Editing Stevie Case (section)

==Career==

=== Professional ''Quake'' player and John Romero deathmatch ===
While at the University of Kansas as a [[freshman]] studying [[political science]], Case enjoyed playing ''[[Doom (1993 video game)|Doom]]'' and ''[[Doom II]]'' with her circle of friends.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{Cite web|url=http://www.playboy.com/digital/feature/steviecase/|title=Stevie Case|last=Kushner|first=David|date=2000-05-11|website=Playboy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010215034859/http://www.playboy.com:80/digital/feature/steviecase/|archive-date=2001-02-15|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> Through her then-boyfriend, Tom "Entropy" Kimzey, she became interested in playing ''[[Quake (video game)|Quake]]'' competitively. Case joined Kimzey's team, Impulse 9, and began competing under the name KillCreek.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|180}} This alias was taken from the [[Lawrence, Kansas]] band Kill Creek, who had a member Case was friends with.<ref name="VanityFair_Kushner2022" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://playboy.com/digital/chat/steviecase/|title=Chat With Daikatana Designer/Playboy.com Celebrity Model Stevie Case|website=Playboy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20010106190300/http://playboy.com/digital/chat/steviecase/|archive-date=2001-01-06|access-date=2019-07-10|quote=guest27: Are you talking about the band Kill Creek from Lawrence? steviecase: Yes, definitely. I borrowed my name from them, and they were very nice about it.}}</ref> Impulse 9 competed in the ''Quake'' competitive league Clanring, and won the T1 championship event in 1996.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/quake-competition-upcoming/1100-2462467/|title=Quake Competition Upcoming|last=Jebens|first=Harley|date=2000-04-28|website=GameSpot|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bluesnews.com/archives/sept96-5.html|title=blue's Quake News September 28-October 4, 1996|website=Blue's News|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref>

After a few months of competing and making a name for herself, Case traveled to [[Dallas]] on a pilgrimage to meet some of the developers of her favorite [[First-person shooter|first-person-shooter]] computer games.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="VanityFair_Kushner2022" /> During her trip, she got the chance to play a ''Quake'' [[Deathmatch (video games)|deathmatch]] against the game's designer, [[John Romero]], but was beaten by him in a close game.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|186}} After Romero put up a [[web page]] jokingly insulting her skill at the game, Case publicly demanded a rematch with him.<ref name=":4">{{Cite web|url=http://nytsyn.com/live/Latest/170_061997_140001_12576.html|title=Queen of 'Quake' Making a Killing|last=Saunders|first=Michael|date=1997|website=The Boston Globe|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990117032020/http://nytsyn.com/live/Latest/170_061997_140001_12576.html|archive-date=1999-01-17|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref> While Case initially struggled in the best-of-three rematch, she rallied back to win the first round 25–19, and went on to ultimately defeat Romero.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Uttermann|first=Alex|date=August 1997|title=Beating Romero At His Own Game|magazine=Computer Gaming World|issue=157|page=42}}</ref> As punishment, Romero agreed to set up a web page praising Case.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2000/04/13/games-people-play/026d51f9-9fda-4230-b592-4a90548d0ed1/|title=Games People Play|last=Copel|first=Lib|date=2000-04-13|newspaper=The Washington Post|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref>

Case was twenty years old at the time she won the rematch in 1997,<ref name=":6">{{Cite book |title=Smartbomb : the quest for art, entertainment, and big bucks in the videogame revolution|last1=Chaplin|first1=Heather|last2=Ruby|first2=Aaron|publisher=Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill |year=2005|isbn=1565123468|edition=1st |location=Chapel Hill, N.C.|oclc=60359576}}</ref>{{Rp|104}} and beating one of the co-creators of ''Quake'' at his own game brought her a lot of publicity. She gained a sponsor in computer mouse manufacturer [[Labtec|SpaceTec IMC]] that year,<ref name=":4" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/features/killcreek/index.html|title=KillCreek: Master Murderess!|last=Soete|first=Tim|website=GameSpot|page=2|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20021022104525/http://www.gamespot.com/features/killcreek/index.html|archive-date=2002-10-22|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref><ref name=":9">{{Cite web|url=http://www.elecplay.com/feature/quake/killcreek.shtml|title=Killcreek interview|website=Electric Playground|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990203072248/http://www.elecplay.com:80/feature/quake/killcreek.shtml|archive-date=1999-02-03|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.wired.com/1997/07/quakefest-gathers-warrior-geekstresses/|title=Quakefest Gathers Warrior Geekstresses|last=Brown|first=Janelle|date=1997-07-08|magazine=Wired|access-date=2019-07-10|issn=1059-1028}}</ref> and her victory against Romero received coverage in ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.<ref name="JonW.2006">{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=S7Vn3P7JFSwC&pg=RA2-PT101|title=Game Cultures: Computer Games As New Media: Computer Games as New Media|last1=Dovey|first1=Jon|last2=Kennedy|first2=Helen W.|date=2006-05-01|publisher=McGraw-Hill Education (UK)|isbn=978-0-335-21357-3|pages=128}}</ref> Angel Munoz, the founder of the [[Cyberathlete Professional League]] (CPL), convinced Case to join his league in July 1997, becoming its first signed professional gamer.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB938809040692404256|title=A Showdown at the Quake Corral Becomes a High-School Nightmare|last=Fitzgerald|first=Brian R.|date=1999-10-04|work=Wall Street Journal|access-date=2019-07-10|language=en-US|issn=0099-9660}}</ref><ref name=":5">{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamespy.com/|title=GameSpy Interviews - Women of Gaming: Stevie "Killcreek" Case--Ion Storm|last=Law|first=Caryn|website=GameSpy|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110224142002/http://archive.gamespy.com/legacy/interviews/womengaming5_a.shtm|archive-date=2011-02-24|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref> She eventually became one of the league's original founders.<ref name=":6" />{{Rp|104}} Case competed in the first all-female ''Quake'' tournament that year, coming in second behind Kornelia Takacs.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://archive.nytimes.com/www.nytimes.com/library/cyber/week/090297quake.html|title=Cyber-Amazons in a Death Match Sans Testosterone|last=Raney|first=Rebecca Fairley|date=1997-09-02|website=archive.nytimes.com|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|date=November 1997|title=Kornelia Triumphs|magazine=PC Gamer|page=83}}</ref> With the stability of sponsors and a $1000 monthly stipend from the CPL, Case decided to drop out of university and move to Dallas in the middle of 1997;<ref name="VanityFair_Kushner2022" /><ref name=":5" /> she said that while she had a passion for political science, she "was not excited about the day-to-day aspects of politics or practicing law."<ref name=":2" />

=== Transition to game design ===
While playing professionally, Case began looking at game design as a potential career, stating, "I love games, and I love competition—but having no choice but to play the same game day-in and day-out with all sorts of pressure attached just didn't suit my nature."<ref name=":5" /> According to Case, she did freelance game design work from her Dallas home for two years after university, using free design tools that she downloaded.<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/careersinartgrap00rona|title=Careers in art and graphic design|last=Reis|first=Ronald A.|publisher=Barron's Educational Series|year=2001|isbn=0764116290|location=Hauppauge, NY|oclc=44979715|url-access=registration}}</ref>{{Rp|55}} One of the first game levels she designed was for ''[[SiN: Wages of Sin]]'' (1999).<ref name=":5" /> Setting up a small studio called Primitive Earthling Games, she and some friends created a ''Quake II'' add-on called ''Vengeance'' and submitted it to [[WizardWorks]].<ref name=":10">{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/killcreek-on-daikatana/1100-2452281/|title=KillCreek on Daikatana|last=Jebens|first=Harley|date=2000-04-27|website=GameSpot|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> However, it never became available for purchase due to publishing delays.<ref name=":5" /><ref>{{Cite interview|last=Case|first=Stevie|subject-link=Stevie Case|interviewer=Josh Forman|title=Stevie "KillCreek" Case|url=http://www.ga-source.com/interviews/gamer/killcreek.shtml|access-date=2019-07-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19990420062239/http://www.ga-source.com/interviews/gamer/killcreek.shtml|archive-date=1999-04-20|date=1999-02-21}}</ref> Between 1998 and 2000, Case authored three [[strategy guide]] books for [[Prima Games]]: ''[[Jazz Jackrabbit 2]]'' (1998), ''[[Buck Bumble]]'' (1998), and ''[[Daikatana]]'' (2000).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Stevie-Case/e/B001HCZO74|title=Books by Stevie Case|publisher=[[Amazon.com]]|access-date=November 4, 2011}}</ref> She also contributed to their ''Quake II'' strategy guide.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/killcreek-teams-with-prima-quake-ii-guide/1100-2462448/|title=KillCreek Teams With Prima Quake II Guide|last=Jebens|first=Harley|date=2000-04-28|website=GameSpot|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref>

[[File:Quakecon 2000 Romero Killcreek Levelord (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|Case with [[John Romero]] (left) and [[Richard Gray (game designer)|Richard Gray]] (right) at [[QuakeCon]] 2000]]

Case was hired at [[Ion Storm]] in the summer of 1997 as a [[Game testing|video game tester]].<ref name=":5" /><ref name=":10" /> After numerous members of the ''Daikatana'' development team left during the game's troubled production, Case accepted Romero's job offer to become a [[Level (video games)|level designer]] in November 1998.<ref name="VanityFair_Kushner2022" /><ref name=":5" /><ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=https://www.printmag.com/article/qa_stevie_case/|title=Q+A - Stevie Case|last=Taute|first=Michelle|date=2007-12-27|website=Print Magazine|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> Case helped design levels for ''Daikatana''<ref name=":11">{{Cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11890&tab=credits|title=John Romero's Daikatana|website=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141117070919/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=11890&tab=credits|archive-date=2014-11-17|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> and ''[[Anachronox]]'' (2001).<ref name=":12">{{Cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19784&tab=credits|title=Anachronox|website=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115123106/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=19784&tab=credits|archive-date=2014-11-15|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> It was during this time period that Case began to date Romero. According to [[David Kushner (writer)|David Kushner]]'s ''[[Masters of Doom]]'', it was at this point when Case "radically reinvented herself" by losing weight, bleaching her hair, and undergoing [[breast augmentation]] surgery.<ref name=":0" />{{Rp|216}} Case received further press coverage, appearing on the March 2000 cover of ''[[PC Accelerator]]'',<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=March 2000|title=Gaming 101|magazine=[[PC Accelerator]]|pages=17–39}}</ref> and being featured as one of the "Next Game Gods" in the November 2000 issue of ''[[PC Gamer]]''.<ref>{{Cite magazine|date=November 2000|title=The New Game Gods|magazine=PC Gamer|volume=7|issue=11|pages=69–100}}</ref> She was approached by ''[[Playboy]]'' to appear in a nude pictorial, based on an interview she did in the ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''. The pictorial was released online in May 2000.<ref name=":2" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/news/bs-xpm-2000-09-04-0009020114-story.html|title=Playing for a Living|last=James|first=Michael|date=2000-09-04|website=The Baltimore Sun|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> When asked about how she changed after moving to Dallas and making video games a career, Case responded:<blockquote>Making the leap to games helped me to realize that the only way to be truly happy is to live by your own rules, not limited by outside expectations. I love my job, found a wonderful boyfriend and truly found myself through games.<ref name=":2" /></blockquote>Case was still involved in the Cyberathlete Professional League in some capacity. She eventually transitioned into being CPL's "Master of Ceremonies",<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://ign.com/articles/2001/05/24/stevie-case-interview-2|title=Stevie Case Interview|last=Humphries|first=Scott|date=2001-05-24|website=IGN|access-date=2019-07-10}}</ref> and in 1999, Case joined the CPL's [[board of directors]].<ref>{{Cite book|title=Electronic Entertainment Expo 2001 Directory - Official Exhibit Guide|year=2001|pages=34|chapter=Speaker Biographies|type=booklet|quote=In 1999 Stevie rejoined the CPL as a member of the Board of Directors.}}</ref>

Case left Ion Storm in January 2001<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.shacknews.com/article/11930/case-leaves-ion-storm|title=Case Leaves Ion Storm|last=Gibson|first=Steve|date=2001-01-29|website=Shacknews|language=en|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> to follow Romero to his new company, [[Monkeystone Games]], which was founded in August 2001.<ref name=":3" /><ref name="Ramsay2015">{{cite book|first=Morgan|last=Ramsay|title=Online Game Pioneers at Work|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zEYnCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA256|date=3 June 2015|publisher=Apress|isbn=978-1-4302-4186-7|pages=256–}}</ref> Monkeystone was a mobile game development company formed from Romero's interest in mobile games, sparked by him wanting to move away from the lengthy development cycles of big-budget computer games.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Howarth|first=Robert|date=2001-10-04|title=MonkeyStone Games - An ex-ION interview with Killcreek, Romero and Hall|url=http://www.voodooextreme.com/games/interviews/monkeyboy/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20011221071931/http://www.voodooextreme.com/games/interviews/monkeyboy/|archive-date=2001-12-21|access-date=2019-07-12|website=Voodoo Extreme}}</ref> Case worked as a producer for Monkeystone's first game, ''[[Hyperspace Delivery Boy!]]'', and also created the music and sound effects.<ref name=":13">{{Cite interview|last=Stevie|first=Case|subject-link=Stevie Case|interviewer=dolo|title=Stevie "KillCreek" Case Interview|url=http://dynamic3.gamespy.com/~dteam/article.php?sid=85|access-date=2019-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020420004142/http://dynamic3.gamespy.com/~dteam/article.php?sid=85|archive-date=2002-04-20|date=2002-01-25}}</ref> She also was credited on titles like Monkeystone's ''[[Red Faction (video game)|Red Faction]]'' port for the [[N-Gage (device)|N-Gage]].<ref name=":14">{{Cite web|url=http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=42652&tab=credits|title=Red Faction|website=AllGame|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141115071351/http://www.allgame.com/game.php?id=42652&tab=credits|archive-date=2014-11-15|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> After leaving Monkeystone Games, Case became a senior project manager for [[Warner Bros.]] Online's mobile group.<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Steinberg|first=Scott|date=Summer 2004|title=Love & Rockets - The stuff that makes girl gamers tick|magazine=Surge|issue=3|page=58|quote="All my fame came because I was female," admits Case, who now works as a senior project manager for Warner Bros. wireless division.}}</ref>

=== Sales and business development ===
According to Case, she decided at this point to slowly transition out of working in the game development industry, stating in an interview: <blockquote>There was a ton of harassment and hate and sexism and abuse. People would send me hate email all the time. ... The benefit of connecting with people was so drowned out by how bad it felt to be in the spotlight.<ref name=":7">{{Cite web|url=https://techiesproject.com/stevie-case/|title=Stevie Case|date=2016-02-23|website=techiesproject.com|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> </blockquote>Case recalled receiving the opportunity to leave game development when one of her contacts approached her about a potential junior sales position at his workplace.<ref name=":7" /> After leaving Warner Bros., Case was employed at [[Tira Wireless]] in sales and business development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.gamersintuition.com/article.php?t=interviewstevanacase|title=Interview: Stevana Case, gaming trendspotter|last=Wigandt|first=Rebecca|date=2009-05-06|website=Gamer's Intuition|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> Afterwards, she held a position with [[Spleak]] Media Network, where she was a director of product management.

In September 2008, she was vice president of business development and sales for [[fatfoogoo]], an online commerce company.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.fatfoogoo.com/2008/09/stevana-case-joins-fatfoogoo-executive-team/ |title=Stevana Case joins fatfoogoo executive team |publisher=fatfoogoo |date=September 30, 2008}}</ref><ref>{{Cite press release|title=Stevana Case appointment|url=https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/stevana-case-appointment-joins--in-game-commerce-ecosystem--provider-fatfoogoo|language=en|date=2008-10-01|access-date=2019-07-09|first1=Sarah|last1=Cardaun}}</ref> Case also served as Senior Director of Business Development at [[Live Gamer]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.engagedigital.com/blog/2010/01/19/live-gamer-hires-stevie-case/ |title=Live Gamer Hires Stevie Case |publisher=Engage Digital |first=Alicia |last=Ashby |date=January 19, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110815202907/http://www.engagedigital.com/blog/2010/01/19/live-gamer-hires-stevie-case/ |archive-date=August 15, 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/live-gamer-hires-stevie-case-for-business-development|title=Live Gamer Hires Stevie Case For Business Development|last=Caoili|first=Eric|date=2010-01-19|website=www.gamasutra.com|language=en|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> and joined [[PlaySpan]] in 2010 as [[vice president]] of sales.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/game-platforms/playspan-appoints-stevie-case-as-sales-vp|title=PlaySpan Appoints Stevie Case As Sales VP|last=Caoili|first=Eric|date=2010-08-31|website=Gamasutra|language=en|access-date=2019-07-09}}</ref> PlaySpan was acquired by [[Visa Inc.|Visa]] in 2011.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://techcrunch.com/2011/02/09/visa-buys-virtual-goods-monetization-platform-playspan-for-190-million-in-cash/ |title=Visa Buys Virtual Goods Monetization Platform PlaySpan For $190 Million In Cash |work=TechCrunch |date=February 9, 2011}}</ref>

On March 1, 2010, [[NewWorld]], the former parent company of the CPL, announced that it had signed a two-year agreement with Stevie Case for the production of a new podcast show called ''Stevie FTW''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.newworld.com/release03012010.php |title=Stevie Case Teams With NewWorld to Deliver Stevie FTW Podcast |publisher=NewWorld |date=March 1, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110816034307/http://www.newworld.com/release03012010.php |archive-date=August 16, 2011 }}</ref> According to the website's [[RSS]] feed, the last podcast was uploaded on March 11, 2011,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://feeds.feedburner.com/stevieftw|title=Stevie FTW Podcast|website=feeds.feedburner.com|type=RSS feed|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111004225657/http://feeds.feedburner.com/stevieftw|archive-date=2011-10-04|access-date=2019-07-11}}</ref> and the last social media update was on the same date.

After working as the vice president of growth at San Francisco-based startup [[Layer (company)|Layer]],<ref name=":7" /><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://layer.com/why-i-joined-layer/|title=Why I joined Layer|last=Case|first=Stevie|date=2014-07-23|website=Layer|language=en-US|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713051553/https://layer.com/why-i-joined-layer/|archive-date=2019-07-13|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> in 2022 Case became the Chief Revenue Officer at computer security firm Vanta.<ref>{{cite web|title=Stevie Case|url=http://www.linkedin.com/in/steviecase/|access-date=2023-08-03|website=LinkedIn}}</ref> She is also listed as a participant in SheEO, a nonprofit supporting the funding of [[female entrepreneurs]],<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://sheeo.world/activator/stevana-case/|title=Stevana Case|website=SheEO|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref> as well as the female investor group 37 Angels.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.37angels.com/angels|title=Angels|website=37 Angels|language=en-US|access-date=2019-07-12}}</ref>