Nick Plott

Early Life and Introduction to StarCraft

Nick Plott grew up in Kansas City, Kansas, alongside his younger brother Sean Plott, who would also become an esports commentator. The brothers first encountered StarCraft in 1998, purchasing a copy from a local video game store after hearing about its popularity. They played casually together, offering each other gameplay advice, but were limited by a slow home internet connection.

Their competitive drive was sparked during visits to a nearby internet cafe, where they faced older, more experienced players who defeated them and engaged in trash-talk. This experience motivated the brothers to improve their skills, though they never returned to that cafe. With the arrival of high-speed internet, they began playing competitively on Korean servers, entering and winning tournaments while still in high school.

Plott attended Regis University in Denver, studying philosophy and psychology and participating on the parliamentary debate team. However, his passion for StarCraft grew as he felt his academic studies did not allow him to incorporate the game. He played through both high school and college, eventually setting aside plans for law school or a philosophy PhD to pursue StarCraft full-time.

From Player to Accidental Commentator

Nick Plott's transition from player to commentator began unexpectedly at the World Cyber Games 2005 finals. After losing to his brother early in the tournament, he watched the remaining matches as a spectator. He became frustrated with the official commentator's handling of in-game details and requested to co-host the commentary. This impromptu performance was a success and led to offers for unpaid commentary work in Europe, Japan, and Singapore.

In his final semester of college, Plott received a career-defining invitation. The Korean broadcasting company GOM TV asked him to provide English commentary for competitive StarCraft: Brood War matches as part of their strategy to expand their international reach. Plott dropped out of college and moved to Seoul within a week, arriving in 2007.

His early days in Korea were challenging. He slept on friends' couches and took casting work where he could find it. This risky move did not guarantee a stable career, but it offered an opportunity. Plott became the first Western StarCraft commentator to establish himself in South Korea, the epicenter of professional Brood War. His early work included commentary for the Star Invitational, whose finals drew around 75,000 viewers, and three seasons of the Averatec-Intel Classic.

The Birth of Tastosis

As the launch of StarCraft II approached, Nick Plott, known as Tasteless, and another American commentator living in Seoul, Dan 'Artosis' Stemkoski, had each built significant individual followings. Commercial broadcast networks took notice, and the two began casting together. Their partnership became known by the portmanteau of their nicknames, Tastosis.

The two had known each other from their earlier competitive gaming careers but became close friends in Korea. Their casting dynamic was described as magical, stemming from complementary personalities. Plott brought a bold and sociable style to the booth, while Stemkoski provided encyclopedic knowledge and analytical depth. They prepared separately, with Stemkoski constantly watching matches and Plott studying commentary from non-traditional sports and major StarCraft news.

Together, they wove team histories and strategic analysis into their commentary. Plott has said that Tastosis's nuanced readings of player tactics and their possible outcomes served as a gateway for bringing new audiences into StarCraft. Recognizing their audience ranged from ages 15 to 32, they intentionally incorporated humor into their broadcasts. A crowdfunded documentary about their careers, Sons of StarCraft, was released in 2014.

A Defining Voice in Major Tournaments

As Tastosis, Nick Plott and Dan Stemkoski became the premier English casting duo for some of the biggest StarCraft II events in the world. They provided commentary for the Global StarCraft II League (GSL), the premier Korean league. Their event portfolio expanded globally, including the 2012 StarCraft II World Championship Series finals for Europe, Australia, Oceania, and the UK.

They were also featured at major international tournaments like DreamHack Winter 2011, IGN Pro League Season Two, and multiple Major League Gaming events including the 2012 Spring Arena, Raleigh, and the 2011 Orlando championship. In 2012, Plott was among the first group of talent to sign with the esports agency eSports Management Group, formalizing his status as a top-tier professional.

The enduring legacy of Tastosis was even acknowledged within the game itself. A StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm Easter egg featured two in-game characters named after the casters. When AfreecaTV revived professional Brood War competition with the AfreecaTV Starleague in 2016, both Plott and Stemkoski returned as the English commentators. In 2017, Plott joined his brother and Stemkoski to host an event celebrating the release of StarCraft Remastered.

Life in Korea and Personal Pursuits

Nick Plott's move to Korea fulfilled a childhood dream. He told the Korea Times that since he was little, he had always wanted to come to Korea because it was the birthplace of professional StarCraft tournaments. He has made Seoul his long-term home, deeply embedding himself in the culture that fostered the game he loves.

In his free time, Plott regularly streams StarCraft gameplay on his Twitch channel, where he typically plays as the Protoss race. As of early 2026, his channel had amassed over 73,000 followers. His connection to the real-time strategy genre extends to his family. His mother works for Frost Giant Studios, a company founded by veteran RTS developers that produced the game Stormgate.

Plott's journey from a college debater in Kansas to a foundational figure in Korean esports broadcasting is a story of passion and opportunity. By betting on himself and moving across the world, he helped bridge the gap between Korea's intense professional StarCraft scene and a growing global audience, shaping how the game was presented and enjoyed for over a decade.