Cameron Boxer, or Cam, is an eighth grader at Sycamore Middle School with light brown hair, blue eyes, and an attractive yet forgettable face. Guided by his counselor, Mr. Fanshaw, Cam seeks a career that brings him “pleasure and satisfaction” (1). He decides that getting paid to play video games is the best way to achieve this goal. In Slacker, Cam aims to become a professional gamer. In Level 13, he shifts his career aspirations to becoming a gaming streamer.

Cam is a self-proclaimed slacker with a single-minded focus on video games. According to his friend Pavel, “He wasn't just a slacker; he was the slacker. For Cam, slacking was a symphony, and he was Mozart” (127). Cam's primary goal is to maximize his gaming time, and this desire drives all his actions. Despite this, Cam is a kind person who dislikes disappointing others. He demonstrates this during his stream when, despite being ill, he continues to be “lively and funny and yakking a mile a minute to keep [his] audience happy” (132).

The plot revolves around Cam's choices to create more time for gaming. As the president of the Positive Action Group (P.A.G.) demands much of Cam's time, he collaborates with his friends to distance himself from the club.