Becky Young

Hey guys, thanks for the comments. We are hoping that you come out and actually PURCHASE this CD so that video games and VG music will be supported. These composers are all out there working their asses off for YOU. Show your support and give back by attending the shows and purchasing the music that you love.

If you have any questions about the CD or the shows, I will be more than happy to answer them for you!

Becky Young
Event Director
Video Games Live

Ha ha ha ha... You used that stupid shot of me in the streamers. You dorks! :p Great meeting you Kevin. Shot you an e-mail today with my info in it for the MVG thing. Great coverage here as well... you did the Wii launch proud!!

xoxo,
Becky "Aktrez" Young

OOPSIE ... meant to say this ISN'T about getting a job in the industry! My bad.

I am far from famous! I have a show on Maxim Radio that I got because I have a friend who use to work with the guys I am on the show with. I am good at networking. That doesn't make me famous. I am just as unknown to the general public as the next gamer girl. That's what you have to remember, this is about getting a job in the industry, this is about media and marketing REAL gamer girls. I'm simply trying to do what all of you are doing and MAKE my name known. Hell, there are game developers in the running and people who work for Sony up there. It would be different if Chobot or like... Morgan Webb were running. That is where I would draw the line. But, someone like me?! Far from anyone that shouldn't be running for something like this.

Oh, and Amber, I have talked to the creators and they are legit. There are about 4 or 5 of them who are based in Montreal working on this. They have not released the sponsors names yet because they are still working on contracts and what not. Both Faith and I checked up on that when we heard about it to be sure. You are right though, I doubt any of hte other girls did research on that. You can never be TOO careful!

OH.. and FYI... I just read that line about me being a Maxim chick. Actually, my entire life I was the fat, ugly nerd gamer with mousy brown hair, a gap in my teeth and round face. I was never liked in school. I came home every day and either went to dance class, acting, voice lessons or played games.

I didn't want to be that fat little girl anymore so I worked (and still work EVERY DAY) to get myself to a place that I want to be. THAT is why I am able to do Maxim Radio (and it's RADIO mind you.. not the magazine) Because I cared enough to want to better myself.

In the end, what I do.. or what any other gamer girl does is really no matter of yours. If YOU don't want to do it.. that's fine. Saying that we should all play the same way and live the same way is saying we should all be cookie cutter molds of one another. How is THAT going to do anything to further our community!? It isn't about objectifying ANYTHING! I work in the industry.. I have for over 4 years. I have been gaming since I was 4 years old (and mind you, I'm only using me as an example cause it's all I really know well enough) and I've also been doing pageants as long.

Am I really to be seen as a bad influence or objectifying myself if I want to enter another pageant that happens to also have elements of my other passion - gaming?

OH.. and Thank you Trina for your comments. I think I will be seeing you at the WIGI meet and greet on the 14th in L.A. :)

Here is the thing.. YOU may not post your picture online but I, and millions of girls do! It doesn't mean we are attention whores or wrong. It means we like to take pictures and we like to get feedback. We LIKE to look pretty and yea.. we LIKE the attention. Is that a bad thing? No.. it's human nature! If that's not you then fine. That doesn't mean what I am doing or what MILLIONS of girls are doing is wrong.

I am not posing in a bikini or licking a game controller. I am not "faking" and saying I am REALLY a gamer... I AM a gamer and yea.. I model too. That shouldn't matter at all! I'm what I like to refer to as a "glam gamer". Just means I like to do girly things and I also like to game!

Just because you play FPS games and I don't doesn't mean I'm wrong. Just because you like to play RTS games and I don't doesn't mean I"m wrong. A LOT of girls don't play games because they are under the impression that it's just about kicking ass and shooting things. That's not ALL games are about!

Just like in everything else in life there are LOTS of different types of girls... Just because we also like to play video games doesn't change that. Just because you don't like dressing up and looking pretty and wearing frills doesn't mean another girl is wrong for wanting to do that.

This doesn't appeal to ALL girl gamers. It's not TRYING to. It is appealing to girl gamers who like to do those sort of things. It's saying "Hey, we can be pretty and sexy and fun and play games too!!" and honestly, there is NOTHING wrong with that just like I don't have an issue with you NOT wanting to do it.

My issue is looking at girls who DO want to do it and somehow saying that we are wrong or bad.. or setting a BAD example. If a real gamer wins this, gets some publicity as being a real gamer and is also cute and frilly.. maybe some more cute and frilly girls will think that it's cool and get into gaming. WHO KNOWS!

All I know is that it's a BIG world and there are LOTS of women in it... women of ALL types. So, instead of saying THIS IS WRONG.. THIS IS BAD!!!! Let's say "Hey, this is cool.. another way for girls to be girls. And yea... we game too!"

But that's the thing.. it's not about the picture.. it's about the videos.. audio.. game scores.. and anything else you can possibly upload to help your cause. It's about getting creative. Of COURSE Your picture is going to go up!! We are girls.. we like to post our pictures... If it were guys they would do the same thing just to know who you are voting for. It's not a beauty contest unless the people VOTING make it one. So, instead of voting on JUST the hottest girl with the biggest boobs who says "I don't mind when my boyfriend games", vote for the girl who is most creative, most fun, most original and would be the best rep.

Actually.. Miss America is a scholarship competition.. not a beauty pageant. Miss USA is a beauty pageant and has NOTHING to do with how smart you are.

"I don't want that to come off as rude, but clearly you are not on the Maxim channel for your videogame knowledge."

Actually, I am on Maxim for my videogame knowledge. The reason that I'm on Maxim is to talk about and review video games. It's also great because I talk about how to get your girlfriend into gaming. I am called the "Video Game Nussie". Yeah, of COURSE they call out that I'm a good looking gamer. It's MAXIM and that is their angle. Then I open my mouth and talk about my gaming career and games that I'm currently playing and my looks are no longer the main focus!

Yes, girls get into gaming because of their boyfriends. There is nothing wrong with that! If a girl who has never picked up a game starts playing Halo because their boyfriend plays, then that just made another girl gamer! It's unfair to diss them because they didn't pick up a joystick at age 3 and start playing on their own. At least they are playing... right?

I HAVE been playing since age 4. I'm not the BEST gamer on earth. Hell, I don't even play competitively. I'm not a fan of FPS games and I almost never play sports games. That being said, I game EVERY day! I recently beat Kingdom Hearts 1 and 2 at 100%, I have a level 36 undead Mage on W.O.W., I own every console and play games on every console.

That being said, I also have 2 full time jobs and 3 part time jobs (all surrounding the gaming world) that take up a GREAT deal of my time. I have friends, a boyfriend (also in the industry) and a life. I'm not the typical "Go home and frag until 5am to get the highest score" kind of gamer. I think that the girl who wins a competition like this is someone who is creative, enthusiastic, ambitious and who loves gaming. Not necessarily the one who pwns ONLY at one or two hardcore competitive titles.

I'm not some blonde ditz who is out for world peace. Yes, I am on Maxim radio. Yes, I am an actress. Yes, I am a model and yes, I have done pageants since I was 4. That doesn't make me ANY less of a gamer. In fact, I am more of a "gamer" than many of the girls out there getting the spotlight for "gaming" right now.

So, don't let looks or hobbies confuse you. I have quite a resume in the gaming world and just because it's not on the competitive field, doesn't make it any less relevant.

-Aktrez