Closing Keynote – Grace ‘IAmFallFromGrace’

While Grace’s earliest gaming memories span all the way back to the early ‘90s, playing the likes of Duckhunt and Excitebike on the NES, she began making YouTube videos back in 2012.

As the platform has changed over the years, she’s turned her focus to Twitch, where her dedicated viewers (she has nearly 100,000 followers) tune in to watch her play – and learn from her – almost every day. “I felt that I was inspired by many others in the industry at the time, but I didn’t see many women doing it… especially in my region,” she says. “I felt as an Australian I could offer a unique perspective on the industry as I feel we’re often overlooked down here.”

For Grace, firing up a stream and instantly having an incredible group of people to connect with is one of the most rewarding parts of her job. Whether she’s streaming a video game, cooking or giving fitness tips, she’s passionate about her work.

Being a gaming content creator is a full-time job and Grace has to assume many different roles. She’s a small business owner, video editor, graphic designer, tech support, social media expert… the list goes on! “I definitely underestimated how much work it can be and how difficult it is to set boundaries for yourself,” says Grace.

“You know the old saying, ‘If you love what you do you won’t work a day in your life’? I think it’s absolutely false. You will work harder than anything because you’re more invested and because you enjoy it. It’s much harder to set boundaries between work and leisure. Especially when your ‘office’ is also your gaming setup!”