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 Alex "machine" chilling on the bed wearing Beoplay Portal headphones

Changing the game

At home, anywhere: Alex ‘Machine’ Richardson

Together with Danish esports superteam Astralis, we’ve been examining the role that sound plays in optimising gaming performance. We linked up with Alex ‘Machine’ Richardson, tournament host and CS:GO royalty, to learn a little more about what it’s really like inside the competitive multiplayer scene.

From hotel to hotel

As a commentator on some of esports’ biggest events, Alex lives life in transition. He spends over 200 days on the road each year, travelling from hotel to hotel all around the world.

And when you’re in these temporary spaces for so much of your life, feeling grounded and connected to yourself and your own style is difficult. No matter though – with B&O’s on-the-go products, he can furnish with his favourite sounds no matter where he finds himself.

The perfect travel companion

It all starts with his Beoplay Portal headphones – they might be made for gaming, but with B&O hi-fi sound they’re as good for the airport as they are for the arena. Dolby Atmos is built-in, for a supreme surround sound experience that pinpoints exactly where enemy footsteps are coming from, and a virtual boom arm that amplifies your voice for the ultimate in call clarity. As a commentator, that’s especially useful.

  • Beoplay Portal
  • Alex wearing Beoplay portal

In the game, on the move

Beoplay Portal, like the rest of our over-ear headphone range, also include active noise cancellation. It’s great for finding your focus in online game lobbies, but Alex also uses it when hitting the streets in the cities he visits. When in a new city, he uses his spare time for photography – ”capturing small visuals that help me remember my day” – and blocking out the rest of the world helps him concentrate on his craft.

“When I feel like I’m presenting myself authentically, I can take on the world.”

Alex "Machine" Richardson

E-sports commentator

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