🎙️ Season 6, Episode 8 – Christian "TrAiDoS" Staedtter

This week on Mindclickers, I’m joined by Christian Staedtter - lecturer, and high-performance researcher with experience across 70+ LAN events since 2011, Christian brings a rare mix of academic insight and practical understanding of elite gaming environments.

We unpack psychological and environmental factors that influence performance, including team culture, sound, risk-taking, huddles, leadership, and even how things like air quality might affect gameplay.

🧠 Timestamps

• 00:00 – Intro

• 01:10 – Christian’s journey

• 04:50 – PhD insight and driving motivator

• 07:10 – Individualisation in esports

• 07:50 – Team culture, environment, and managing expectations

• 11:30 – Social media impact on players

• 14:00 – Streamers and pros during COVID

• 15:10 – Playing in personal environments

• 17:10 – Crowd pressure and Christian’s LAN insights

• 20:00 – Old-school LANs and playing in booths

• 22:00 – Playing with sound vs no sound

• 25:00 – Sound desensitisation

• 26:00 – Impact of music on performance

• 28:40 – Placebos in esports

• 31:20 – Team huddles

• 33:10 – Real-life huddle example

• 36:00 – Ego in esports

• 41:30 – Using personality tests in recruitment

• 44:00 – Leadership in teams

• 46:00 – Cultural and gender differences in risk-taking

• 51:00 – Expanding on risk-taking

• 54:00 – Using data in esports

• 56:00 – VOD review accessibility

• 58:30 – Christian’s current research

• 1:06:00 – Upcoming research projects

• 1:10:00 – Analytical thinking styles

• 1:15:00 – Visualisation and mental rehearsal

• 1:18:00 – Communication strategies

• 1:20:00 – Environmental factors like air pollution

• 1:25:00 – Encouraging contribution to esports research

• 1:25:00 – Final thoughts and socials

📲 Connect with Christian

Website: https://www.christian-staedter.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christianstaedter

X (Twitter): https://x.com/TrAiDoS

Research: https://www.emerald.com/tpm/article/doi/10.1108/TPM-09-2024-0109/1256464/Taking-aim-at-research-on-esports-teams-a

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The FUSE Cup - Esports in Schools | Mindclickers Season 6, Episode 5

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by Daniel Aivaliotis-Martinez, the founder of The FUSE Cup, an international interschool Esports competition that promotes digital wellbeing, inclusion, and positive gaming behaviours among students.

With over 18 years of experience in education and digital innovation, Dan shares how The FUSE Cup is helping reshape the role of gaming in schools across Australia and Asia. From building programs that support neurodiverse students, to tackling issues like loot boxes and screen time, this episode offers a powerful insight into how Esports and gaming can be used to educate, engage, and empower the next generation.

🎙️ Episode Timestamps

• 00:00 - Intro

• 01:32 - Introduction to Dan and the creation of The FUSE Cup

• 05:40 - School expansion roadmap

• 08:30 - How do schools fund esports programs?

• 12:00 - Educating students about loot boxes and game mechanics

• 13:00 - Physical and cognitive benefits of gaming

• 15:10 - Games played in The FUSE Cup

• 17:30 - Age ratings and game selection

• 19:00 - VR and gamification in education

• 22:30 - Setting up and hosting events

• 25:00 - Increasing girls' participation in esports

• 27:40 - Helping kids manage losing

• 29:00 - Encouraging participation and inclusion

• 30:40 - Esports pathways: high school to university

• 33:40 - How to go pro in esports - the tricky answer

• 37:30 - Competitive exposure for students

• 40:00 - Parental perspectives on gaming

• 49:00 - Positive social impact for neurodiverse students

• 51:20 - Final thoughts and advice from Dan

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🌐 Website – https://www.mindclickers.com

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🔗 Connect with Dan Aivaliotis-Martinez & The FUSE Cup

🌐 The FUSE Cup Website – https://www.thefusecup.com

💼 Dan's LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/in/danmartinezfuse

Chris Smith – Founder of BIGR | Ex-Pro Gamer, CMO, and Creative Strategist

In this episode of Mindclickers, I’m joined by Chris Smith, a veteran of the gaming and Esports industry who has worn nearly every hat from semi-pro gamer to commentator, CMO, and founder of a multi-seven-figure marketing agency. Now, Chris is building BIGR, an AI-driven platform that automates social media content for small businesses.

We dive into his journey through the gaming industry, the origin of BIGR, content creation challenges, and deep insights into the future of OCE Esports

🧠 Topics Covered:

🕹️ Chris's Journey

1:42 – Introduction to Chris and his background

3:02 – Joining Netgaming Radio

6:32 – Experience in nearly every pro role

7:30 – Origins of his esports passion

🎯 Mindset & Specialisation

12:30 – Catapulting into roles through transferable experience

16:00 – Using stats to build mental models

17:00 – Cricket analogy & player mindset

18:00 – Redefining what a "win" means

📹 Content Creation & Mental Health

19:00 – Internal conflict when making content

21:50 – Handling negative feedback online

🌏 Regional Esports & Industry Insight

25:00 – OCE vs The World in esports

31:00 – Importing players into OCE

32:20 – Elevating APAC: LBP’s personal experience

35:00 – Sponsor interest in the OCE region

41:00 – Salary dynamics in esports

43:00 – The impact of Saudi Arabia in the industry

🧬 Identity, Innovation & AI

50:00 – Building a personal identity within gaming

55:00 – The story behind BIGR and how AI fits into the future of content

1:10:00 – Understanding gaming cultures across regions

1:13:00 – Chris’s final advice for aspiring creatives and professionals

🔗 Connect with Chris

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/smithymayo/

Website: https://www.bigrsocial.com/

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