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A couple of weeks ago we got a fan request to do an interview with Sofía Staley (a cosplayer, Gamer and a hardcore SEGA/Doom fan). Well, guess what? I (Robin Ek, TGG) contacted Staley about one week ago, and she picked up on the idea of having me interview her. So we talked about everything from her SEGA fandom, cosplay, video game memories to her love for Doom. So without any further ado, please enjoy our interview with Staley =) (I would also recommend you to read our interview with the SEGA Saturn gal and Lizzy Hedgehog). A fair warning though, Staley is not a native English speaker. So there might be some English errors in her answers. Nevertheless, I’ve done my best to sort out any potential errors in the text.

Robin TGG

Would you be so kind and introduce yourself to our readers? =)

Sofía

Hello everyone! My name is Sofia, and I’m a hobby cosplayer. I’m currently living in Germany, but I come from Argentina originally. So I speak Spanish, English and a little bit of German.

Robin TGG

I’ve been told that you’re a huge SEGA fan. So perhaps you could tell us a little about your fandom and history to SEGA?

Sofía

Thanks to Sega I’m still playing games. You see, back in 1994, I got my first SEGA Genesis, and I haven’t stopped playing it since. I had game gear, Master System, Saturn, Dreamcast, but genesis was my first and the one I loved and enjoyed the most. It really marked my childhood.

I love Sonic the hedgehog games. I mean I grow up with Sonic. Even so, I never thought at this point in my life that I would still be playing sonic games like I used to 20 years ago. Furthermore, I have to say I joined social media not so long ago (which I did back in 2013, which would be the year that I started my Facebook account. My point would be that I wasn’t really as much into gaming as I used to in the 90s and early 2000s. In the matter of fact, I haven’t met anyone in the real life that still play any SEGA games. So the social media groups made me met a lot of new people who were also a 90’s baby like me and made me go back to collect the games I used to play as a child. In other words, share experiences, memories and pure nostalgia.

I was such a big SEGA fan that I never get used to Nintendo or Sony consoles. Not only because they were foes in the past, but I could never get used to them, and I really tried to. So I’m currently on Xbox, which doesn’t have all that much SEGA-related stuff. So it’s nothing like the days when I used to play SEGA games all the time. However, I met my husband thanks to Xbox live. He used to play games there with me, and he shares the same love for SEGA like I do.

Robin TGG

Just recently I spotted a really cool Doomguy cosplay by you. So how did that cosplay come by? And did it take a lot of time for you to create? (fun fact, I couldn’t even tell that it was you).

Sofía

It’s kind of the same reason of why I love SEGA. I have played a lot of Doom, Wolfenstein, Quake, etc. in my childhood. The Doom 2016 game felt like a reboot from the first game, and I have to say, I got so excited when I saw the trailer in the e3. It brought me very good memories. Also, I was learning how to make costumes on my own I thought the praetor suit was a challenge. I know it’s kind of weird to see, but I only do these things because I know them, and I enjoyed them somehow. They mean something to me. Is my way to honor what I like.

Robin TGG

Have you been cosplaying for a long time? And how did you get into cosplay? And is there any cosplayers that you adore and look up to?

Sofía

Not for so long, as I’ve cosplayed since 2014. My first cosplay was Knuckles the echidna. I was running a Sega stand in an expo, I got hired by a friend in my country to organize free plays and tournaments on SEGA consoles, and I started the cosplay thing as a plus. Also because I am very shy in the real life, so it was because I wanted to break the ice and have something to share with the public around there.

I recently got added to the 405th Halo Costume builders from Europe, so I’m always looking at them and learning from them. I still haven’t met them, but I’m looking forward to it. They have a forum, and they are all around the world, so anyone can join and share their Halo cosplays. And from Argentina, I have to mention “Black workshop”, my friend Pablo Menicucci does awesome cosplay stuff and runs this workshop to teach people how to make them on their own, that’s how I could do the doom marine armor.

Robin TGG

Since you have cosplayed as everything from Master Chief, Knuckles, Wonder Boy (the girl edition), Cammy to Ulala. I simply have to ask you which cosplay you like the most so far? And what do you aim to cosplay as next?

Sofía

The Halo spartan was my first armor. It wasn’t made by me, was made by “anico store” from Argentina. They also made me a big assault rifle. I was looking funny because I’m a short person, I’m 4’11’’ (1,50 m.) and my helmet was a little bit big, like a Funko pop doll. Nevertheless, still, they made an awesome job for me. I went everywhere I could with it. People got surprised when they found out there was a chick inside in the armor.

It wasn’t something you could usually see in my country, mostly because cosplayers there are usually girls doing anime costumes. The ones who made big armor cosplays are not very usual. I miss going in the bus, subway, to burger king, bars, etc. with the armor on. I was feeling like the center of attention all the time. It was also because of the kids around me. Because the face the kids do when they see their favorite character is priceless.

Robin TGG

Do you own a lot of SEGA consoles? If so, which ones do you own? And do you have a favorite? (I like the Mega Drive and Dreamcast the most).

Sofía

Since I’m living in Germany with my husband, our collection got bigger, and legit too, because South America, where I come from, is the bootleg paradise. He is the one who owned all the original stuff more than me. We have hundreds of games, mostly European and Japanese. We have here two Mega drives, two sega cd’s, one master system, like three Dreamcast, and the SEGA Saturn. We don’t have 32x. We didn’t have the chance to have it when we were kids, and now old gaming stuff got expensive.

Robin TGG

I couldn’t help to notice that you appear to be a huge fan of Sonic the Hedgehog. So when, where and why did you become a fan of Sonic? What’s the story behind your Sonic tattoo, and are you excited for Project Sonic 2017 and Sonic Mania?

Sofía

Of course, I am excited. As SEGA really nailed it with this game, so no one can complain now. Even so though, fans are always complaining about something. I mean, some fans like the old Sonic, while others want the modern Sonic. Nevertheless, most of us don’t like sonic boom, etc. But SEGA made these two games so everyone can be satisfied. So despite of being a 90’s baby, I am more excited about Sonic Forces than Sonic mania.

And like I said before. Sonic the hedgehog (the first Mega Drive game) was one of my first games. I was about 4 or 5 years old when I played it, and back in those days I never thought 22 years later that I would still be waiting for new Sonic games. I would also like to point out that my childhood wasn’t very happy. I don’t talk too much with my family, and I haven’t seen them since last year, but sonic reminds me the happy old days. That’s pretty much why I got the tattoo.

Robin TGG

I think it’s quite obvious that you like Fatal Fury (based on your cosplays), but are there any other fighting games and series that you like?

Sofía

In the 90s I was pretty good at fighting games, nowadays though, not so much. I liked the dead or alive series, Mortal Kombat, Street Fighter, King of fighters, Virtua Fighter, Fighting Vipers, etc. I liked a lot more playing in the arcades and on SEGA Dreamcast because there I had millions of these kind games, and it was always fun play with my brother. Nevertheless, my number one favorite fighting game will always be Mortal Kombat 3 ultimate, on SEGA Genesis/Mega Drive.

Robin TGG

If we dream ourselves away for a moment, and just pretend that SEGA will release a brand-new console. Then which new games would you like to see on it? (sequels, remakes and so on).

Sofía

That would be cool. I would like to see a brand-new space channel game, a new seaman, crazy taxi, jet set radio, Shenmue 3 of course, Columns, idk, so many…. And all the awesome SEGA games I miss because I refuse to play in Nintendo or Sony consoles and there are not released on Xbox.

Robin TGG

Do you have any favorite games and game series? And which games are you looking forward to playing this year?

Sofía

I’m looking forward to Sonic Mania. So I’m going to get a collector’s edition for that one, and one for Sonic Forces too. And on PC, I hope I can get a new computer and play Quake champions. I also heard a brand-new Toejam and Earl game will be released this year. I would like to play it. So there you can see my taste in video games is weird and diverse. That’s also why I can enjoy playing Doom 2016 as much as I love old 8-bit adventure games. However, even if there are new releases, they are old games underneath their beautiful surface and that’s what I like.

Robin TGG

Are you into horror games? If so, have you tried to play the VR version Resident Evil 7 yet? (I find that one to be scary as hell).

Sofía

Sadly, I’m not because I have no patience, and they scare me for real. I’m not a resident evil fan. I only played the first one, and code veronica. I have tried some other Resident Evil games after the ones I mentioned, but I didn’t like them. I don’t remember which one was. It felt like COD. So I can’t make opinions about it, but I tried the game preview, and it looks scary, and I feel I can enjoy it as I did with the first resident evil when I was a kid. With the other games of the saga, I didn’t have that feeling.

Robin TGG

Did you enjoy the latest edition of Doom? (Doom 2016) And have you been a fan of the series for a long time? Furthermore, have you tried Brutal Doom and Project Brutality? If so, what’s your thoughts on the matter?

Sofía

After Doom 3, I thought Doom wasn’t going to be the same again. I mean, I enjoyed Doom 3 but it didn’t feel like a doom game tbh. Doom 2016 was amazing. As it honored the first and second Doom game, and I think that I can speak for most of the old doom fans when I say that. I have played the campaign twice, and I would do it again.

There are some theories, but I believe the doomguy and the doom slayer are the same person, and doom 2016 is what happens after doom from doom 1 and doom 2. Well, the story is a bit twisted, then you have Doom 64, which looks like a different marine than the doom marine from the first two games (at least, to me, it does).

I also had the chance to ask John Romero about doom 2016. Some people from a Quake group asked him to join and respond to some questions to the fans. He accepted, so when I saw him there, I couldn’t resist to ask him how he feels after doom 2016. He said that he thought doomguy looks really cool, and that he enjoyed the game, so that’s how old doom fans must feel. About brutal doom, yes I have seen a video about it, but I couldn’t try them yet. Nevertheless, yes, I’m always looking for wads and custom doom stuff the fans make. Hell, some of them are just as fun as the original Doom.

Robin TGG

Are you a console or PC Gamer? And what do you think about the Nintendo Switch so far?

Sofía

I am more a console person. So the only thing I have played on PC is Doom, and quake online, but I’ve been in consoles since 1994, hard to change now. So although I am not a Nintendo fan, I still respect the brand. To me is like, they can release anything, people will always buy it. They have no competitors. If I want to play hardcore games like Halo, Doom, Cod, etc. I would not buy a Nintendo, I would go for Xbox, or PC, or Playstation. So, people don’t buy Nintendo for those kinds of games, people buy them because they love the classic Nintendo games.

Robin TGG

Is it correct that you play guitar and bass? I’ve also been told that you sing pretty well. So, have you made any video game covers or such?

Sofía

Who told you that?, lol. I used to play guitar, and who know a bit of guitar knows a bit of bass. Nevertheless, I was better at signing, yes. I think I have some soundcloud tracks, but I haven’t been singing for years. I did it as a hobby, I wasn’t looking for fame or anything, so unfortunately I couldn’t find people with the same goals, so I stopped doing it.

Robin TGG

What’s your plans, hopes and expectations for 2017? And is there anything that you would like to say to our readers?

Sofía

Well, I’m looking forward to making some new friends. You see, I come to Europe from so far away. So I don’t have the same manners which most of the people from here does. Sure, I try to speak more English everyday, but I feel things are so different here, and I still have to get used to it just yet. My plans for this year so, are very basic. I want to learn more German, fit into this society, and contribute to this country. As they let me in, and they are kind to me. So it’s time to me to be thankful for it, and of course, go to more convents this year, make better cosplays and meet more people. I would like to thank all the people who read this, and the gaming ground for giving me the chance to let more people know about me and what I do.



Robin “V-Act” Ek

Editor in chief

The Gaming Ground

Twitter: @TheGamingGround

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Tags: Cosplay, Doom, Gamer, Gamers, Gaming, Retro games, SEGA, Sofía Staley