77. We've Tekken it too far. Saying yes to fighting games, combos & esports w/ Sylvia Gathoni Wahome aka QueenArrow

Here's what happens when a complete newbie with zero hand-eye coordination says yes to Tekken 8 with the help of Kenya's top esports queen. One crazy Yes challenge, some wild combos, and an eye-opening Yespisode.For this one, Claire picked up a controller and threw herself into the high-speed, high-stakes world of fighting games, with Akumu spectating and silently (okay, loudly) judging from the sidelines. It was her first time doing a combo challenge: the kind where timing, strategy, and lightning reflexes are the name of the game.And guiding her through it all was Sylvia Gathoni Wahome, better known as QueenArrow (@thequeenarrow98) - a trailblazing Kenyan Tekken pro, content creator, Kenya's first Red Bull athlete, and Forbes Africa 30 Under 30 honouree.In this episode, Sylvia breaks down what it really takes to make it in esports, shares how she balances law school with pro gaming (yes, she's doing both), and offers advice to anyone thinking of entering the gaming scene.Along the way, this conversation weaves through the evolution of gaming to the vibrant global communities you can now join right from your console. It also touches on the challenges of being a young female in a male-dominated industry that wasn't built with Africa in mind, as Sylvia points out.Make no mistake: there's more to modern gaming than just flashy graphics.Today, it comes with real discipline and real money. Whether it's through livestreaming, influencing, or climbing the ranks in esports competitions, gaming today is serious business.___Timestamps for Specific Segments:(0:00) Intro(4:19) Meet Sylvia Gathoni Wahome aka QueenArrow(6:33) The Tekken Yes Challenge Sylvia Set for Claire(7:37) What Exactly is a Combo?(9:13) Claire's Experience With Video Games(11:24) Claire's Experience Doing This Yes Challenge(18:26) Do You Need a Coach as a Pro Gamer?(21:16) Are the Yes Girls Cut Out For Pro Gaming?(23:55) Sylvia Rates Claire's Efforts(26:05) Sylvia's Journey From Hobbyist to Pro Gamer(29:15) A Day in the Life of a Pro Gamer(31:29) What's the Hardest Thing About Pro Gaming?(33:51) On Sylvia Balancing Both Law and Pro Gaming(35:12) The Challenges of Being Both African and Female in Gaming(40:43) Sylvia's Advice for Anyone Who Wants to Get Started(43:09) Key Takeaways(45:22) What Sylvia Has Recently Said Yes to(45:59) Outro___Fun fact: The biggest entertainment industry in the world isn't big screen productions, music, or even TV. It's gaming - pulling in over $200 billion a year as of 2025. That's more than film and music combined.So if you're still thinking gaming is just for teens/tweens in basements, this episode might just change your mind. Claire gave it a shot. Sylvia rated her performance. And now it's your turn to press play.Important ResourcesFollow & learn more about Sylvia:https://www.instagram.com/thequeenarrow98https://www.tiktok.com/@thequeenarrow98https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QueenArrowGaming Industry stats:https://www.mordorintelligence.com/industry-reports/global-gaming-marketTekken 8:https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/tekken/tekken-8Steam:https://store.steampowered.com/about/Video game genres:https://www.hp.com/us-en/shop/tech-takes/video-game-genres*******If you enjoy the podcast, we love you! And we'd like to ask you to rate us on Spotify - it will only take a couple of seconds, we promise! If you listen to us on Apple Podcasts, please take a moment to leave a brief review. We promise it will take less than a minute unless, of course, you have more to say. In any case, we appreciate you!Thanks in advance!_____________________For video logs, visit https://www.youtube.com/@yesgirlspodcast For blogs, visit https://yesgirlspodcast.com/ Feel free to follow us across these platforms:INSTAGRAM TWITTERLINKEDINTIKTOK