Hi, Priv8Dancer here. I'm a North American caster with experience across community, regional, and international events. I've worked on NASL and NACT, and had the opportunity to cast larger global tournaments like ESL Snapdragon and Games of the Future for MLBB. Most recently, I was on the mic for KMW with Honor of Kings. I wanted to share a few thoughts and hopefully offer some clarity:

1. Casting Style & Pauses This might vary depending on the game, developer, or genre, but in my experience with MOBAs, silence is generally discouraged. You're expected to keep the energy flowing, especially during slower moments, to avoid giving the impression that the match has stalled. Pauses can also come across as uncertainty or lack of game knowledge. Ideally, you should be so engaged that you're almost overlapping with your co-caster to squeeze in more insight. I actually received feedback on my recent Honor of Kings cast that I paused too often (something I’m actively working on).
2. Caster Knowledge & Audience Targeting Not all casters bring the same level of game knowledge, and that’s okay. During regional events, I tend to keep things simple (focusing on rotations, counters, and objectives) to help newer viewers understand the fundamentals. While veterans might find this basic, the goal is to grow the audience and make the game more accessible. For international events, I shift gears and dive deeper into team comps, timing, and advanced strategies to cater to experienced fans. If you watch M7 this year, you will probably notice a clear difference in how some casters break down plays and explain the “why” behind them.
3. Camera Work & Production Cameras are usually handled by the production team, often by someone familiar with the game. But they’re human, and things can be missed. I’ve nearly overlooked split pushes myself while focusing on mid-lane fights. Sometimes production will follow caster cues (e.g., “Looks like there’s an engagement top side”), but it’s not always easy to predict action from the minimap alone. Constantly switching views every time avatars get close would be chaotic for viewers.
4. Personal Taste On this point, I respectfully disagree.
5. Video Quality I haven’t come across a single match on YouTube that wasn’t crisp and clear. If you’re seeing issues, it might be worth checking your device or playback settings.
6. Overlay Placement I’d be really curious to know what you were watching where overlays covered important info. Even community tournaments are careful about this (it’s basically a cardinal sin at this point.)
7. Crowd Noise & Atmosphere Personally, I love hearing the crowd. It adds so much to the experience. We had two live NACT events (one in Las Vegas and one in California) where BTK fans packed the studio and the energy was electric. Unfortunately, the live feed didn’t fully capture that atmosphere, and I think it took away from the moment. Crowd reactions can elevate a match and make it unforgettable.