Dave Myers has been gaming since the days of the original PlayStation. Today, he plays on a PS5, streams to a growing TikTok community and is preparing to take on a 12-hour solo sim racing challenge in pursuit of a Guinness World Record.
However, the way Dave plays looks very different from that of most gamers.
Known online as iav1arm1leg, Dave is an adaptive gamer who lost an arm and a leg following a train accident in 2002. The accident affected many parts of his life, including a hobby he had loved from a young age. Continuing to game meant finding a completely new way to operate a controller.
Rather than walking away from gaming, Dave adapted it around his abilities.
He now plays using one arm while controlling several buttons with his mouth. He uses his lip for the R1 and R2 buttons, his tongue for the square, circle and triangle buttons, and the lower part of his lip to move the right analogue stick.
It is a technique that requires considerable coordination and can sometimes leave his mouth aching, but his enjoyment of gaming keeps him going.
“Although it may ache my mouth gaming, I still persevere and do it because it’s something that I massively enjoy,” he explains.
What began as a way for Dave to continue doing something he loved has since developed into a platform through which he can share his skills, connect with others and create new opportunities.
The Push That Took Dave From Gamer to Creator
Outside TikTok, Dave is a husband, father and full-time worker. Becoming a streamer was not necessarily part of his original plan.
It was his wife, children and friends who encouraged him to show more people how he plays. They recognised that the technique he had developed was something others would find interesting and potentially inspiring.
Their encouragement eventually pushed him to begin sharing his gaming online.
When Dave first went LIVE on TikTok, viewers were immediately curious. They wanted to understand how he controlled the game, which adaptations he used and how he had developed his approach.
Instead of avoiding those questions, Dave welcomed them.
“It’s been really nice welcoming my community within TikTok,” he says. “When I first went LIVE, people were quite fascinated in the way that I game, asking me all sorts of questions.”
His openness turned that initial curiosity into an opportunity for connection. Viewers could watch him play while also learning more about adaptive gaming directly from someone with lived experience.
Over time, Dave began building a welcoming community where people could ask honest questions, enjoy his content and get to know the personality behind the controller.
His platform also gives viewers with disabilities the chance to see an approach to gaming they may not have encountered before. Someone who believes gaming is no longer accessible to them may discover a different technique, piece of equipment or possibility through watching Dave.
When Dave’s Gaming Started Opening Bigger Doors
As Dave has continued sharing his content, opportunities have begun emerging beyond his regular TikTok streams. He has spoken with brands and received equipment and hardware to support his adaptive gaming.
He has also been invited to attend the SimGlobal Expo as a creator on 16 and 17 January 2027, where he will take part in a Q&A focused on adaptive gaming and sim racing.
The event will give Dave the opportunity to contribute to a wider conversation about accessibility in gaming while sharing the experience and techniques behind the content his audience sees online.
For Dave, the recognition is particularly meaningful because people are responding to more than the way he uses a controller. His personality, consistency and determination have also become central to the creator he is building himself into.
How GravitasQ Supports Dave as He Grows on TikTok LIVE
Joining GravitasQ has given Dave additional guidance as he continues growing his presence on TikTok LIVE.
He received training materials to help him better understand TikTok and the opportunities available through the platform. His account manager also keeps him updated about his diamonds, invites him to battle events and helps when he has questions about campaigns.
This guidance allows Dave to strengthen his knowledge of the platform while remaining focused on gaming and connecting with his audience. Participating in battles and campaigns also creates opportunities for his content to reach viewers who may not have come across his LIVEs before.
Next Up: 12 Hours, One Race and a World Record to Chase
Dave’s next goal will put both his skill and endurance to the test.
He is preparing to pursue a Guinness World Record by completing a 12-hour solo sim race. The attempt will be for the longest time spent sim racing using an adaptive wheel and pedal setup.
The challenge brings together Dave’s interest in sim racing and the persistence that has shaped the way he approaches gaming.
Completing a 12-hour race will require sustained concentration and physical endurance. It will also mark another significant step for someone who once had to rethink how he could continue gaming after losing an arm and a leg.
The record attempt may be a personal ambition, but it also has the potential to bring greater attention to adaptive gaming and the people finding their own ways to participate in it.
You Never Know What’s Out There: Encouraging Other Disabled Creators to Start
Dave’s advice to other people with disabilities who are considering streaming is not to rule themselves out before they begin. He encourages them to try, connect with others and remain open to where the experience might lead.
“The community can be nice, and you never know what’s out there or what opportunities may arise,” he says.
He also understands that creators may never fully realise who their content is reaching. Someone watching could be living with a similar disability and questioning whether they can still game. Seeing Dave play may give them the confidence to ask questions, explore different adaptations or begin creating content of their own.
Dave did not start gaming to become an example for others. He found a new way to play because gaming had been part of his life since childhood. Streaming simply gave him the opportunity to share that with more people.
Now, the approach he developed for himself is helping him build a community, earn recognition within the gaming space and work towards a world record. His story shows that creators do not need to hide what makes their experience different. Sharing it could be the very thing that helps them find their audience.