 days due to violating the platform's hateful conduct policy.{{Cite news |date=October 16, 2024 |title=Twitch streamer Asmongold suspended after Palestinian rant |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75606vd3l6o |access-date=October 20, 2024 |work=BBC News |archive-date=May 3, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250503150556/https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c75606vd3l6o |url-status=live}} He posted an apology, stating that he deserved the backlash and the ban.{{cite web |last=Murray |first=Trent |date=October 16, 2024 |title=Asmongold Steps Down Following Twitch Ban |url=https://www.si.com/esports/news/asmongold-steps-down-from-otk |website=Esports Illustrated On SI |archive-date=October 17, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241017023859/https://www.si.com/esports/call-of-duty/black-ops-6-release-date-guide |url-status=live}} In October 2024, he stepped down from leadership positions within both OTK and Starforge Systems following the backlash.

After Elon Musk was accused of having paid third parties to boost his Path of Exile 2 account in January 2025, Asmongold challenged Musk to prove that he himself had worked a character of his up to level 97 in the game's hardcore mode. A few days later, Musk unfollowed Asmongold's X account, removed its verification mark and posted a print of their private direct messages. A community note under Musk's post stated that it was generally against X's guidelines to leak someone's private messages without their explicit permission.{{Cite web |last=Gach |first=Ethan |date=January 16, 2025 |title=Elon Musk And Asmongold Are Fighting After The Streamer Accused Him Of Being A Fake Gamer |url=https://kotaku.com/elon-musk-asmongold-poe-2-account-boosting-controversy-1851741223 |access-date=January 16, 2025 |website=Kotaku |archive-date=January 16, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250116200253/https://kotaku.com/elon-musk-asmongold-poe-2-account-boosting-controversy-1851741223 |url-status=live}}{{Cite web |last=Gault |first=Matthew |date=January 16, 2025 |title=Why Is Elon Musk Beefing With a Twitch Streamer? |url=https://gizmodo.com/why-is-elon-musk-beefing-with-a-twitch-streamer-2000551256 |access-date=January 16, 2025 |website=Gizmodo |archive-date=February 9, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250209153258/https://gizmodo.com/why-is-elon-musk-beefing-with-a-twitch-streamer-2000551256 |url-status=live}}

By 2025, political commentary constituted a major component of Asmongold's streams. In one instance, he mocked Democratic Congressman Al Green's disruption of President Donald Trump's 2025 Congressional Address, stating that Green's actions made "people think [he]'s a fucking retard". Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic characterized Asmongold as "one member of a larger, right-leaning ecosystem". He described Asmongold's political commentary as reminiscent of the Gamergate harassment campaign, citing it as an example of "how the culture of gaming ... is bleeding into American politics". Kornhaber also noted that his channel was larger and more popular than left-wing streamers such as Hasan Piker.

Before beginning his streaming career, he worked for the Internal Revenue Service for two tax seasons in 2012 and 2013.{{cite tweet |number=1390761106319237120 |user=Asmongold |title=2012–2013 Era My first day working at the IRS |author=Zack |date=May 7, 2021 |access-date=February 14, 2023 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211191042/https://twitter.com/Asmongold/status/1390761106319237120 |archive-date=February 11, 2023 |url-status=live}}{{primary source inline|date=April 2025}} Asmongold acquired a business degree and was preparing to apply to law schools, but had to abandon that plan as he was taking care of his mother.{{cite web |last=Greenbaum |first=Aaron |date=September 21, 2022 |title=Tragic Details Of Asmongold |url=https://www.svg.com/1017976/tragic-details-of-asmongold/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230319002636/https://www.svg.com/1017976/tragic-details-of-asmongold/ |archive-date=March 19, 2023 |access-date=March 19, 2023 |website=SVG}} In October 2021, his mother died after complications from advanced COPD, leading to his temporary hiatus from streaming.{{cite AV media |date=October 8, 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDt12oC0dEk |title=The Worst Day of My Life.. |publisher=Asmongold TV |via=YouTube |access-date=February 14, 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220904171212/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XDt12oC0dEk |archive-date=September 4, 2022 |url-status=live}}{{cite tweet |number=1454215911183892484 |user=Asmongold |title=Earlier this week, my mom passed away. I'm honestly still in shock, it's hard to imagine that it's even real. I don't know if I'll ever be able to come to terms with it. She was my best friend and the light of my life. I'll love you, always and forever. |author=Zack |date=October 29, 2021 |access-date=February 14, 2023 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220907193315/https://twitter.com/Asmongold/status/1454215911183892484 |archive-date=September 7, 2022 |url-status=live}}

{{Reflist}}

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:Living people

Category:American company founders

Category:American esports players

Category:American gaming YouTubers

Category:YouTubers from Austin, Texas

Category:Streamer Award winners

Category:American Twitch (service) streamers

Category:World of Warcraft players

Category:American political commentators

Category:Incitement to genocide of Palestinians

Category:YouTubers from Florida