This week Madden Underground’s own Chris Goodman had a chance to interview Brand Picard, Director of Community Relations for GamerSaloon. Check out all they discussed below.
Chris Goodman :Hi Brandon how are you ?
Chris Goodman : Start by telling the people a little about yourself and Gamersaloon.
Brandon Picard : Yo Chris, thanks for reaching out! So GamerSaloon is a site that launched in 2006 that allows gamers from all over the world to compete in a variety of games on all consoles for cash prizes. You can play 1v1 cash games, or multi player online tournaments. We have awarded over $35 million in prizes and have over 1 million registered members. The sports titles are the bulk of what GamerSaloon does and Madden and 2k have been our top titles since the beginning.
Chris Goodman :How long have you been with Gamersaloon?
Brandon Picard : I started with GamerSaloon in 2007 in a basement with a couple computers, a Playstation 2, and an original Xbox trying to figure out how to make this concept work. We have some great guys on our team that have been around from the beginning that really provided the support to be able to take this thing to the next level.
Chris Goodman : What made you want to be apart of GamerSaloon?
Brandon Picard : We all loved playing video games so it was a natural transition for me.
Chris Goodman : What are the origins of Gamaersaloon start?
Brandon Picard: The concept of GamerSaloon was created by our CEO Gabe Rubin who was a huge NHL PS2 fan. He and his brother used to play all the time for cash in person. His brother landed a job in California (on the other side of the country) and thus the concept was born. Gabe wanted to create a way for people from all over the world to connect online in a secure atmosphere and compete in their favorite games for cash to see who really is the best.
Chris Goodman : Whats your favorite thing about Saloon?
Brandon Picard : Our team here is really solid. We have a great group of guys who I think genuinely want to hear what the community has to say. With the way technology works and how gaming has evolved, It’s really important to take feedback from the gamers themselves and I think we have done a good job of that along the way.
Chris Goodman : How do you think the tournaments in Vegas and AC were and do you plan on having more in the near future?
Brandon Picard: We were proud of how the last two events were run however we see a lot of room for improvements. We definitely plan to be relevant in the live event scene moving forward. Some big stuff coming for the 17′ titles. Stay tuned!
Chris Goodman :What do you think of the competitive scene of Madden?
Brandon Picard : The competitive Madden scene is real. I see it on a daily basis. The growth of the competitive scene is inevitable. Looking forward to seeing where things are in 5-10 years.
Chris Goodman : How does Gamersaloon plan to incoporate the esports side of Madden into the up and coming season?
Brandon Picard: eSports is what we do. Competitive gaming has been GamerSaloon’s mantra from the beginning. For Madden, keeping up with the MUT players and catering to their likes will be a real focus for us in 2017.
Chris Goodman ? Do you think its possible to have an Live Action CvC Tournaments and CvC Leagues more frequently for next year game?
Brandon Picard :I think the CvC concept is great. People love the comradery of team play, something that Madden offers little of. Relying on a “teammate” to get you a win is a dynamic you don’t see to often and we really like it. The CvC league we run now was something that kind of came out of nowhere. Everyone seems to be enjoying it…hopefully this is something we can continue to do for a long time. For live events, It wouldn’t surprise me if all of our live events moving forward include some sort of CvC play. It’s that entertaining!
Chris Goodman: How do you plan to push the envelope of competitive gaming with Madden and Gamersaloon?
Brandon Picard: I think the streaming side of things will help elevate the status of Madden. Creating Madden personalities and showcasing them. The underground competitive Madden scene is full of characters. The competitive nature of these guys is unreal. I have seen and heard some of the funniest arguments from the Madden guys, it’s all about who’s the top dog.
Chris Goodman :Any advice to people that want to chase their goals and dreams?
I’m still chasing dreams. Stay humble. Wake up with determination, go to sleep with satisfaction.
Chris Goodman : Thank you
Be sure to visit GamerSaloon.com