Game on for James

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James – TBC consent


VCE student, James, has recently headed overseas for six weeks to train and compete in two international gaming competitions.

James plays for an Australian team that competes in international tournaments for a specific tactical and team game. His team is currently ranked equal first in Australia and 40th in the world.

James explains that the team needs to compete overseas because there is often a general slowdown in lag when they play international teams from Australia. Moreover, the tournaments are hosted in massive arenas that often seat around 10,000 people.

The first competition James will play in is the Dallas Intel Extreme Masters. This will be followed by a week’s training in Germany and another tournament in Sweden. The final six teams will have their games livestreamed.

The team aspect of gaming is a huge drawcard for James.

‘I enjoy collaborating with my team mates to adapt strategies for different teams. I also learn a lot from my team mates,’ he said.

James has clocked up around 10,000 hours to play at this elite level.

Acknowledging the huge role of VSV teachers in helping James balance school with gaming, James describes his teachers as “super helpful” and says he values the weekly check-ins with them.

‘It means a lot to me that my teachers help me pursue my gaming dreams and education at the same time,’ he said.

Photo from HECCU

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