Genna Bain has just lost the love of her life. John ‘Totalbiscuit’ Bain, one of the most well-known gaming critics in the world, has passed away after battling cancer since 2014. He leaves behind his loving wife, Genna, and their son, Orion. He and Genna had already been through so much together, including barely being able to see each other for two years while they worked on visa issues. Here is what you need to know about Genna.
1. Genna & John Met in 2005 When He Was Covering Blizzcon, & She Once Said that Being with Him Was Sometimes Like Being a Hollywood Celebrity
Watching @StarCraft finals with my ❤ @Totalbiscuit.
He and Genna met in 2005 when he was covering Blizzcon. They kept in touch and got more and more serious over time. He finally took a chance on love, he wrote, and moved to the United States in 2007. Then they got married in the U.K.
“I was at the time of my life where I felt like taking risks and I was in a position to take them.”
It was a risk that paid off. They were still together and very much in love until the day he passed away. In the early years he couldn’t work in the U.S., he said, because he was on a visa-waiver program, but he could take care of Orion, bring in ad revenue through his website, and work on amateur broadcasting. For a time, he flew back and forth between the U.K. and the U.S. every three months in order to abide by U.S. visa law.
In a Reddit thread, she once said that being married to John was only difficult when they got death threats and constant scrutiny. She said she was notified almost every day that someone didn’t like her because of her husband. And when they go to events, she said, people were always asking for photos or signatures. But in Sweden, it was at an entirely different level.
“When we travel to Sweden, where we have the largest viewership density, everyone seems to know who he is,” she wrote. “It rivals on par with celebrities in Hollywood. Swedes, unlike the Hollywood paparazzi, are extremely polite and respectful, so it always makes visiting a fun experience.”
2. They Only Saw Each Other Twice in Two Years After They Were Married Because of Visa Issues
Aren’t we cute?
In 2011, John wrote a lengthy post on Team Liquid detailing why he and Genna had only seen each other twice in two years, and he hadn’t seen his son Orion since 2008. It was a troubling story about visa issues that included Bain’s being put into an immigration detention center before he was sent back to the U.K.
He had been following all relevant visa laws, he wrote, when he flew into Los Angeles for Blizzcon 2008. Blizzard wanted me there and paid for his flights, his hotel, and everything. But he was stopped at the airport by Homeland Security and was questioned for two hours. He said they kept asking him questions, wanting proof of his marriage to a U.S. citizen, and kept asking why he had entered through Mexico, although he had never done that and his passport proved it.
He wrote that his visa-waiver was revoked and despite fighting from the British Consulate and Blizzard, he was taken to a detention center in downtown LA, put in a cell, and then sent to the U.K. on the next flight home. “All the while with armed escort and cuffs,” he wrote.
Since he was sent back, he had been trying to raise funds to get back to the United States, despite Genna’s losing a job from the recession and his losing a job in 2010. He was finally able to start the process back up again, but it was incredibly frustrating, he wrote.
“Assuming all goes well, I should be back in the States by summer this year,” he wrote “I’ve seen my wife twice in the last 2 years, when we’ve been able to afford flights. Haven’t seen my kid (I say my kid, step-Dad, but still, you get the idea) since 2008. Well, that was a bit more soul-baring than I meant it to be, but I can’t be bothered to retype it now. There’s your answer.”
3. Genna Has a Son, Orion, That John Always Considered His Own Child
John didn’t use terms like “stepson” when it came to his beloved Orion. Yes, Orion was born to another man, but to John and Genna, Orion was his child.
Some people don’t know, my son’s name is Orion.
In 2011, he posted about his family and wrote about Orion: “Not mine, but might as well be, guy has never had an actual father, another long, fairly horrendous story…” While he was trying to work out Visa issues, he flew back and forth between the UK and the US because he wanted to be there for Orion, since there was no one to look after him while Genna worked.
Genna sometimes featured her son on YouTube videos like the one above. John once joked about how he wanted to be friends with the dad of one of his son’s friends:
Gen went to pick up Orion from a bday party. Finds the Dad 3d-printing a TIE Fighter while watching Game of Thrones. CAN WE BE FRIENDS?!
And Genna liked to share special moments between the family on social media, such as this cute card that Orion made for John in 2015:
So this is the card Orion made for @Totalbiscuit for Father’s Day. (Front) http://t.co/wYEI4Nit22
And sometimes they celebrated their birthdays together.
A belated birthday cake for @Totalbiscuit & Orion Bain by @jenbain88 it may have something to do with a computer game http://t.co/RYWDCxfGWI
4. She’s a Gamer, Voice Actress, Makeup Artist, & Tournament Organizer
There are too many video games coming out right now. There, I said it.
Brb… playing wolfenstein, assassin’s creed, south park, and shadow of war.
Genna introduced herself on Reddit five years ago in a discussion about Axiom, describing herself as “a gamer, voice actress, former podcaster, event makeup artist, SC2 tournament organizer, eSports agent and now a team owner. Many of you know me as the better half of TotalBiscuit.”
She wrote that she had voiced the Forsaken Archer and the Succubus in the game Heroes of Newerth. She also did many voices for World of Warcraft machinima films and radio advertisements. She has also voiced automated phone systems.
When asked who she would pick if she could have any Starcraft player in the world on her roster, she said Grubby. “Grubby. He has such an amazing personality and I feel that even over the course of a long career, he still strives to win every event. I admire his determination and his ability to handle himself as a professional. I remember being at BlizzCon when he proposed to Cassandra. Just an all around awesome guy.”
In the same thread, she said that she started out playing platform games, as many kids do with their first Nintendo.
“I had such limited resources in the way of a capable computer that I only played console games for a time of my adolescence,” she wrote. “When I did finally get a computer that would run games without making me rage, I got into playing Diablo II, Warcraft 3, Broodwar, CS 1.6 and Quake. Sadly enough, afterwards I spent 6 years playing WoW and rarely any other game due to raiding commitments.After achieving a number of world firsts and then seeing the direction of cough cough Disney cough cough I mean Blizzard/Activision, I decided it was time to move on. Since then and until now I play a little bit of everything. I like RPGs, FPS and strategy games mostly.”
She said that John helped her appreciate indie games more.
5. John Said He Would Be Delighted if Genna Took Over His Channel
Shut down @HakkasanLV tonight with @Totalbiscuit for @aboveandbeyond. Saw them live in Tokyo in 2002. Glad we are all still going strong.
When he announced his retirement, he said that the podcast Co-optional would be sticking around. The show would be shortened to two hours an episode. His wife Genna planned to take over the production and hosting role when he couldn’t. It’s not clear if she will still be doing that now that he’s gone, but John did say that he would be delighted if Genna took over his channels and assets.
“I’ve been encouraging her for years to create more content for Youtube, hopefully as we make a bunch of fun videos together over the next however-long, that confidence will grow.”
Rest in Peace my Dearest Love
John @Totalbiscuit Bain
July 8, 1984 – May 24, 2018
Genna has been by John’s side every step of the way during his treatment. She would sometimes share updates about him on Twitter, including the heartbreaking goodbye post above, along with moments of improvement, like the one below from 2017.
The day seems to be getting a bit better for @Totalbiscuit. I was able to take him for a short walk down the corridor. Still lots of pain. 🤕
Here are some other posts she has shared through their journey:
….aaaaand @Totalbiscuit has been admitted into the hospital once again. My dear husband has suffered cruelly today.
If I could have just one day this week where I don’t have to fight with a nurse, doctor, or hospital staff I would be soooooo happy. Which board certification ensures you know how to keep a schedule?
Too many professionals playing the blame game today.
As Genna deals with the loss of her best friend, it’s no doubt that her friends and loved ones, and her fans across the world, will provide comfort and words of encouragement.
Her cats and dogs will also likely provide some much-needed moments of levity.
This is Freya. She needs boops.
Boop accomplished.
Don’t ask…