After a side-splitting event, Hugo "HugS" Gonzalez returns from the Roast to provide regular content on his Twitch stream! We talk about what makes HugS' stream one of the more popular broadcasts in the Smash community and his stream secrets! We also have an insight to how HugS plans to take down the other teams in the crew battles at the Big House 8!

How long have you been streaming on Twitch and what makes it enjoyable for you after all this time?

HugS: It's the best way for me to interact with my most dedicated fans and it's an outlet that allows me to express myself however I please. Whether it be through humor, serious thoughts, ideas, or feelings, I'm able to let people know exactly who I am, and it's extremely liberating.

How do you keep your broadcasts from becoming repetitive? What do you put into your stream to keep it vibrant and fun?

HugS: Lately, I've been trying to offer something different every day. For example, I'll have dating advice on Tuesdays. I'll play old-school games on Thursdays. Then, through these differing themes, I'm able to express myself through them, so I'm inspired to be myself, while still being fresh and different every time I turn on the camera.

How do you entice your audience to continue their support? What kind of content do you provide to your viewers and what should newcomers expect?

HugS: I honestly don't know if I've managed to do that in a great way yet. I think I struggle the most in converting people who are entertained by my content into supporting me. I know I entertain viewers, I know I give them a reason to watch, I'm just not sure how to bridge the gap and encourage people to support directly. I've always struggled with that, but I know I'll figure it out in my own way.

What have been your top three most favourite moments on stream?

HugS: Shaving my legs on stream for charity, my entire Undertale run, and then making my first Summit with my war music going on.

What is the hardest part about maintaining a stream such as yours?

HugS: It's most definitely being able to bridge the gap between entertaining viewers and converting them into direct supporters.

We see you’re on the road to 1000 subs! Why should we sign up to the ‘Sub Pub’?

HugS: I truly believe I provide one of the most entertaining streams out there. As I clean up my technical and visual quality and continue to show my commitment to streaming longer/on schedule, I believe I'll become as big as I deserve to be. I invite everyone to join in on the ride early.

In your opinion, what does it take to be a successful streamer and retain popularity on Twitch?

HugS: I think it's important to develop the ability to entertain yourself in a way where you can project your own enjoyment on others watching. It's clear when a streamer is just going through the motions versus when they are truly having a great time. A happy streamer makes viewers happy, in my opinion.

How do you balance your time between being a full-time streamer and a full-time professional Melee player? Does holding both professions drastically soak up your time?

HugS: I basically have far less time to be social now. I wake up, head to the gym for an hour, eat, stream for 6-8 hours, eat dinner, then practice for 1 to 2 hours. It's tough, but I'm in a fortunate position where I've developed a lot of my skills already. There will come a time where Melee will demand more time from me as the competition gets better, and we'll see how I manage to deal with that when the time comes.

Big House is in a few weeks! You have been known to stream when you’re travelling to smaller events. Will that be the case with Big House or will you be strictly focusing on the competition?

HugS: I will be finding the time to stream while I'm at Big House. I've decided I need to put in at least one or two days on stream when I travel. It won't do anything for my growth, but I'll be able to maintain a presence with my viewers, and that's extremely important I feel.

One of the most anticipated events at Big House are the crew battles! SoCal are usually strong favourites to push through the fan voting phase and, furthermore, favourites to win the crew battles! In the past, you’ve made a point of expressing your belief that your captaincy has brought SoCal to victory! Without giving up too many secrets, what makes your leadership so special and what do you bring to the table?

HugS: I don't think I do anything particularly special as a captain, I just think most other captains blow it. I make logical decisions using a very talented group of players, and I don't let individual egos get in the way of my decision making. I make sure the players listen to coach HugS, and we win :)

Any shoutouts to end the interview?

HugS: As always, shoutouts to the Sub Pub, Team Dignitas, and our sponsors for allowing me to do what I love for a living.

You can follow Hugs on Twitch here and his Twitter here for more Smash content and entertainment!