We are the VENN team and we're launching a new TV network for gaming and culture tomorrow! This is Jimmy Wong from ‘The Download’, Chrissy Costanza from ‘Guest House’, and Ariel Horn the co-founder of VENN. Ask us anything!

Today’s streaming market is incredibly saturated. G4, probably the most recognizable gaming TV network in the U.S., failed even with the backing of big names like NBC and Dish. What will VENN be doing to stay relevant and sustainable in this competitive market?

Our mantra is entirely creator focused. We invest with existing talent that have devoted fan bases to create content with them. We have a whole slate of shows that are being developed in months not years like traditional TV, so we are excited to release our slate, listen and learn. I'm sure we'll adapt as we go from your feedback but I would disagree that the streaming market is saturated. Over 300 million people consume gaming video content every day on youtube alone. - Ariel

This question is for Jimmy.

Jimmy do you feel any regret or remorse in your dark and shriveled up heart for what you did to me all those years ago in baron pit?

https://clips.twitch.tv/CleanSavageDillDxAbomb

It's funny, because this was around the time that I just started playing League a little more seriously, and oh my goodness I genuinely didn't understand how blast cones worked. So, I do feel a little regret, a tinge of remorse, but mostly I watch this clip and chuckle that I did a big boo-boo and I'm not a good League of Legends teammate. -jimmy

Hi! Question for all, I guess?

Why? What do you feel that this channel will bring to Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and gamers on these platforms? Do you feel like one platform will be more successful over the others in this aspect?

Accessibility to me has always been a really important part of why I love making content online. The ability to make content that everyone can see, engage with, and grow from is really exciting and completely shatters the old ideas of how we would traditionally watch things on TV or in theaters.

When you're making a network that aims to apply a really awesome level of quality to the things that we genuinely love most, there's a ripple effect that I think can be extremely healthy and exciting for a growing industry like gaming. A good example is a show I make for Magic the Gathering called Game Knights. My cohost is a really talented trailer editor (Scott Pilgrim, Star Wars TFA) and wanted to make something really high quality in a space that hadn't had it before. As a result, we now watch as so many other channels are putting out higher and higher quality content, even copycats of what we're doing, and to me, it's all groovy. This is a rising tide that floats all ships, and if leading by example is going to result in tons more free and amazing content, I'm all for it.

I hope that VENN's content and our genuine passion for the space is something that inspires gamers, creators, influencers, streamers, and industry vets all around to take part in from a holistic standpoint. I would love for the universal distribution of our network be the thing that kickstarts the career of the next great streamer, or pro gamer, or whatever it might be. Things like VENN have given me the push I needed to keep on my path, so it would be an honor to do the same for others with the same passion -jimmy

Hey guy, this is a question for Chrissy, how interactive will the guest on Guest House be with the viewers/subs and will there be opportunities for games to be played with yourself and the guess ? PS love your music and the songs ive done for league

Great question! We want Guest House to be interactive, including all of your favorite elements from the kind of streams you love to watch already. We're going to be including viewers/chat/the audience through a bunch of different methods. We'll be pursuing social media, live chats, etc. to pull questions and comments (so stay active!) as well as utilizing a lot of polls that allow you all to guide the course of the show. For example, chat can set game conditions, or decide the winner of a challenge, etc.

- Chrissy

Questions for you all! What are your goals for yourself within VENN, and for what you see VENN becoming after the initial beta phase? What's the dream?

Awesome question - The first and biggest goal is to create content that you love. Our focus is entirely on supporting and lifting up creators. We hope to do this by giving them the tools to buff what they already do and take it to new heights. We'll be asking y'all how we're doing so never hesitate from giving me feedback at arielhorn on twitter. - Ariel

@Chrissy: I'm happy for your opportunity, but a lot of fans worry if your show will affect ATC somehow. Does it mean you have less time to work on music and go on tour in the future?

That's an awesome question and I totally understand that concern! VENN came into my life at the best time possible. ATC had already begun to work on an album and we luckily only had a handful of live performances planned for the year. With COVID-19, the live music industry is completely shut down until at least 2021, but some worry it may be extremely limited if not at all until 2022. So while you'll see me live on VENN hosting Guest House from 1-3pm pacific time, when I'm not at the VENN studio I'm writing, recording, and working with ATC on new music, new merchandise, new video and other content, etc.

- Chrissy

Hi! Is guest house from Monday to Friday?

Hi Johnny! For our beta launch, Guest House runs daily for 2 hours on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays. You'll be able to catch the programming on other days however, since we're airing 24/7 and so a lot of the content will be on rotation week to week. You can check out a more detailed schedule here: https://www.venn.tv/schedule/ - jimmy

Hi Jimmy, Will VENN have MTG content?

For our beta launch, the closest we'll get in the immediate future is bringing on a guest to a show like VENN Arcade Live or Guest House that plays Magic. In the future, I can't say for certain, but I'd love to see Magic be a part of our network in some way. The game is, in my opinion, the best strategy card game ever created! - jimmy

This is for Ariel. How is Venn going to get more than passing engagement from viewers in a very congested media space? For example, I’m interested because of names like Dash but he’s already a LoL talent and I don’t know whether The Arcade is something I would tune in to beyond the first episode.

Ultimately it's all about creating great moments- Whether that's empowering our creators (like Dash) to express their opinions and creativity, watching your favorite artists perform, or creating new ways of allowing the audience to interact. Interactivity is something we're mega passionate about, and something we'll continue to level ourselves up on.

- Ariel

Will this increase my cable bill for another channel I don't want to watch?

You'll be able to watch VENN for free as long as you have an internet connection! We'll be streaming on all the familiar platforms, like Twitch, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter. So just check it out on whichever is most convenient for you and let us know what you think! - jimmy

Will there be any community gaming so we can play together with you too?

We actually had this conversation in a meeting yesterday! One of my favorite things to do on my own personal Twitch streams was to play games with viewers, so we're definitely working on integrating that into Guest House as well.

-Chrissy

I'm actually helping build out our community as I type. The community is one of the most important aspects of why I love gaming so much, and bringing players together to share this passion and hobby in a shared space is a passion. You can check out our discord if you would like at http://discord.gg/watchVENN - jimmy

Hi everyone! This is a question for anyone looking to answer it! I've seen on the countdown stream the dates and times of premier shows airing from Wednesday through Sunday. My questions are, what will air during the times not listed, if anything? I am under the assumption there will be a 24x7 stream? Meaning, will the off times be replays? Also, will there be a full schedule anywhere of all shows during the full day, premiers and replays? Finally, will there be ondemand viewing for missed shows and will they be on the VENN site? Twitch? YouTube? Facebook? All of them?

Thanks!

Thanks for the question - indeed schedule is here: https://www.venn.tv/schedule/

As for VOD, you can go to our youtube page or VENN.tv for every show if you miss them live. They should be live within minutes of original air time. - Ariel

Hey everyone, this is a question for Chrissy: what attracted you to VENN and more specifically Guest House? Cant wait to see it, been a fan of you and ATC since 2012 and so proud to see how far you've come. Loving the guests that were just announced especially Demetrious Johnson!! Cant wait to see the rest of the guests!! Good luck to everyone working on the network excited to see where it goes

Hi! I was really lucky to have been approached early on by the VENN team. From my previous collaborations in the gaming world, I already had a lot of friends, including co-founder Ariel who I met at LoL Worlds 2017! I've always loved gaming, since I was single digits in age, and in recent years discovering the cross section between my love of music and gaming has brought me unbelievably experiences and honestly straight up happiness. Being a part of the LoL Worlds anthem twice was mind blowing. So to have another platform to connect pop culture and gaming felt like home.

Guest House especially seemed really special to me. I was definitely nervous about being a "host" but Guest House is a very unique show. I love meeting new people from all backgrounds, interests, etc. so having a show that allows me to hang out with an incredibly diverse array of people while bonding over our love of gaming culture (& more) seemed too good to be true.

- Chrissy

for Chrissy:

So....any plans for ATC(or I guess any musical guests for that matter) to do a concert/live set on Venn's channel :)

For Jimmy

I'm a fan of Feast of Fiction and I was wondering, did you ever have a dish that you hated doing on that show, and second question, will we ever see a crossover of Feast of Fiction on Venn?

For Ariel

The production for Blizzcon and LoL are always top quality(I don't expect Venn to disappoint here) and large scale, how difficult has production been for Venn's shows, especially with the pandemic going on?

For everyone:

What games you all been playing lately? and what are you looking forward to in the next few months?

Thanks again for the AMA and again, Congrats to the Venn team on the upcoming launch!

Hello!! Great question - I think the Rainbow Terrine from Food Wars might have been the single most aggravating and time consuming recipe we've ever made. And then it tasted like cat food. And we even followed their official recipe to keep it as authentic as possible! In our rehearsals for The Download (our news show) we actually talked about the cookbook I just released, so the collaboration is certainly a possibility!

As for games I'm playing recently, I got into League of Legends again because NEXUS BLITZ IS THE GREATEST MODE EVER. I'm also slowly working through Ghost of Tsushima, and as someone who collected every damn feather in Assassin's Creed 2, I think this one will certainly take up a lot of my free time. - jimmy

Everything takes a little longer and requires meticulous planning in covid but we were incredibly lucky to have 3-4 months to get ahead of it, committed partners at Vista Studios in LA and an amazing team to get this put together. - Ariel

What guest are you hyped for on guest house?

Speaking solely for myself, our week 1 launch lineup is SUPER exciting. StellaChuuuuu is an old friend, as is Nicki Taylor, and they're two fantastic people that I have so much respect for. I can't wait to see what they bring to their visit :) -jimmy

Why does Ariel put himself in all the content? Does he want to be Puff Daddy?

Clearly, LOL. No, seriously, I am the guy that belongs in a control room not in front of the lens. - Ariel

HE LIES LET'S PUT ARIEL ON THE FRONT OF EVERYTHING WE CAN... this is probably why they keep me in the front of lens and not the control room. -jimmy

What made you choose the word Venn? Is it because it means friend in Norwegian?

Yes I've heard that! People are all unique and have varied interests and passions... so we were enchanted with the concept of a VENN diagram which in our case represents gaming, entertainment and pop culture. - Ariel

Will there be a possibility to rewatch the shows if you are not able to watch them live?

Absolutely yes. We will have VODs on demand for your viewing pleasure on youtube and venn.tv

-Ariel

Question for all! What video game would you want a sequel for that has yet to get one, or just one that you want a new entry for?

Honestly for me, my favorite game sequels have been answered recently. I was waiting for the new Mount and Blade & the new Red Dead for EVERRRRR.

-Chrissy

This question is for Chrissy.
With you moving out to LA and having this new project at VENN. What holds for the future of Against the Current. Are you guys releasing a new album soon? Are you going to focus on your own solo career?

Great question! I mentioned this a bit in another question as well, but to summarize - I'm still full on in ATC, with touring shut down we're taking this time to focus on our album, future videos, merch, etc. Luckily being in LA is actually super helpful for all of that!

- Chrissy

What games marked you all as kids and why? Also good luck on the new show!

Huge huge inspiration from Earthbound, Super Mario RPG, and Chrono Trigger. That era of RPGs on the SNES really transformed the way I looked at games and grew my love for them immensely. -jimmy

Hi there, of course everyone is excited about the launch of VENN, but what excites you guys the most? What do you really look forward to on VENN? And looking to the future, do you think you will still be excited about this? How do you see VENN in 5 or maybe 10 years?

Kind regards: Julian

One of the aspects of this network that really drew me in and made me so happy to work here is the quality of our leadership and the amazing people that we get to work with every day. I am not-so-secretly an Ariel fanboy, having gotten the chance to briefly work with him at Riot Games at Worlds several years back, and I can honestly say that he's one of the best people I've ever had the pleasure of working with. The entire team really has shown so much heart and passion for this space we're in, and you really get the feeling that everyone here believes in what we're doing wholeheartedly. After 10 years in LA, VENN is at the top of my list in terms of everything that goes into working with and for an entity larger than yourself. I hope that in 5, 10 years, we're just expanding, creating the absolute best network level quality programming across the board, and helping bridge the gap between our world and the one around us. Gaming is for everyone!! - jimmy

For Jimmy: Shopping for underwear soon, are you a boxers or briefs kinda dude, and do you have any recommendations?

We plug this on my podcast all the time, but seriously just buy a single pair of meundies and see if it changes your life. I wear their boxer briefs literally every single day. -jimmy

Question for Chrissy: which female gamers and content creators do you look up to the most? Love your work, looking forward to see this new adventure on Venn and obviously ATC live again in the future <2

Love this question! It's really important for me to empower womxn gamers and creators through GH. My first guest, Nicki Taylor, I actually look up to soooo much. She was the first female streamer I really started watching and has taught me so much about the streaming world. There's so many amazing women in gaming/streaming/creating it would hard to narrow down a short list!

- Chrissy

Chrissy, if you could get anyone from all history to come on Guest House, who would it be?

Woooooooowwww great question. That's a big tuffy. Probably Emma Watson or Saquon Barkley

-Chrissy

Question for Chrissy:

In the Trailer for Guest House it said there will be Karaoke on Venn. Does this mean we all get to hear you sing? Keep up the great work and greetings from germany!

Chrissy JUST stepped back into our final dress rehearsal for Guest House, BUT the answer here is yesss!!! Expect her to sing and collaborate with her guests in all sorts of music and arts activities!

- VENN Creative Team

For Ariel: Will VENN feature programs besides the shows, such as convention coverage and maybe tabletop, or will it strictly be in-house programs?

For Jimmy: How do you find so much time to hang out in the discord server?

For Chrissy: What drew you to VENN? How will Guest House work in case you go on tours in the future with the band?

I definitely am one of those degenerates that leaves Discord open 24/7 and always checks when a notification pops up. It definitely makes my work day a little more hectic, but community is hugely important to me, so I love seeing how everyone's interacting, making sure things never get toxic, and growing our little garden of friends! -jimmy

Jimmy! - Of your Mulan castmates who is a surprisingly good gamer and which games are they playing? Also will we see them on The Download?

My friend Jun Yu, who I love dearly, is actually a really amazing gamer (and total weeb, but don't let him know I said it). We actually levelled new accounts to 30 and beyond on the OCE servers when we played while filming in New Zealand. He's one of those "put any game in front of him and he'll do well" types. Rocks Fortnite, TFT, League, etc. Once we finally get a release date for Mulan, I'm sure we'll find some creative ways to bring my castmates onto the show! -jimmy

Realize I’m far too late, but on the off-chance this is seen, Jimmy, are you still in touch with any of the folks on VGHS?

Freddie Wong is my brother! Will Campos (writer, Shotbot's voice) is a writer here on VENN Arcade Live alongside Darnell Murphy (he was in S3 as well as created Anime Crimes Division). I talk to Joey Scoma (jumpin jax) fairly often as well as a lot of those 5SF guys. I also see Matt Arnold (co-creator, writer) every week because he still works quite a bit with Freddie. - jimmy

What are your thoughts on the revival of G4 announcement so close to your launch? Do you consider G4 direct competition and what will you do differently from their previous model? Thanks!

I think Ariel or Jimmy can comment more specifically, but from my perspective I think that we all love this gaming world and want gaming culture to be something everyone can partake in. Seeing other networks pop up to me just says how fast this community is growing which is amazing!

- Chrissy

I always say that a rising tide floats all ships. There's so much space in this world to engage in, watch, and love gaming content. Just look at how diverse and deep the streaming community is, and you can do that for so many creator communities on every social media platform! I can't wait to see what G4 brings to the table, and mostly I am so excited for all of the gamers and enthusiasts out there that are about to get so much amazing content for the hobby and things we love most! - jimmy

What makes the Download different than other gaming news like IGN and KindaFunny? (question for Jimmy and Ariel I guess?)

Our show goes live tomorrow (Wednesday)! Wait and see, and let us know what you think about the show! We've got a really solid team of showrunners, producers, and writers all working super hard on it, and I'm really excited to see what everyone thinks. -jimmy

Chrissy: What types of games will you be playing on the show?

Better question would be what WON'T we play? It's totally up to you & the individual guests! We're going to playing a huge variety of games from shooters to couch co-ops.

- Chrissy

hi guys! this one's for Chrissy: what are you looking forward to learn from this brand new experience with Venn and why did you accept to be part of this project? have fun!

I love this question! It's an interesting experience for me because I'm usually the "guest" in a situation, so this really puts me in the other position of having to guide the episode instead of being the one taken on the adventure. I have a lot of experience being interviewed, featured in content for other media, etc. and I think it'll be interesting to apply my perspective of what it feels like to be on that side to help me make the GH guests feel at home and have a blast.

- Chrissy

Will there be a live music show in the near future? With the closing of music venues, there’s a significant void for touring bands from sharing a live experience with their audiences. I.e. is Venn currently building inroads with the music industry?

We will definitely be having live musical guests across a few different shows!
-Chrissy

This question is for Jimmy.

I followed your content from when Feast of Fiction first launched and the Command Zone helped introduce me to the format too!

I wanted to ask that, as someone who is wanting to break into the entertainment industry, how do organize your time to put your heart into so much content you produce?

This is definitely a great question and a tough one to answer too. I think the thing I'm always encouraging others to do and find for themselves is discovering what really drives them in life. What brings you a genuine and real smile when you finish doing it for the day? What is that distant goalpost 6 years in the future that you find yourself inextricably drawn to? When you start to locate that north star, moving towards it is going to feel easier, work better, and flow more smoothly. The more familiar we are with ourselves, the easier it will be to seamlessly put our heart into the work we do. Now, also keep in mind that everyone's engine is different. I might be putting in 12-14 hours a day into a single thing, but someone else might feel the same satisfaction and maybe achieve even more progress in 6. So don't feel like you ever have to make a direct comparison to someone else - we are all especially unique people, and the way we go about our lives are going to be just as unique. - jimmy

This one's for Chrissy does your gaming side play a part on how you approach your music and/or creative content? and does the music side of it influence what you'll be doing on VENN?

Thanks for the question! I've been a gamer since I was suuuuper little. I've always loved gaming, gaming culture etc. and I think by nature that influences music and vice versa. I don't see them as two separate worlds but worlds that overlap and interact with each other. Great examples are being able to voice two anthems for League of Legends Worlds (2017 & 2019).

-Chrissy

Will the cast make crossovers with each other or is everyone going to independent?

Crossovers and growing our little family here at VENN is 100% something that we're going to make happen. If you have any sweet mashups that you really want to see, please let us know!! You can always tweet at us, or add a message to our Discord :) jimmy

Hi Jimmy, been a big fan since VGHS! My question for you is how much did the early days of YouTube influence or help you get into bigger products like Mulan?

The early days of YouTube were a massive influence on me because it showed me that you don't always have to 'play by the rules' to achieve your goals and passions in life. I got to play music, write songs, dance, travel, eat, cook, and do so many other things with the freedom of what YouTube gave me. It was so refreshing after so many instances where you wait for months to get a single casting notice, and then walk into a room where you will most likely get turned down. That acting world was brutal for so long, and being able to create my own opportunities on YouTube and be inspired by other amazing creators was just so amazing. Mulan just happened to roll around at the right time, a nice 8 years after I began my 'acting career' in Hollywood. If it wasn't for YouTube and all of the community things I did in the interim, I don't think I would have stuck around long enough to audition for Mulan! - jimmy

Jimmy, the Magi-Nation fansite/forums Insiider was a fond part of my childhood and I spent a lot of time in the fan art and role playing forums. In particular I loved the 2i office tour. What was your role in Insiider and how did that experience segue into your later projects? Any fun memories from that time period?

Oh wow! This is a throwback for sure, and I was just talking to an old friend from the forums just the other day on FB Messenger.

I didn't realize it at the time, but Insiider and that entire experience was my first foray into my love for community and gaming as a whole. It originally came about because the person who made the site was finished working on it, and decided to pass it off to me to run. I didn't realize just how amazing the community would grow to become, with all of the fan artists and RPers that really made that forum special. I eventually closed the site after a few hacking attempts and college got in the way, but I fondly remember those days.

Later on in life, I would find myself returning to card games and CCGs with a renewed passion for Magic the Gathering and got into podcasting and show making as a result. I've always had an eye out for gaming content in general, and especially community building, as it was such an important part of my early highschool years. Now I get to keep that passion going with VENN, and creating some of the content that I hope I would have watched as a kid to get inspired to make more :D -jimmy

What can we expect from VENN Arcade Live? I ask cuz it reminds me of another well-known geek variety show.

VENN Arcade Live is a show that is near and dear to my heart - I've been working on it for close to 5 months now. It's a culmination of what we love about gaming and pop culture in a fun, irreverent, meme-worthy variety show. They'll be playing games (new and old), bringing on some of our favorite streamers as guests (we'll be announcing some names soon!), and goofing off in a variety of segments. - jimmy

Jimmy, when are you going to play nintendo games on Node again? I'm really nostalgic for those videos.

Just kidding, good luck with Venn!

Hah! Thanks, I love working with the Node peeps, and they're some of my oldest friends in Los Angeles. Hopefully we can find more ways to collaborate with them! I love how they do their VR stuff. - jimmy

@jimmy: can you give your top 3 for videogames, cardgames, boardgames books, movies, series and anime?

Oof! Tough questions, but I dig it.Videogames: Super Mario RPG, Chrono Trigger, and Mario KartCardgames: Magic the Gathering (duh), Slay the Spire, and an old favorite called Magi NationBoardgames: For Sale, Scythe, and any co-op gamesBooks: I haven't read much recently, but I picked up Mastery by Robert Greene and am listening to Sapiens on audiobook right nowMovies: I'll give you my top Miyazaki films: Kiki's Delivery Service, Castle in the Sky, and Princess MononokeSeries: Avatar the Last Airbender three times in a rowAnime: I'll refer you to movies, but as for series I am a fan of Demon Slayer and God of Highschool recently. - jimmy

-Chrissy

What is your top 3 favourite games of all time?

And.... is ATC releasing in the near future?

Wow that's so tough! I think these three are closest to my heart though: Runescape, League of Legends & ugjhadlkhaskjdak I'm between either the Fable series or Diablo series YIKES can't choose, loved both.

- Chrissy

Would you rather have a human head and legs made of cheese or have a head made of cheese and human body and why?

Probably a head made of cheese because if my legs were cheese I could eat them.

- Chrissy

Can we just use this as count for how many people are here just because of Chrissy?

I appreciate how many of you came to hang with me here! I'm super excited to introduce you to Guest House but also to the other shows on Venn. I've been able to have a few internet hang outs with the other hosts, plus some socially distanced, IRL ones at the studio when our schedules overlap and they're all so dope & so talented, I think you'll absolutely love them.

- Chrissy

I'm here for Chrissy, do I count?! - jimmy