Why Thousands Watch Octavian ‘Kripparrian’ Morosan Play a Card Game
Professional Hearthstone streamer Octavian “Kripparrian” Morosan, known as Kripp to his fans, has spent around five to seven hours every day playing the game on camera. It’s a full time job for the 29-year-old and, in an interview with Glixel, he’s realistic about his success.
“People ask me what the secret to streaming is, and I tell them, stream for 14,000 hours. Because I think that’s how many I’ve streamed, ” he says. “The reality is, I play very few games for very long periods of time so I can just really, really master them. And that’s what I like. I like exploring, and understanding, and learning how to be the best at something.”
Hearthstone is a competitive card game created by Blizzard and filled with characters and lore from its mega-MMO World of Warcraft. It has a bustling competitive gaming scene and there are a number of celebrities within that scene. Kripp, signed to Team Solomid, is one of the biggest.
Kripp’s got a few theories to explain why people might like watching him so much. The first can be hard to swallow for Hearthstone detractors, but it’s a good argument for the value of the game itself. “Hearthstone is the best game in the world for a viewer,” he says. “Because you see the decisions, you know what you would do, and you are immediately satisfied with the result. When someone watches Hearthstone, they’re learning the game on such a different level compared to every other game that I’ve seen, that I think makes it one of the best viewer experiences.”
He also feels that his simple, human regard for his audience sets him apart. “I actually respect the people who watch me,” he says. Unlike other Hearthstone personalities, he never limits his chat to channel subscribers, and he doesn’t clutter his broadcast with donation pop-ups or chintzy overlays. “My goal is to be as respectful and thankful to every viewer that comes and watches. And I think over a long period of time, the people that stick around are the ones who realize that.”
Read more about Kripp, and what his parents made of his unusual career choice, on Glixel.