What is Smurfing? The Weird Story Behind Online Gaming's Secret Accounts

If you've ever played a competitive game online, you've probably encountered someone in match-making who is a little too good to be playing within your rank. Well, chances are high that you've just been dunked on by a smurf account. But where did these annoying pests come from? And when did people start "smurfing"? Well it all started in 1996…

Written & Hosted by: Josh Bury (@ThrownGauntlet)
Shot & Edited by: Miles Hackett (@MilesHackett)
Illustrated animations by: Christian Pearson (@Chr_Pearson)
Closed-captioning by: Sebastien Martin-Schultz

Footage, Audio and Image credits:

All Footage and Image properties of The Smurfs courtesy of Hanna-Barbera Productions
60 Minutes of Smurfs • The Best of th...

All visual properties of Warcraft II & Overwatch courtesy of Blizzard Entertainment

ScreaM smurfing clip
HILARIOUS UNLUCKY SAVE! SCREAM INSANE...
Courtesy: Twitch.tv/ScreaM

A Day in The Life of a CS:GO Smurf!
Day in The Life of a CS:GO Smurf!
Courtesy: MojoOnPC

IDDQD Smurfing footage
Iddqd 600SR to GrandMaster Challenge ...
Courtesy: Twitch.tv/iddqd

Celine Dion - It's all Coming Back To Me Now
Video
Courtesy: Epic-Columbia Records

Toronto Promo
Toronto, Canada Promo (1996)
Courtesy: City of Toronto

Men's 100m Final Atlanta Olympics 1996
Video
Courtesy: CBC

Boy Meets World Intro Season 4
Boy meets world season 4 theme song
Courtesy: ABC

NBA Hangtime (1996) Gameplay (Sega Genesis/Mega Drive)
NBA Hangtime (1996) Gameplay (Sega Ge...
Courtesy: MfaRec

Independence Day clip
Independence Day (1/5) Movie CLIP - T...
Courtesy: 20th Century Fox

Black Street - No Diggity
Independence Day (1/5) Movie CLIP - T...
Courtesy: Interscope

Seinfeld Soup Nazi clip
Independence Day (1/5) Movie CLIP - T...
Courtesy: NBC Studios

Spice Girls - Wannabe
Spice Girls - Wannabe (Official Music...
Courtesy: Virgin Records

Kazaam clip
Kazaam - Trailer
Courtesy: Touchstone Pictures

Bill Clinton Victory Speech
President Clinton at the 1996 Victory...
Courtesy: William J Clinton Presidential Library

Mission Impossible clip
Mission: Impossible (1996) - Close Ca...
Courtesy: Paramount Pictures

Hollywood Hogan WCW intro
Mission: Impossible (1996) - Close Ca...
Courtesy: WWE

QuakeWorld 1996 footage
QuakeWorld Launch Event - 1996
Courtesy: Nick Breckon

Nintendo64 Commercial
Nintendo "N 64 Gaming System" Commerc...
Courtesy: Nintendo

First DVD Sale in Japan
Video
Courtesy: Global SciTech

Warcraft II Trailer
Warcraft II Trailer (Blizzard's First...
Courtesy: Blizzard Entertainment

All Warcraft 2 Gameplay Footage courtesy of FrostbittenWarcraft:
@frostbittenwarcraft

Dungeon Keeper One footage
Dungeon Keeper One (1) Gold Multiplay...
Courtesy: Grass Hopper

Geoff Fraizer of Blizzard interviewed on CBS
Video
Courtesy: CBS

500 Days of Summer spit-take
The Ultimate Movie Spit-Take Mashup
Courtesy: Dune Entertainment

Austin Powers Radar Jokes
watch


Music used under license from Associated Production Music LLC (”APM”).

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