Events like Comic Con, Fan Expo, and now Game Con Canada bring people from all walks of life together to celebrate whatever fandoms they love. This year in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, Avori Henderson will take the stage at Game Con Canada to celebrate video games, tabletop games and more at Canada’s premiere gaming event.
Avori Henderson dropped out of Miss America to pursue a career in video games, and she took off. With almost 2 million subscribers across her socials, Avori made a name for herself in the gaming industry as a gamer and content creator, but she didn’t stop there. You might recognize her from Netflix’s The Mole, where she was a contestant on the reality series.
CGMagazine got to ask Avori Henderson a few questions ahead of Game Con Canada about her favourite games, her career so far and what she has in store for the big event.
What are some things we can expect to see from you at Game Con Canada?
Avori Henderson: This year at Game Con Canada, I will be involved in a lot of events! Working with Samsung, streaming, speaking on stage, and I’m releasing my first-ever board game! The game will be a special first edition Game Con Canada version, and the game itself is based off of my experience on reality TV playing deception games!
What will you be looking forward to on the Game Con Canada show floor?
Avori Henderson: My favourite part of any event is always the people! I am used to connecting with people online but being in person at an event like Game Con Canada with the opportunity to be around other gamers in a safe and inclusive event will be so refreshing!
How did you get started with video game streaming?
Avori Henderson: I started back in 2017 with no intention of it being a career. I was actually just trying to support a guy I was dating at the time, but now, here I am! and I’m so thankful for my career!
What was the game that got you into video games to begin with?
Avori Henderson: I used to love the book series The Hunger Games and I was told by a friend that there was a game out that was similar to the books, PUBG. I fell in love and got really good at the game, then started competing!
What are some of your personal favourite games right now?
Avori Henderson: I love Warzone, PUBG, Fortnite, and even MWIII Search and Destroy! I tend to stick to shooter games; I think it’s just because I’m better at them.
Have you met challenges being a woman, a gamer and a content creator?
Avori Henderson: Of course. I noticed right away that there was a problem in this industry. That’s why I created GGR (Girl Gamer Royale). The tournament started as female-only, then became an inclusive co-ed tournament series that raised over $10k for charity. The goal was to create an inclusive high-level competition setting for female gamers. I now run “All Stars tournaments,” which is a tournament system that raises money for gaming systems in children’s hospitals!
What is your favourite thing about video game/nerd culture?
Avori Henderson: I love that video game/nerd culture has a space for everyone, and being weird is celebrated. I feel like I found my place in the world, and that’s a great feeling to have.
You have experience in content creation and reality television with Netflix’s The Mole. How did you make that transition, and do you plan to branch more into television or film?
Avori Henderson: I tend to ‘go with the wind’ per se. I believe that opportunities arise from the hard work and effort that you put in. I think I got those offers because I continued to work hard, so when they came up, I just went with it! I will continue to go where I feel called to go from the hard work and effort I’m putting into the industry!
What is next for you, aside from Game Con Canada?
Avori Henderson: I’m very excited because I have so many opportunities on the horizon. Aside from my board game release, I will be attending and speaking at several other events in 2024, running charity tournaments, and continuing to create content in the process! And you just might see something big coming in 2025….!
Come see Avori Henderson at Game Con Canada June 14-16 at the Edmonton Expo Centre. Tickets are on sale now. You can also find her on her socials:
