Janicka Gaming on bridging PUBG MOBILE’s community and its esports scene

Recently, PUBG MOBILE‘s attempts to grow its competitive footprint in Western Europe saw it sign a partnership with G2 Esports and launch an ambassador program, revealing German content creator Janicka Gaming as the first ‘dedicated ambassador’ for Western Europe.

Janička is no stranger to PUBG MOBILE’s European community, having been in the partner program before becoming an ambassador for the esports initiative. She’s built a strong community around gameplay, humor and continues to host regular competitive rooms on PUBG MOBILE’s German TikTok channels.

From an esports perspective, Janička streamed the PMSE Finals in 2024, and has also produced content around the European Series in the past. This official partnership effectively formalizes the relationship, with G2 and PUBG MOBILE Esports providing additional resources and support for tournament-specific coverage, watch parties, and explainers to help the complex competitive circuit feel less alien to ordinary gamers.

Earlier this week, we spoke to Alban Dechelotte, the CEO of G2 Esports, and discussed the role of creators in advancing the mobile esports ecosystem in Europe, which is considerably underdeveloped when compared to Asia. Janička, and a wider rollout of an ambassador program will play a pivotal part should it succeed.

Esports Insider had the chance to speak to Janička about what being named an ambassador means for her content; why capable PUBG mobile players still hesitate to test themselves competitively; the role creators can play in helping develop the grassroots scene, and whether being tied so closely to an organization and a publisher could also have some drawbacks.

Editor’s note: this interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

ESI: Firstly – congratulations! The accolade of “First dedicated ambassador for Western Europe” is impressive.  What does it actually mean for you? What are you responsible for that you weren’t already doing as a creator covering PUBG MOBILE as part of the partner program? 

Janicka Gaming: Thank you very much, and thank you for interviewing me. It’s an honor for me to represent PUBG MOBILE Western Europe as an official PUBG MOBILE Esports ambassador.

As an ambassador, I connect the PUBG MOBILE community with its esports scene. Previously, my content focused mainly on relatable gaming memes, funny in-game moments, and gameplay. Now, I’m excited to focus more on esports content, such as short explanation videos, watch parties for official tournaments, and esports-related livestreams. My goal is to show the community what is possible to achieve in the esports scene,how entertaining competitive gaming can be, and help more players discover the esports side of PUBG MOBILE in Western Europe.

ESI: What can you now do in-game, competitively, or from a storytelling/editorial point of view that you couldn’t before this partnership?

Janička: With this partnership, I can better support my community than before. G2 and PUBG MOBILE support me however they can with my content, and I’m really grateful for the opportunities that help has created. 

They provide in-game currency (“UC”) and goodies for my community, and most importantly, they help me with professional analytics for my videos and livestreams. The teams at PUBG MOBILE and G2 also support me with esports content ideas and help me develop a sustainable strategy to improve the performance of my videos and livestreams, giving me more time to focus on content production and improve the overall quality of my editing.

Thanks to this support, along with the ambassador position, I now get a chance to directly impact and create unique stories with PUBG MOBILE. My passion for my content comes from my community, and being an official ambassador opens doors to further interact with the wider PUBG MOBILE esports community so we can enjoy the fun of competitive esports together.

ESI: Did you come up through anything resembling a grassroots scene yourself, or did your path into PUBG MOBILE content look completely different from what PMCO is trying to build? What does the current gap between expectation and reality tell you about what young players actually need?

Janička: Before becoming PUBG MOBILE Western Europe’s esports ambassador, I hosted (and still do) small competitive rooms every week on the official PUBG MOBILE Germany and Western Europe TikTok account. 

I also streamed the PMSE Finals in 2024 and hosted preparation streams for the PUBG MOBILE European Series in 2023. Over time, I’ve naturally built up experience within the Western European esports scene, but this partnership will take my knowledge and my content to the next level.

For PUBG MOBILE to continue growing in Western Europe, young players need more comprehensive information about the esports scene and tournaments like PMCO, and that’s what I hope to help provide. 

From what I’ve seen, many players aren’t as well versed in how to register or how to get involved in well-known tournaments. There is still the misconception that esports is only for the very best players, which isn’t true. During the first weeks of this partnership, we already did a great job helping the community understand how to register and showing them that PMCO is made exactly for players like them.

ESI: What’s the most common reason you see promising amateur PUBG MOBILE players give up and choose not to pursue a path to pro? 

Janička: The biggest reason is a lack of self-confidence and a lack of knowledge about the PUBG MOBILE esports scene. I personally know many players who can easily clutch a 1v4, but they still believe they’re not good enough. PMCO is the perfect tournament to prove those negative assumptions wrong and build confidence. As awareness of tournaments like the PMCO grows in Western Europe, my hope is that more players will be inspired to sign up and give it a go. I reckon we have a few champions that haven’t been discovered yet.

ESI: Publishers investing directly in creators rather than solely funding teams or leagues is a different approach given the amount of franchising (etc) we’ve seen in esports. From your perspective, what does PUBG MOBILE get from you that a traditional org-sponsorship might lack?

Janička: I think investing directly in creators instead of only funding teams or leagues is a much more sustainable way to grow the esports scene. Professional teams are incredibly important for growing esports, but creators can reach audiences who may not yet be following the competitive scene.

As a content creator who’s built up their audience over time, I am directly connected to the community. I know what they are interested in and what they expect. With the support of G2 and PUBG MOBILE, I want to make the esports scene easier to understand and more entertaining for both young and experienced players. This will help lower the barrier to entering esports and hopefully encourage more players to register for tournaments.

ESI: Is there a tension between being a content creator, whose job is entertainment and personality and being an “ambassador,” whose job is arguably closer to representing the brand’s interests? Where do you feel friction? Do you feel any authenticity is removed from your brand by becoming an ambassador and being closely aligned with the company behind the game which you bring to your audience? 

Janička: At first, I was worried that there might be some friction between my content and my new role as an official ambassador, but reality proved me wrong. Neither G2 nor PUBG MOBILE want to change me or my content. It’s a partnership focused on helping me create more esports-related content, which I really appreciate.

Now I can reach a new audience and gain more visibility. On top of that, working closely with the professional G2 managers helps me improve the quality of my content and my overall performance. That doesn’t mean I’ll change my style or personality. People will still see the same authentic and entertaining content they know me for.

ESI: What does your Western European audience actually want from PUBG MOBILE esports coverage that you think isn’t being delivered yet? 

Janička: I don’t think the problem is that there isn’t enough esports news. The real reason is that many players have different interests. Many people don’t yet know how entertaining, exciting, and engaging esports can be. That’s why I think we need to focus more on education and clear communication about the esports scene. Once people understand the storylines, rivalries and pathways into competition, they’re much more likely to stay engaged. My hope is that we can help more players across Western Europe discover that side of PUBG MOBILE and feel like it’s something they can be part of too.

ESI: Does this commitment change anything for you as a creator? What’s the one part of your current content mix you expect to suffer or shrink because of this ambassadorial commitment? Or do you think that it’ll only be growth? 

Janička: I don’t actually expect any part of my content to shrink, I think the balance will naturally shift, with more esports-focused content alongside the funny gameplay moments my viewers already enjoy. For me, this is the best collaboration I’ve ever had, and I’m really happy to work with G2 – my experience so far has been that I’ll continue to develop more interesting and engaging content with the support I feel lucky to have. I also believe that long-term growth comes through authenticity. If we notice that our current content strategy isn’t working, I’m confident both PUBG MOBILE and G2 will support me, and together we’ll find a better way for my content to evolve and reach a bigger audience. I know many creators would love to have this opportunity, and I’m truly grateful for it.

ESI: Does this potentially pigeonhole you as a creator? Are the terms strict on what you can and cannot stream? Do you think there’s a risk, if people disagree with a move from the developer, that you also get dragged into that and your pipeline suffers as a result?

Janička: Personally, I think it’s much more important that I don’t put myself in a box when it comes to my content than to worry about whether people try to pigeonhole me. I want to stay creative, open-minded, and always push my own limits.

Of course, there are the usual restrictions that come with every partnership, but nothing out of the ordinary, and nothing that stops me from making the content I want to make.

I also don’t think my content will suffer because people have different opinions about the game. From the discussions in my comment section, I know my viewers are mature enough to understand that people can have different opinions about game modes, skins, or maps. It’s impossible to satisfy everyone in the community with every decision the developers make, and that’s completely normal.