Known as Miss Harvey, this Canadian is today one of the greatest gamers. Retired, she intends to rehabilitate… video games!
Stephanie Harvey, aka MissHarvey, in a way owes her career to… her father! “He didn’t hesitate to bribe a salesman in a rental store to be able to offer me the game Super Mario Kart for my 6 years”, laughs the 36-year-old Quebecer, author of the book Gamer and proud of it (at Editions de l’homme). It was then a stroke of heart that changed his life.
“I tried to impress a boy who spent his time in an Internet cafe where it was possible to play on the network. In the end nothing happened between us, but I discovered counter-strike”, says the young woman who insists in passing that this title cannot be reduced to a simple shooting game! “It requires putting in place strategies and using your talents wisely. You have to consider it as a sport that requires hours of work to become good,” she explains. Passionate about this game, the young girl took part in tournaments and won the world championship five times in different teams!
“Cyberaddiction is a disease. It must be differentiated from normal consumption in the online world”
At the same time, she continued her studies in architecture and became a video game developer, because the practice of her passion did not allow her to make a living from it before she entered the professional world in 2016. “Today, pro players can win money thanks to tournaments, partnerships or media like YouTube or Twitch”, specifies Stephanie.
In 2019, she ended her career and has since worked as the Director of Esports Franchise Development for the Counter Logic Gaming division of Madison Square Garden Company. “I sacrificed everything to be the best for sixteen years and then I moved on,” explains the 30-year-old, who is now mobilizing to inform about what she calls the 4 Cs: cyberaddiction, cyberbullying, cybersecurity. and cyber-wellness.
“The impacts of cyberbullying are vastly underestimated”
“Cyberaddiction is misunderstood, stigmatized and often untreated. This disease needs to be better understood and differentiated from normal consumption in the online world. The impacts of cyberbullying are underestimated. I faced it many times…because I was a girl in the game.
As soon as we saw my name, I was treated differently and the insults were very numerous. At one time, I had gained a little weight and they said to me: “Harvey has become Fatvey. “In the early 2000s, whenever I was being bullied, I would take a screenshot. I remember that at one point, I published these captures on my official Facebook page”, says Stephanie.
“In Canada, 85% of the population plays video games! There is no reason not to grow this activity”
The young woman is nevertheless convinced that there is a cyber-well-being and that technology can help with well-being. “I am a gamer and proud of it, hence the title of my book. But I find that gamers often hide. In Canada, 85% of the population plays video games and there is no reason not to grow this activity. We must remember that video games can also be played in a responsible and healthy way”, insists this enthusiast, determined to break all the glass ceilings!