About
Oscar Pearce, known as "zi8gzag," is a professional GeoGuessr player and content creator from Adelaide, Australia. Born May 21, 2000, with dual Australian and Canadian citizenship (through his Canadian-born mother), Pearce has built a multi-platform media business around competitive geography gaming. His main YouTube channel has 309,000 subscribers, and his combined digital presence spans YouTube, Twitch, TikTok, Discord, and a merchandise store.
zi8gzag: From GeoGuessr Hobbyist to Full-Time Professional Competitor
Pearce's YouTube channel was created on November 11, 2011. Initially inspired by niche creators like GeoWizard, his interest became a career when he left his prior job to pursue GeoGuessr full-time. The dedication was extreme: he stated in an interview that in the year after the career change, he "probably played more [GeoGuessr] than anyone on Earth." This led to his first experience with burnout. Reddit community members noted a period of visible "grinding" that correlated directly with improved strategic depth and gameplay.
His training targeted specific weaknesses — US and India knowledge, plus "moving" gameplay, ironically hindered by what the community calls the "aussie internet." The goal was clear: becoming a top contender at the 2024 GeoGuessr World Cup.
zi8gzag Content: Competitive Gameplay, Expert Reactions, and Educational Breakdowns
Content is diversified across audience segments. The main channel features elite gameplay, collaborations, and challenges (including playing while wearing "drunk goggles"). A key pillar is reaction-style videos providing expert analysis on GeoGuessr attempts by mainstream creators — leveraging their search traffic while positioning him as the authoritative professional.
His "clickbait" thumbnails and titles are a frequent discussion point. Pearce has acknowledged the tactic, framing it as necessary to "play the game" of the YouTube algorithm. His video descriptions include a self-aware disclaimer: "Caution: The YouTube algorithm is designed to keep you on the site for as long as possible. It is intentionally addictive."
How zi8gzag Makes Money: Three Channels, Twitch, Merch, and Sponsorships
Three YouTube channels: @zi8gzag (309K subscribers, main), @geoguessr_explained (41.1K, educational), @zi8gzagclips-sk6oh (7.5K, short-form highlights). Plus Twitch Partner streaming (27.5K followers), TikTok (@zi8gzag, 45.9K followers, 1.6M likes), Discord for community, Instagram (@zi8gzagYT), and Patreon (patreon.com/zi8gzag).
Sponsorships include Glorious (PC peripherals), Western Union, and Saily (eSIM). Affiliate partnership with GeoGuessr for Pro subscriptions (code "zi8gzag"). Merchandise through 'oscar-p-shop' on Fourthwall — geography-themed designs including an "adelaide T," "sweden T," and "kyrgyzstan T." Listed postal address in Santa Monica, California, indicating US-based fulfillment from Australia.
zi8gzag's Key Collaboration: The @JackAndOscar Joint Channel
The most significant partnership is with Jack Massey Welsh ('JackSucksAtGeography'). Beyond dozens of crossover videos, they launched a co-owned channel, @JackAndOscar, in 2024 (53.8K subscribers). To reach broader gaming audiences, Pearce creates content reacting to the Sidemen and LazarBeam. Within the GeoGuessr community, he collaborates with @roman_nfkrz and @BarrBarrBinks1. Production credits go to PoisonedVFX (editing and channel banner) and Henry (profile picture).
zi8gzag: Community Respect and Clean Record
Pearce commands respect in the GeoGuessr community. Reddit threads ("Zi8gzag appreciation thread") praise his skill and content quality. One comment described him as perhaps the most "'complete' human being" among top pros. No major controversies found. He directs players to tools on miraclewhips.dev in his FAQ — he is a user of the community tool, not its creator.
In a Mindclickers podcast interview, Pearce detailed using "memory palaces" to memorize telephone codes and systematic post-game analysis to correct mistakes. He treats GeoGuessr as a "factual" game to be solved and his business as a system to be optimized.
zi8gzag Today
Oscar Pearce has built a multi-platform business around elite GeoGuessr performance — combining competitive gaming, content creation, education, and commerce. His dual citizenship, strategic mindset, and community standing position him as one of the most complete entrepreneurs in the niche esports creator space.