View source for Kat Gunn

{{short description|American professional esports player, cosplayer and television personality (born  1988)}}
{{About|the American gamer|the British whistleblower|Katharine Gun}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2018}}
{{Infobox eSports player
| ID            = Mystik
| name          = Katherine Gunn
| image         = Mystik at 2007 CGS.jpg
| caption       = Gunn in 2007
| nickname      = Kat
| birth_date    = {{Birth date and age|1988|04|20}}
| birth_place   = [[Van Nuys, California]], U.S.
| role          =
| league        = ''[[Dead or Alive 4]]'': [[Championship Gaming Series]], [[WCG Ultimate Gamer]]
| games         = {{Unbulleted list|''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]''|''[[Hearthstone]]''|''[[H1Z1: Just Survive]]''|''[[Halo (series)|Halo]]''|''[[Super Puzzle Fighter II Turbo]]''}}
}}

'''Katherine Gunn''' (born April 20, 1988), also known by her online alias '''Mystik''', is an American [[esports]] player, [[cosplay]]er and [[television personality]]. She won the second season of [[WCG Ultimate Gamer]] in 2010 and also competed in the [[Championship Gaming Series]].

Gunn is featured in the [[Guinness World Records Gamer's Edition|Guinness World Records 2016 Gamer's Edition]] for being the highest-earning female gamer.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/2015/9/record-holder-profile-video-kat-gun-the-highest-earning-female-gamer-394866|title=Record Holder Profile Video: Kat Gunn – the highest-earning female gamer|last=Lynch|first=Kevin|date=September 2, 2015|website=[[Guinness World Records]]|accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref> The book states Gunn has earned $122,000 since 2007. However, when her earnings from the 2007 and 2008 seasons of the Championship Gaming Series are factored into her income, Gunn's earnings jump to over $160,000 since 2007, as her salary alone was a minimum of $30,000 per year during the CGS.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.ign.com/articles/2007/05/23/championship-gaming-series-home-teams|title=Championship Gaming Series Home Teams|last=Hatfield|first=Daemon|date=May 23, 2007|website=[[IGN]]|publisher=[[IGN Entertainment]]|accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref>

== Early life ==
Gunn was born on April 20, 1988, in [[Van Nuys]], California.<ref name="Gunn">{{cite web |title=Kat Gunn -- About |url=https://www.katgunn.com/ |website=Kat Gunn Official Website |access-date=May 8, 2021}}</ref>

== Career ==
Gunn was part of the female gaming clan [[PMS Clan]], but it didn't last long due to creative differences. Gunn attended the [[World Cyber Games 2006]] National Finals in [[Las Vegas]], [[Nevada]]. Gunn took the opportunity to network with the WCG executives and work her way into the competitive ''[[Dead or Alive (franchise)|Dead or Alive]]'' scene. The following year Gunn attended the inaugural [[Championship Gaming Series]] Region 1 Combine in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/championship-gaming-series-north-america-draft-sets-the-stage-for-the-2008-season-56864012.html |title=Championship Gaming Series North America Draft Sets The Stage For The 2008 Season |date=March 10, 2008 |website=[[PR Newswire]] |publisher=[[PR Newswire Association]] |accessdate=April 14, 2016}}</ref> Shortly after, she was drafted in the third round of the [[2007 Championship Gaming Series draft]] by the [[Carolina Core]] as the 18th selection, competing in ''[[Dead or Alive 4]]''. Her team would go on to take second place at the World Finals, losing only to the [[Chicago Chimera]].{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Gunn stayed with the Carolina Core for a second season. The team lost to the [[Birmingham Salvo]] in the semi-final round of the World Finals.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

In 2010, Gunn auditioned for the second and final season of the ''[[WCG Ultimate Gamer]]'' [[reality television]] show.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://techland.time.com/2010/10/08/and-the-winner-of-wcg-ultimate-gamer-2-is/ |title=And The Winner of WCG Ultimate Gamer 2 Is… |last=Castillo |first=Michelle |date=October 8, 2010 |magazine=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |publisher=[[Time Inc.]] |access-date=April 14, 2016}}</ref> She was targeted early by the other contestants due to her abnormally high gamer score. She won the season and $100,000, becoming the final winner of the show as it was not renewed for a third season.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

She made an appearance at the fourth [[IGN Pro League]] (IPL) tournament in Las Vegas and made a few contacts, which led to an opportunity to commentate on the initial round of the "I'm a Fighter" World Championship at the [[2012 Electronic Entertainment Expo]].{{citation needed|date=May 2021}} While most enjoyed Gunn's commentary, she was not pleased with her overall knowledge of the unreleased ''[[Dead or Alive 5]]'' and began studying the game. Gunn is featured in the credits of ''Dead or Alive 5'' because of her IPL contributions.<ref>{{cite book |last=Dawson |first=Bryan |date=2012 |title=Dead or Alive 5 Prima Official Game Guide |publisher=[[Prima Games]] |page=336 |isbn=978-0307895905}}</ref> She continued to work for the IPL until IGN closed down the league in April 2013.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

Gunn also created the professional gaming and cosplay team, Less Than 3 (LT3). The team was sponsored by [[Mad Catz]] and featured notable cosplayers such as [[Jessica Nigri]] and [[Linda Le]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://madcatz.com/mad-catz-announces-partnership-with-less-than-three/ |title=Mad Catz Announces Partnership with Less Than Three! |date=February 14, 2013 |website=[[Mad Catz]] |publisher=[[Mad Catz Interactive]] |accessdate=April 14, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160509135023/http://madcatz.com/mad-catz-announces-partnership-with-less-than-three/ |archive-date=May 9, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> While the team was sponsored by Mad Catz, they also attended [[Anime Expo]], [[Penny Arcade Expo|PAX Prime]] and many other events for [[Sentai Filmworks]].{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

At present Gunn streams almost daily on [[Twitch (service)|Twitch]]. She frequently streams with her sister or father. In addition, Gunn continues to travel to events, such as [[BlizzCon]], as a brand ambassador for [[Gigabyte Technology|Gigabyte]], [[Newegg]] and other companies.{{citation needed|date=May 2021}}

On October 16, 2015, Gunn began hosting GamerChix, Newegg's weekly YouTube show, with her co-host, Hailey Bright.<ref name=gamerchixkatgunn>{{cite web |title=GamerChix Ep.1 : Game Like a Pro – Newegg TV | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDqRG7KkZ_8 |accessdate=October 16, 2015}}{{cbignore}}{{Dead Youtube links|date=February 2022}}</ref> The show is produced by [[Tom "Tsquared" Taylor]] of [[G4 (U.S. TV channel)|G4]] fame and airs every Friday. She is also featured on a weekly Newegg live stream known as Game with Newegg.<ref name=gamerwithneweggkatgunn>{{cite web |title=Game with Newegg – Halo 5: Guardians Campaign | website=[[YouTube]] |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IXEBuhb2KgY  |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/IXEBuhb2KgY |archive-date=2021-12-21 |url-status=live|accessdate=October 16, 2015}}{{cbignore}}</ref>

== Filmography ==
=== Television ===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Year
! Title
! Network
! scope="col" class="unsortable" | {{abbr|Refs.|References}}
|-
| 2007–2008
| ''[[Championship Gaming Series]]''
| [[DirecTV]]
|<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last= |date=2019-06-03 |title=Pro Female Gamer Kat Gunn Puts Equality at the Center of Her Focus |url=https://www.educationandcareernews.com/women-in-gaming/pro-female-gamer-kat-gunn-puts-equality-at-the-center-of-her-focus/ |access-date=2024-09-28 |website=Education and Career News |language=en-US}}</ref>
|-
| 2010
| ''[[WCG Ultimate Gamer]]''
| [[Syfy]]
|<ref name=":0" />
|}


== See also ==
* [[List of cosplayers]]

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
* {{Twitch}}
* {{IMDb name}}

{{Fighting game community}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Gunn, Kat}}
[[Category:1988 births]]
[[Category:American esports players]]
[[Category:Cosplayers]]
[[Category:Dignitas (esports) players]]
[[Category:Female models from California]]
[[Category:Dead or Alive players]]
[[Category:American gaming YouTubers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Women esports players]]
[[Category:World Cyber Games]]
[[Category:American Twitch (service) streamers]]
[[Category:21st-century American women]]
[[Category:YouTubers from Los Angeles]]