The Official SMITE Magazine eSports Edition | Page 47

league addition, to getting the six teams from each region to abide to their seven week schedule, the league ran very smoothly, in my eyes, and I was very happy on how it turned out. Along with that, we had the Challenger Cup played simultaneously. The success story that Aquila brought to the table is something that I plan on telling any new team trying to get involved with the SMITE eSports scene. It takes a lot of preparation to rise to the top, but it goes to show anyone with true passion and dedication can make it happen. Next year is where things get really interesting. I feel like a lot of teams will start to mature throughout the beginning of 2015 and I will not be surprised if we start to see new names that we didn’t see throughout 2014. Where do you think eSports in SMITE is headed for the next season? You’ll hear much more about the 2015 season at the SMITE World Championship, but expect bigger and better things. With the expansion of SMITE in late 2014 and into 2015 What is the most surprising thing lights in the studio actually came on as well as seeing SMITE go to the that has happened in the history of to prepare for this. But to everyone’s Xbox, SMITE itself is only getting SMITE eSports, generally speaking? surprise, Aquila was not only able to bigger. We’ll see more regions getting The easy answer is the SMITE World stop the push, but they were able to involved with the eSports scene and I Championship prize pool. Seeing how push forward to get the Fire Giant and have no doubt in my mind that the next much the community has put into this then finish the game to take the series. World Championship will have a level prize pool through The Odyssey is just It was an incredible game of competition we haven’t seen before. amazing. I remember when we hit the to watch and the crowd was I’m extremely excited for the future 1 million dollar marker and we were going absolutely nuts. of our scene. And you should be too. all hyped about it. Now we’re less than a quarter million until we hit 2 million. What’s your most memorable How do you plan on relaxing That’s an absurd amount of cash haha. moment in the history of once this event is over? But one of the most surprising SMITE eSports? Ha. There’s no plans of that haha. moments in my eyes happened at Launching the SMITE Pro League But I’m actually okay with that. I really the EU Regional Championship. I (SPL) has to be one of my favorite do love every moment of my job. was admining the Cloud 9 HyperX vs moments in SMITE eSports. Bart and Immediately after the event, we will Aquila series and in this particular I have always talked about having start grinding out the items needed case, Game 2. Most of us know how a league for SMITE and when we for the 2015 season and get straight this game went, but Aquila was just finally got the go ahead to develop into the qualifiers. We can’t afford a couple of basic attacks away from one, you better bet we were excited. to lose the momentum we get out being eliminated from the Regional It took a lot of preparation from all of the SWC, so we’re going straight Championship. The press were ready angles but that did not stop us by into 2015 with a bang. Get excited! ■ to take pictures and video of Cloud any means. From working with the Written by Allison Jean 9 celebrating their victory and the web team to accommodate the new Contents • 47