Creator Spotlight - Jon Bardcore

The last 12 months have seen many more creators join our Partner Programme, and we make it our mission to make sure you get to meet as many of them of possible here in the Spotlight. This week the light is shining on an adventure seeker known for his mixture of educational content and mischievous antics, so join us as we sit down to talk with banana-cronching creator Jon Bardcore!

Interested in signing up to the Sea of Thieves Creator Crew? Find out more here.

[Q]: What was your introduction to the world of games?

[A]: So a little bit of backstory is required here. I am the oldest in the family and when my parents found out that they were going to have another child, they knew that a lot of their attention was going to be put on the newborn. So I, at a sprightly two-and-a-half years old, found myself messing around with a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES) they had gotten for me so that I wasn’t bored. You know, the one with the Super Mario Bros./Duck Hunt combo.

I’m betting they didn’t think that single decision would have led their son to pursue a career in gaming content creation, but… here we are!

[Q]: How did you become part of the Sea of Thieves community?

[A]: I remember when Sea of Thieves was first announced at E3 and I was enamoured with the idea of being a pirate sailing my own ship. I was always big into pirate games: Sid Meier’s Pirates! was a staple at my house for years, and before Sea of Thieves I was playing an MMORPG called Pirates of the Burning Sea.

But while those games had the setting, it was Sea of Thieves that immersed me into the spectacle of it all. I started playing it the first weekend after the work week when it was launched and, save for about an eight-month stint, haven’t put it down since. But it’s only been since I started creating content for the game that I’ve found how expansive the community truly is beyond just ‘the game’.

[Q]: How did creating content become your ‘thing’?

[A]: I’ve always loved to entertain and give a ‘wow’ experience to those I interact with. Before I dove headfirst into content creation, I spent about 10 years working for a major tech company and although my title was something boring like Sales Specialist, I considered myself a Tech Evangelist. My only concern was to make sure that any person I met that had the slightest interest in my product, or in technology, came away with a better understanding and something new they didn’t know before. It didn’t matter if they bought anything from me or not. If I could make them realize their own potential with this new knowledge, it was a win for me.

For me, creating content is very similar. I’m not trying to convince you I am THE BEST at playing this game. But if I can provide you with an experience that makes you go “Man, I didn’t know that. That’s awesome!” then I’ve done my job!

[Q]: How do you decide what kind of content to create?

[A]: It came down to what were my strengths and what niche was open in the Sea of Thieves content space. For example, when I say Sea of Thieves guides, you probably have a content creator or two already in mind. Same for high-intensity PvP battles. And same for sneaky stealth steal shenanigans.

And as I already mentioned, I know I’m not the best player in the game, so trying to convince people otherwise wouldn’t stand a chance. I’m in the official Sea of Thieves Discord, one wrong post or media share there and you’ll be torn to shreds! (I kid, I kid… maybe.)

So after a few videos getting comfortable, I started homing in on the spectacle of it all and within the first month landed a banger in eating 5,000 bananas! The rest is history.

[Q]: What are some of the challenges you’ve faced while creating content?

[A]: The Sea of Thieves sandbox is not a controlled environment. Sadly, contrary to what some may think, Partners do not have the ability to spawn Shrouded Ghosts at will, for example (I asked). Also, if you are looking to capture footage at a specific location, you can’t control things like weather or time of day. You may deal with potential interference if you’re recording in High Seas, and there’s always a pesky Hazelnutbeard that threatens to rear its head every now and again and potentially ruin a good run of footage.

And lastly, trying to co-ordinate schedules with fellow content creators and members of the community. Really hoping to turn that one around this year!

[Q]: What different channels do you have?

[A]: My YouTube channel is my primary channel for all things Jon Bardcore. I post long-form video and YT Shorts, and even livestream every Saturday. I am also on Twitch, primarily to support the SoT community there (and Drops, if I’m being 100% honest) so if you see a message come from twitch.tv/JonBardcore then you know it’s me! And lastly, I’m working hard trying to get a #SoTShot or #StyleOfThieves win over on Twitter. One day, one day!

[Q]: What’s been your most memorable Sea of Thieves moment so far?

[A]: I just recently held my one-year anniversary stream over on my YouTube channel, and to celebrate with my community, I DOUBLED my single-session banana-eating record from 5,000 to 10,000 bananas! It took seven-and-a-half hours to do and many viewers were there the entire time while we were just talking about the channel, sharing thoughts on Sea of Thieves and counting down the last bananas together. It was truly a moment I won’t forget.

[Q]: What do you enjoy most about the game now, and what are you looking forward to in future?

[A]: I love being able to launch a new session in High Seas and just see what happens. What sort of encounters will I have today? I also love shocking other people with my shenanigans. I once collected 170 chickens, put them on my Sloop and started trading them with other players, inviting them to the ship just to watch their reactions. It was GLORIOUS.

As far as what I’m looking forward to in the future, I’m really excited by the recent info coming out of the last podcast that emphasized a return to focusing on the Sea of Thieves sandbox. I’d LOVE to see both gameplay and technical enhancements that will allow it to flourish in the years to come. Because I’ll still be playing!

[Q]: What’s something you’re particularly proud of accomplishing in gaming?

[A]: My girlfriend has been the most supportive person in the world when it comes to my ambitions in gaming and content creation. But for the longest time, she didn’t understand the allure of it all. This is a person whose last attempt at gaming was Pokemon Snap. But this past summer we started watching a few other Sea of Thieves content creators as well as reviewing each video I made after it was posted. And now she’s fallen in love with it. She recently did her own keg stack to launch a Galleon in the air, just because! We even plan to sail on our own Captained Sloop, ‘Couples Therapy’. To me there’s no bigger accomplishment or reward than having your loved one’s support in what you’re doing.

[Q]: How did you come up with your channel name?

[A]: That was all my girlfriend. She’s worked in marketing for years and when I told her I loved telling stories and playing video games and needed a name and brand for the YouTube channel, she spent hours crafting different concepts and came back to me with a few top-tier options. Jon Bardcore just stuck out the most! She also is the person behind the graphics and logo for the channel. In fact, there may even be a bard costume she designed somewhere in the house, if I ever did decide to do a face reveal…

[Q]: What do you like to get up to when you’re not making videos?

[A]: I tend to read a lot of fiction. I’m SO CLOSE to completing my hardcover collection of the Dune universe books. My dream is to have a full-on antique study room in a home one day that I can just fill with all the different kinds of stories I’ve read and want to read. I also love reading historical perspectives from a macro level. Yes, I am probably thinking about the Roman Empire at least once a day.

[Q]: What advice would you give to a new content creator?

[A]: If there is a hole in the content space for Sea of Thieves, fill that hole! Want to show off how you are the best fisher of the seas? Or that you can talk your way into and out of anything? Then focus on that! If your content is just more PvP or more guides on how to make gold without interesting hooks, you’ll have a much harder time of it.

[Q]: What’s one thing you would advise a content creator not to do?

[A]: Don’t try and be ‘the next’ PhuzzyBond, Cliff The Story Guy, Captain Falcore etc. They’re all still here creating content. Go be the FIRST YOU! It’s okay to be influenced by and take inspiration from others. But mold it in your own image and put your own spin on it! You’ll find far more long-lasting success that way.

Now, keep in mind I’ve only been creating content for Sea of Thieves this past year so take my advice with a grain of salt!

[Q]: Could you give us one more random fact about yourself?

[A]: I am a coffee snob through and through. If I don’t have my coffee in the morning and it’s just right, then my day is already ruined (not really, but you get the idea). I love being able to try different coffees from around the world. My favorite right now is a Colombian Arabica, and I just bought a manual Conical Burr Coffee Grinder that’ll get me the exact grinding precision I need.

Another creator interrogated, another Spotlight done! Our thanks to Jon for taking the time to talk to us and we’re eagerly awaiting the outcome of whatever he gets up to in 2024. 20,000 bananas next?

Keep up with all the latest from Sea of Thieves by following us on our many social channels. You can also find previous Creator, Community and Legend Spotlights in our News section, catch the latest activity in our Community Hub and check out all our current Partners in the Sea of Thieves Partner Directory. Until next time!