Andrew “TidesofTime” Biessener picks up games faster than most and often does so with many thousands of viewers watching via his Twitch channel. The full-time streamer first became a professional esports athlete in Dota 2 in 2012. Since then has competed professionally in Hearthstone and Teamfight Tactics as well.
TidesofTime says that his long-term goal is to become “the best gamer overall,” with ambitions to hit the upper echelon of the leaderboards in several very different games, as well as compete in top tournaments for each. He is realistic about the improbability of this goal, but that’s exactly why he’s devoted himself to aiming for that target. It’s what inspires him each day.
TidesofTime took a break from his recent Hearthstone Battlegrounds grind to tell us about his grand plan to rule all kinds of different games, and why he thrives on competition.
How has your esports career unfolded to date?
I started out as a professional Dota 2 player then became a professional Hearthstone player/streamer. I have been streaming ever since. I happen to reach pro level in a lot of games that I play.
Which player were you most a fan of before becoming a pro yourself?
Probably Dendi or Puppey in Dota 2.
Do you have a favorite memory from competing?
I’d say the entire year that I was together with my Dota 2 team in PotM Bottom/Dignitas—it was like having a second family.
How have you given back to fans as a pro player?
I’ve streamed thousands of hours–I guess that’d be the closest thing.
What’s the best moment you had with a teammate?
When I was on PotM Bottom and we beat Invictus Gaming in a tournament. Back then, they were considered the best team in the world; it was a pretty fun deal.
Do you have a plan of how you want to reach your goal to become the best overall gamer?
I’m trying to hit a very high level in as many games as possible. I’m going to start off by trying to get Rank 1 in a lot of different leaderboards and games, and then I’m going to focus on genres.
I was a professional MOBA player before. I want to do that again and I also want to become pro-level in a shooter and a fighting game. I want to be a Top 10 player in all of these different genres.
That’s my long-term goal. I don’t think it’s likely that it will happen, but it’s something that drives me every day that I wake up.
What led you to want to be a pro-level player across so many genres and games?
My entire life has been about competition. It’s been the thing that motivates me most in life. I learn games very quickly and I’ve been at a very high level in a lot of different games. I thought it was a cool and ambitious goal that could motivate me, and it’s definitely a challenge.
It’s a challenge that I’m probably not going to complete, but there is a chance. That kind of challenge is what excites me.
Do you find that your viewers are similarly excited about that kind of approach?
I think my viewers just want to enjoy themselves. As long as they’re enjoying themselves, they don’t care about what I’m playing or watching. Sometimes there’s a hype moment happening in a game, and they want to watch because of that. It’s a variety of things.
Do you think you would compete in tournaments for all of these various games?
I’ll be competing in tournaments. I have competed in tournaments and won in multiple types of games. I plan on getting within Top 10 on the ladders and competing in tournaments. I hope to place well in the tournaments, if not win.
What is it about competition that excites you so much?
It’s incredibly satisfying to beat other people in games, and it’s really satisfying when two people give their all. Even when I lose, it’s still fulfilling. I guess I just really like winning in general.
