The Genius Behind AOE2's Greatest Tournament

Hidden Cup is not your usual Esport tournament, and yet it gathers more people than any other tournament, including $500.000 Redbull Wololo Legacy! Let's dive into Age Of Empires II history and get to know Tristan T90Official Berry, the content genius behind the event.
T90 has also announced Hidden Cup V very recently, and while it sparked the idea for this video, I did not receive any payment or compensation for making this video.
I hope you enjoy the video! Feel free to react to the video, but be warned you might face a copyright from the music library I use. To avoid this, please sent me a message on twitter @TiramisEdits and I'll happily clear your video.
Sources:
‪@T90Official‬ :
Exclusive interview as well as content from:
- KZbin: / @t90official
- Twitch: / t90official
‪@NiliAoE2‬ :
• NAC 4 - Main Event
‪@armchairsaurus‬ :
• Rating the Logic of Ao...
‪@ThatGuanfranco‬ :
• Interviewing Age of Em...
‪@MembTV_‬ :
• AoE2 [KotD] Grand Fina...
• KOTD5
‪@redbullgaming‬ :
www.youtube.co...
‪@GLAgeOfEmpires‬ :
• Town Center - AoE Podc...
As well as:
/ @parsaw
/ @elbanovictv
/ @mikeempires
/ @failofempires
escharts.com/
liquipedia.net...
And footage recorded by myself during RBWLegacy, The Grand Melee & NACIV.
Oh and if you're wondering about the poster in my background, they're not real, they're AI generated. But would you be interested in buying one? If yes, comment "I want one" and I'll know what you mean.
My twitter: / tiramisedits
My twitch: / tiramis31

[@viniciusbonatto3943]

I feel like these videos on the history and lore of our game are very important and entertaining, both to newcomers and veterans enjoying the game.

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you so much! That's exactly my goal 👌

[@TaToHAoE]

Insane video, you're creating higher and higher expectations Tiramis

[@Tiramis_]

Oh boy! Now I have to keep doing better 11 Thanks Tatitoh

[@AEGISAOE]

tatohhhhhhh

[@udanamethmal6632]

It's exactly as you said, T90 converted me from a once in a while youtube watcher, to a hooked aoe 2 content watcher, then to a aoe 2 player, then to a twitch regular, then to a die hard aoe fan. This dude is like Jesus.

[@daveaoe]

I like the idea that you have a framed picture of him on your wall lmao

[@AEGISAOE]

dave and t90 best team

[@pascetti3206]

The picture changes with each frame dave.

[@gerberna]

This lore and history of the competitive scene are a great way of entering the scene. Thanks Tiramis!

[@Tiramis_]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@didierrenard9572]

I've been watching T90 for so long, yet you managed to show some of his faces that I didn't know about. This is a huge acknowledgement on all of his efforts over the years to the AoE II scene. And I'm thrilled that, while some people believe that the scene is smaller and/or fading away... we all of a sudden have these excellent documentary videos that came out of the blue. Thanks for all your great work on putting all together and pushing AoE even further, showing everyone that it's still on its peak. Wish you great success so we can enjoy more of your content!

[@Tiramis_]

I'm glad I was able to give you a better understanding of who T90 is! Thank you for the kind words, very much appreciated :)

[@ar1sm70]

SotL and T90 brought me back to the game after I saw that DE was released and looked up some tips and by the time Hidden Cup 3 was hosted a few months later I was hooked in the scene! Still here and having fun, really looking forward to a new Hidden Cup, it's been too long :)

[@Tiramis_]

Same here! Looking forward to HC5!

[@AgeofNoob]

Man I sure hope you get the subs and views you deserve, because your two videos so far have been amazing. Such a treat to watch, especially for those of us who have been around for quite some time. The digging of past clips and the craft of making this video is not unnoticed. Hope you continue Tiramis!

[@noahevans4510]

Miss you Age of Noob! 😢

[@paweborkowski6959]

Miss you.

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you so much Age Of Noob! I must say, the quality of videos you've put out have inspired me to do my best. I hope you're doing well, the Age community will remember you!

[@HermesGO3]

You're on track for becoming one of the best aoe2 youtube channel. It's a long road but if you keep this level of quality, it'll work out for sure. And it's fantastic for attracting and keeping new players too. Thanks a lot.

[@taylorshain12]

Agreed! Looking forward to more of his work.

[@Tiramis_]

Wow thank you! For now my goal is to enjoy making videos, and I'm very thankfull you guys enjoy watching them too! Let's see what the future holds :)

[@mygoodnessmyguiness]

What's incredible to me is how a tournament that hides the pros names does the best job at getting you familiar with them. Hidden cup encourages you to engage with play styles in a way that no tournament does and, as a consequence, lifts the visibility of its stars. It's awesome and I love it more than any other. Great video! Would love to see more!

[@Naccarat]

Amazing video. You definitely captures why T90 is a real special guy and one of the reasons the game is as popular as it is nowadays.

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you so much! He definitely played a big part in why we are all here today

[@metalcooore]

I think one of the big reasons HC has had such high average viewer counts is that once you start watching it and get hooked on the guessing game of who's who, you don't want to miss out on any set because you don't want to miss any clues on who the players are.

[@naveendennis]

Never a better time to drop the video with Hidden Cup 5 just around the corner! Totally hyped for HC5!

[@Tiramis_]

🥸

[@amonoceros]

I've barely watched Hidden Cup, mostly because it feels like watching a sport where I don't know any of the teams, and then have to spend all my time trying to remember who's who. But clearly that's not how other people experience it, and it excites me that we'll get another one of these, because it's always great news when AoE2 viewership numbers are high, because that means support for the game is high. And maybe this year I'll get into it like I've reliably gotten into every NAC.

[@Tiramis_]

NAC and HC are such different experiences it's true!

[@ApexShay]

Insanely hyped for hidden cup 5 as a casual player and watcher. Love T90 and hope he sees this and knows that not only he is cherished by everyone but also that he is the sole factor of why AoE2 is followed and loved by many players. Thank you for this amazing video

[@user-dd4bq4yr1g]

These videos are way too good! AOE2 missed this till now

[@Tiramis_]

More to come! Thank you for the kind words!

[@matthewfunk6658]

These are really pro-level videos Tiramis, but even better, they tell a wonderful story. Very enjoyable, thanks!

[@Tiramis_]

I appreciate the kind words, thank you! :)

[@iwestez]

Dude you are a great storyteller. This is great quality right here. I played AoE2 demo for 10min decades ago, and I don't intend to ever play it, yet T90 got me into watching it by his magic casting. And you just captured his magic with this very entertaining, well paced, balanced and in rhytm edited mini movie

[@Tiramis_]

Wow thank you man! That's really appreciated

[@denbompa]

Awesome video just like your previous one. I learned a lot new things. I'm fairly new to watching the tournaments so it was a nice catchup!

[@fangrie_]

I've never been too much into Hidden Cup, but now after your documentary I'm hyped for the next edition 😅 I believe T90 will get at least 10k extra viewers on YT regarding his amount of subscribers. Even Nili had >8k sometimes during NAC regardless being a much smaller channel.

[@Tiramis_]

Looking at NACV's KZbin numbers makes me think HC5's KZbin numbers could even go up to 20k! Im glad you enjoyed the video 👌

[@Tsskyx]

I've never watched Hidden Cup before, because I didn't understand what it was. Was it just him casting some faraway, unknown, brand-sponsored event, completely detached from the actual community and featuring players that I've never even heard of? Was it even intended for an audience like me? ... Well, now I understand, and I'll definitely tune in this year. Thanks a lot for the video!

[@Tiramis_]

Oh wow I had no idea Hidden Cup could be confusing for some people! I am glad to have cleared that up for you :)

[@gletscherminze9372]

Hidden Cup 3 is what brought me to following the pro scene. The format got me curious. At first I had no idea of what is going on, but when Hidden Cup 4 arrived, I was already able to notice some playstyle aspects of a few players and felt great about it. And now Im really looking foward to HC5. My most memorable experience in all of aoe2 is the 'go up to imp!!!' cast of a qualifier with T90 and Mbl. Also this video is very interesting. The viewer numbers and the evolution of the format is something I didnt really know much about until now.

[@divaldosilva7789]

Crazy the quality of this video!!! Great work Tiramis!!!

[@theodentherenewed4785]

This video is so good at building the excitement for Hidden Cup 5. I watched every previous event and I feel like my interest in AoE2 dimished a bit since I re-discovered the game in 2016. After watching this, I'm convinced that I need to be there and Hidden Cup 5 will be peak entertainment again. I think that T90 has always had it in himself to grow big, I watched him back in 2016, when he would do community games. And sometimes, not much happens in those games, when every player waits to make a move. T90 has the ability to carry the show just with his narrative. He has viewers that watch the stream for him, rather than the game itself.

[@Southeast_Asian_Devil]

T90 deserves a medal. As a caster, he's very natural and gifted. This is his calling. He sparks a renewed interest in the old game for everyone. The Hidden Cup series is a masterpiece.

[@kathreune]

This is so well done!! I also wanted to add that T90's success supports convenience for the game and the casters in particular - Capture Age for example. He always wants to optimize every part of it, and that's what makes him unique.

[@stuartmacaulay5761]

Great video 😄 I love the level of detail and analysis you put into the aoe history and why it matters!

[@Xandalfo]

Thanks for the high quality AoE content, we all appreciate it! I certainly love videos that are not just gameplay. I first thought it would be a Video about Nili & NAC, so maybe that would be a logical next one? A homage to Nili, as he contributed sooo much to aoe & the scene. Maybe also some history about Tyrant clan / Team Secret/GL, how it all developed? Or, what we're all craving for, a video about the Lord!

[@Tiramis_]

I definitely plan to make a full on video about Nili's story, and I have talked to him about the idea. But that'll be a long one, and I want it to be perfect! So it might take a while 11

[@taylankammer]

Getting randomly recommended a T90 video by KZbin made me really get into watching AoE2 content and even made me buy DE and start to play some ranked. :D He's so incredible at what he does. I'd say he does have some sort of talent, in addition to the obvious dedication and hard work, and that talent is: being such a pleasant, wholesome person to listen to.

[@OytheGreat]

I've been watching T90 for many years, but this gave me new found respect for him. An excellent analysis Tiramis(u)! Really happy you started creating your own content, because so far it's been excellent and refreshing.

[@Rob-ct4xp]

Another incredible video Tiramis! Honestly I think the AOE2 scheme has been missing out on well-produced documentary-style videos for a long time. As a fan these are a joy to watch but I hope they do attract an external audience too (for your sake!). Keep at it please!

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you! Let's hope we can reach outside of the sphere ;)

[@GSymtv]

Excellent video - this has kickstarted the hype for Hidden Cup for me. BIG TIME. Loved all the back story and the explanation of how it got to where it is now.

[@dominiklangewiesche3648]

I started to watch and play AOE2 DE because of T90. His Videos have been all I needed, to look into this game after so long time, I'm 37 now and played this game back in 1999, when it first came out. I wouldn't even have noticed, that DE was coming out, if I did not have a commented T90 Game in my KZbin Feed. Thank you T90, you're a legend. Just continue on being great, and yourself, and you have me watching

[@domhusk2962]

Hey Tiramis, I'm sure you've heard this a lot, but your content is just fantastic! Love your viper videos, and the fact that you have over 2k subscribers after just 2 videos shows that you, like T90, are doing an amazing job. Looking forward to watching more of your stuff!

[@Tiramis_]

Never hurts to hear it once more! Thank you so much, I appreciate it

[@stiggyla]

Hell yeah Tiramis! Love this content please please keep it coming theres so many stories in this community that have not been told, the production is insane

[@sebbsebb9570]

Tiramis, you are a gift for the community. Thank you so much for starting your own videos!

[@Tiramis_]

Aw thank you so much! I appreciate the kind words!

[@Tiberium10332]

T90 is really the face for AoE 2 for me. His love and passion for the game is insane and I would say that his work is a huge part of where AoE is today. I'm really grateful for his work and his content and wish him the best in life.

[@Icklemonk]

I hope you don't mind, but I've used this video to convince two very casual aoe2 friends of mine to go full out and come to T90s watch party with me. Thanks for giving me a social life. (Genuinely brilliant video explaining some key stuff in the history and the great content going on in this community).

[@Tiramis_]

That's exactly what's it for! Thank you for sharing and thanks for the kind words :)

[@ThorB0]

Used to play AoE2 as a child and it is HC4 that got me back into the game. The hype was crazy watching the tournament with my friends! Great topic, thank you for the video! And also thanks to you Tristan for being so wholesome! ❤

[@Tiramis_]

Thanks for the kind words! :)

[@chavzone]

Great video dude, this must have taken a lot of time to put together! Definitely gonna be tuning in to Hidden Cup 5

[@mingelcoac]

You are giving us the videos we didn't even knew we needed. Great work!

[@AnmolAgnihotri-ob1pn]

T90 has played a huge part in making this game and the whole AOE communnity so big. Can confirm that I am re-introduced to the game by him.

[@Walkop]

Hidden Cup definitely falls into S-Tier - just like this video. Absolutely incredible.

[@esdalan7922]

Great job collecting, summarizing and presenting all the information. Thanks a lot!

[@Tiramis_]

My pleasure! Thank you for the kind words 😍

[@blackgoku2023]

Wow.Your channel is growing tiramis. This video have already more views than the first one and still T90 can react on it. The amount of digging you do for the clip is insane bro. Take love

[@paweborkowski6959]

I guess viewers come to watch HCs not only due to HC itself but mainly because of T90's personality, positivity, goofiness, and the synergy of all the above. I haven't watched Nili daily but I believe that even though his idea and execution of NACs were great, much fewer people came to his stream for Nili himself (tho I may be wrong, I mean no harm). I, for instance, sometimes found myself not watching the game itself (while cleaning or taking care of my kids), focusing on the parts where T90 revealed new info on himself or shared a story (I was there when he announced he had a gf, when his house was attacked by a raccoon or when he had no bedroom bc he might have not been planned :p). It's stuff like that, the humility and being approachable, that engage people.

[@joshsa4935]

Great video Tiramis. Well done for capturing how hard working Tristan is, I've been watching since 2015 and seen the amount of dedication. Gonna watch every minute of Hidden Cup V. That is for sure!

[@raizan5946]

The viper sends his regards. No, but really watched his video reaction first - had to come, your videos are great Tiramis and you deserve the actuall view and comment. I like your speech by the way, but the way you take the best of the best and summarize it so well is your biggest strength in my book. Subscribed.

[@b-art7685]

Yoo Tiramis, once again great job! What a honourable analysis of T90 and Hidden cup. Was great meeting you at NAC

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you so much! Was great to meet you too ;)

[@landonthys69]

love your content so far keep up the amazing work!

[@Tiramis_]

Thanks, will do!

[@gruntgg]

You're a great story teller, Tiramis. Those documentary style videos you are making are really well thought, recorded and edited and it shows. Not only are they interesting for the AoE2 community but I think can also help outsiders get an interest and even join the community. Keep up the good work, sir!

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you! As I keep going, I'll try to make my videos as interesting as possible for outsiders!

[@tjard1990]

Really really really amazing quality! Well done and keep 'em coming!

[@abhishek-kc2bb]

Another amazing one Tiramis. Thanks a lot for these videos that cover the history. And the quality on these!! Very happy to have an amazing channel for AOE.

[@MrTheQuestioner]

2 amazing Aoe documentaries and now I’m hyped to see what else you create! You’ve earned my sub

[@TG-YT]

Have to be honest, i watched both of your vids on vipers channel so far... But you've definitely earned my subscription! Keep up the good work, and next time around I'll get the notification from your channel!

[@TheGahta]

T90 did the same for my enjoyment of aoe what husky did for me and sc2, no intention of playing it again but loving the enthusiasm and commitment Nice vid, learned a bunch 😊🎉

[@VinnCon]

amazing video man! a random t90 video about a persian douche on my timeline brought me into the scene, and then hidden cup 2 kept me here! looking forward to the new one coming soon

[@Lenrigas]

Amazing video, great production and quality. Keep it up! I am already looking forward to another video

[@madbun1312]

got back into AOE2 just before HC2. Watching the next few years form around this game has been incredible. Tiramis, these video are great please keep making them. Whatever your brain is telling you, listen, cos is this top content. cheers heaps pal!

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you so much! :D

[@Terensful]

You catched my attention with the Viper Event as someone following the scene myself for a long time is it nice to see all those nice clips and informations combined. While newer ones may lack that knowledge. So huge thank you, for making them! The Community thrives of people like you!

[@kyotokid]

Hoping its a another fun tournament and a big hit for T90 and the community

[@robbylava]

Exceptional piece of documentary work right here, kind of reminds me of some of the stuff you can see in the Smash Bros scene. Take a well earned subscription, I can't wait to see where you go with this content! And thanks for briefly spotlighting one of my vids as well heheheh

[@scythro_9995]

Great video, loved the presentation and style of it. Keep up the good work!

[@antonfilimonov9131]

Thank you for this work. I dare you to screen this but Tiramises channel is about to blow up.

[@csquaredgaming]

The quality of your videos is super high! Holy, thank you for this lovely recap on the lore of Hidden Cup tournament and the legend behind it's creation.

[@nimanoe]

Great job, hyped for Hidden Cup V!

[@AEGISAOE]

kappa. havent seen u in a long bay on utube

[@muratturan6951]

Thanks for the video. I can see T90's eyes welling up watching this, such a wholesome guy.

[@Tiramis_]

I hope he watches it! :)

[@felixkohler9001]

GG wp Tiramis, keep the good work up!

[@bjornlepisto1716]

Another boon of hidden cup that I found when watching it was that it opened my eyes to for me lesser known players when you were impressed by their plays. When players got "Viper confirmed" you got curious to "who is this guy" when it turned out to be someone completely else!

[@justTyping]

There is one thing about comparing the numbers of average viewers when compaing HC IV with the Wololo events: HC IV was one weekend while the Wololo tournaments run also on weekdays and 3 and 4 had the lower price pool. This is just to give a better understanding of the meaning of the numbers. Nothing to take away from T90 achivement.

[@NomadUniverse]

I've only been following the AoE2 online scene since i got back into the game myself a couple of years ago and I'm still getting to know all these players. I've learned just about everything I've learned so far from just watching T90's uploads. But i recognised The Viper quickwalling.

[@AEGISAOE]

t90's community games were the best for learning stuff. fr

[@Tiramis_]

I'm glad you chose to watch my video! Hopefully you'll learn a thing or two with my future uploads ;)

[@I_enjoy_some_things]

Yay Hidden Cup :D These are the kinds of videos that have the chance of going viral (into the multiple millions of views). All it takes it one lucky one, and Age of Empires 2 needs this. If people can watch things to learn about the history of the game during the “Dark & Feudal Ages” (before DE I guess), that’ll be huge.

[@paweborkowski6959]

T90 has been very lucky but no one can say his success isn't deserved. He invested in a game when it was struggling so now it's natural he gains when the game achieves peak interest.

[@SonnyB5000]

Amazing video Tiramis! Keep up the amazing work!

[@MatthewKirchhof]

Ugh i love these videos man, keep them coming! Top quality

[@ericrose5877]

The edit is crazyyy good job bro

[@BramVanroy]

Impressive work, Tiramis! We're very lucky to have you in our community to shed a historical and behind the scenes perspective on the community. At the end I was sure that this must have been a commission for T90 but your description mentions that you did not get any compensation. It's incredible that you made this content just for the betterment of the community spirit. Kudos, to you, sir. Well done!

[@Tiramis_]

I did anticipate some people thinking that this would be a commission, but this is my true honest opinion on the matter! I'm glad you were curious enough to check out the description, thanks! :)

[@goncal7099]

Hey, after 18 hours this video has more views already than the previous one. It's obvious that the channel is growing after the first amazing video, so congrats! I also think that having Aoe2 in the title (or having it in the thumbnail) helps the algorithm. If I wasn't in the community yet and suddenly I saw a video talking about the aoe2 GOAT I would for sure click (After all these years, is there a GOAT for aoe2!? I would think to myself). Otherwise, I probably wouldn't know what the video is about. Not sure if this make sense but hopefully helps these videos go viral!

[@Tiramis_]

Good input! I try to put AgeOfEmpires II in the description and tags, but maybe it helps in the title too!

[@armchairsaurus]

Haven't watched it yet (will do right after work) but thanks already for the tagging me:) and on a different note...releasing a well produced NAC recap video each night after being there the whole day until late...Bro you dont sleep??!

[@Tiramis_]

It's a grind for sure 11 But I did manage to sleep at least 7h per night, so it's not as bad as it might seem :D

[@the_witchdoctor]

HC 2 was the first big tournament in AoE2 which I watched live. In a way, it was my introduction to Twitch as a platform as well. I had seen a bit of T90 youtube prior to that, and played the game in highschool, so I had a general sense of the scene/pros, but HC truly bought out my passion for it. Nowadays I play or watch AoE2 content practically daily.

[@gregor9921]

Video starts with one of my top 5 games of all times, I'm already sold 😂👍 Nice meme with Olli Kahn

[@Tiramis_]

I gotta give credit when credit is due, that meme is from Hardy (T90's video editor)!

[@MeDrusK]

Superb video ! I was expecting mention of Capture Age, as that was a big thing for the tournament and the scene too

[@Tiramis_]

Good point! I should have mentionned it indeed!

[@IIIshadYIII]

Thank you for your videos! Amazing job! Can't wait to see more :)

[@Chesties]

Hidden Cup truly embodies Aoe2 in so many ways. such a great tournament, im glad its back again!

[@paweborkowski6959]

Great format, Tiramis. Keep it up.

[@rovsea-3761]

Tiramis you are excellent at editing and writing for these videos (as well anybody that may have helped you). I just watched a 17 minute video and it felt like I watched a 5 minute video. That's not because the pacing was bad or anything like that, but exactly the opposite. Excellent pacing, well edited, researched, and engrossing content that is both informative and entertaining. You've really set a standard in your first 2 videos that's on par with anybody else out there, even outside the AoE2 scene, and I can only applaud your efforts.

[@Tiramis_]

Wow thank you so much the kind words! You give me motivation to continue and do better everytime!

[@hugos1568]

Another high quality video, thanks ! This will be the first Hidden Cup I will watch, I will look with attention ;)

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you for the kind words! :)

[@stryker5573]

Tiramis - loved your first vid, even as a huge Vipey fan, and this was a fantastic video as well. Hope you keep adding more in the future.

[@Tiramis_]

I surely will! Thank you for the support!

[@Deceqtion]

Great video! You really improved from the last one 💪

[@16vSciroccoboi]

Incredible quality, great entertainment. You're killing it. Question though ... unrelated, when are you going to start sneaking "the voice" back into vipers videos?

[@Tiramis_]

11 that's a proper age fan right there! Thank you for the kind words :)

[@Gnalistair]

I think also worth mentioning, and this is quite subjective i know, but as a competitive aoe fan who started watching around the time of the first hidden cup, the actual games in HC haven't been as good as the best from other tournaments (especially finals). It's to T90's great credit as an entertainer that it hasn't stopped the success

[@footsy420]

Thanks, another beautiful video. It made me love t90 even more.

[@newb_master]

Hey! Was nice to meet you at the meet. Great video again. :)

[@Tiramis_]

Hey! Thank you so much! ;)

[@matthewcoldrick8049]

Another awesome documentary. I can't wait for what you'll cover next!

[@Tiramis_]

Glad you enjoyed it! I have multiple options, let's see ;)

[@nomcognom2332]

I'm hyped now for the Hidden Cup V xD

[@niki8280]

Awesome video of AoE2's best and greatest caster! I hope you do a video of the old players whose history we may no longer know much of maybe collectively or primarily featuring DauT.

[@tantegreta]

I'm so hyped for HC5, great video TIramis!

[@RobotSantaClaus]

You only have 2 videos and they’re this well made!? You’re going to be huge

[@Tiramis_]

Thank you for good wishes! Let's see where it goes ;)

[@Spicy_wiener]

The timing on that hot tub clip was legendary

[@Muzlibuck]

Awesome work man! Looking forward a lot to more of this as well as hidden cup now!