E: 21- TheOneSaiyan- Professional Halo Athlete & Content Creator

spk_0:   0:01
Good morning and welcome to the bonified experience. Podcasts on my name's Kyle and I hope you guys are having a fantastic week. We made it to the hump Today's hump day. You know I have Ah, I have someone very special that that's gonna be on the show today. His name is Tommy, The one saying we're saying as many ah, as many people know him. He is a halo professional overall standup guy. Ah, quick little side story. I went to dream hag Dallas last year, and when I was watching the middle of the halo tournament, I saw I saw Tommy there with his girlfriend and I felt really awkward. I wanted to ask him for a picture, but actually Loki, wait until his girlfriend got up to go to the bathroom and literally, once she left the isle, slid right over to take a picture with him. Um, one of the most humble dudes I've ever met in my entire life in the pro scene. T tell you should I haven't met a whole lot, but, um, this two sets of are really high, and I couldn't be more honored to have him on. We discuss a lot of really good topics. We go, we go really in depth. Guys, if you haven't already elected, subscribe to the podcast. I suggest you go ahead and do it. Now, This is a phenomenal episode, and I can't wait for you to hear it. Good afternoon, Tommy. How you doing today?

spk_1:   1:31
I'm doing pretty good. How much?

spk_0:   1:34
You know, um, I woke up about an hour and 1/2 ago, Um, and it's starting to Ah, you know, Pandemic start to get to me a little bit, but it's, uh it's a good day. I was up late playing Halo last night.

spk_1:   1:45
Yeah, same for may say for me. And hopefully some more, uh, dog bark and you can't be helped. Yeah. Routine. Go to bed, Lee. Wake up. Late game. That's Ah, it's battling it. And it comes down to, you know? Yep.

spk_0:   2:06
It's ah. I think it's a good time for gamers as well, because it's Ah, this is only we're already used to, you know? Yeah,

spk_1:   2:12
100%. It's been very easy transition.

spk_0:   2:14
I will say, though, you know, as much as as Muchas it is, it's easy for me to almost kind of self isolate in to do this. There is that aspect where it's like, you know, I do miss going out in public and like giving my friend's a hug and, like, you know, it just it's there. There is an element where as nice as it is, you know, sometimes it starts to get to me.

spk_1:   2:32
Yeah, there's still just those, like, singular moments because obviously for us, it's like I'm not going out constantly butts like, um, one or two moments that I'm one or two moments that I am not going out anymore. Now it's it's it's rough because I'd like to go the gym. I'd like to get someone she liked. The just like to be out here and there throughout the day a couple times, but now I can't do that. So it's not too much of a change, but just the lack of it. It's unfortunate, but listen, doing okay? Staying safe, staying healthy,

spk_0:   3:04
advance Really all we can do men. So thanks for thanks for Ah, thanks for accepting Invite to Come on, man. It's a It's a pleasure to have you. It's Ah, this is your honestly the first pro player. I guess active, you know, pro player that I've had on the on the podcast. So, um, welcome in and glad to have you pleasure always love talking. Yeah, I think this is like the 1 to 1 environment. It's like we we duel of our concept. We do all of our things and we but, like, you know, I find it the most. The most meaningful interactions are like some of these, like, real intimate, like 121 environments where it's like we're not talking about like we're not, like, focused on improving our skill. We're not focused on anything else, but just like having a conversation and sharing opinions,

spk_1:   3:42
it's good to have these sort of pocket. And I mean, that's why podcast style, like interviews and talks are just getting so popular is like, you just kind of get another people involvement. I think that's ah, it's very important to a lot of people.

spk_0:   3:55
It is. It is, man. People want another person behind the controller, you know, exactly awesome. And so it's a question. I always start off with my guest to kind of keep this young man. So today, you know, on April 18th 2020 What do you want to be when you grow up?

spk_1:   4:11
Ah, I mean, I'm kind of doing what I want to do now. I never really knew exactly what I wanted to do when I was younger. Ah always had that idea because I was in school doing well in school. I might become a doctor. Might. There's something like that to keep going through. Ah, maybe the science classes, something like that Medical. I wasn't too sure. And then just this past year, I changed my major university to marketing. So I figured like I'm doing what I really enjoy. I'm gaming and I'm making money off of it. So why not kind of make my career around what I enjoy and what I'm doing? So I figured I could take a degree in to, ah, like the organization. Maybe if I go far enough toe, go 2343 or go to some other big gaming studio after I'm done competing. But the time being just have something sort of complimentary to that. So it's not really Ah, I wouldn't say it's a very certain thing. Maybe. Ah ah, marketing team. That's my major. So marketing and for some organizations and gaming organization in the future, But I'll try and compete and do as long as I can.

spk_0:   5:16
Awesome, man, that's that's cool. You bring up, you bring up a good point. It's one thing that I've always noticed about, you know, as young as the sports scene and consecration scene is there. What I've been noticing is that there's, you know, a lot of people just have a singular focus, like it's like it's just the game. You're like, it's just the competition or it's just, you know, there's one avenue And you know one thing that I've always You know, one thing I've seen a few people do is like, Okay, cool. We have this game. But what happens after that? Yeah, it's it's it's how do we? It's like, How do we spread that? How do we grow beyond that? How do we incorporate different styles? Are different learnings into what we're doing to help strengthen that, I guess Personal brand, if you will. You know, um and that's cool. You're doing that cause it goes to show that it's like it's not like it is all about, like Halo is the thing, but it's, you know, howto I market that. How do I get more reach howto I, you know, make this better. How do I help other companies? How do I help people get discovered? You know, um,

spk_1:   6:06
absolutely. And I will say that I've noticed, even at least in the not as competitive. It's still very competitive. Ah, nature of like a to b to competition. I had back in September and I wasn't in school because I was still trying to figure out what sort of major I wanted the move into. I notice that I had all my free time, just a stream, make content, try and just play the game. And I felt like I was even at my best then, compared to even when I was competing and four g force, which I found very interesting. But I guess it's just like I had all that time. I just devote all my brainpower, all my timeto, just one thing which I think can be very beneficial. But it's not really I think long term, the best idea. I think I still need to be like at the time I was so streaming, so that was good. So I wasn't just playing the game off off stream, just playing just to play. But I was still screaming and making you two videos and doing all that and then go to competitions. Um, but I think I especially like the future of Infinite. I don't know if I'd said this like publicly, but I think I already had on my streams a few times, and I've already had this sort of set my mind that, like, one's infinite drops, I'm not gonna be doing any school, at least for the first, like semester to semester is just so I can really focus and hit the game hard, because obviously I want to win. And I think, ah, to be at the very peak, like the absolute peak, I probably any player, not just me. I think you probably need to have cleared like sheer devotion to what you d'oh like one goal in mind, One set thing. I'll probably always still absolutely be screaming and making content, but like school wise, I think it just taxes me. And I think it would do the same for anybody as if like there's a pro player who also works an actual second job and like they're going to that every day. It it takes a toll, and I've played with players who do that, and it's obvious, like if they just didn't have to have that extra layer to it, they would be so much better because they could just the vote that extra few hours a day, the guy over film or just plain matchmaking or just shoot their guns or whatever it WAAS. And so I think it's very important to have, like, these contingency plans to have sort of backups for long term. Um, it's just about, like, sort of scheduling, cause I'm definitely gonna still keep going to school. But it's just a matter of when I sort of execute on it and give myself the right and proper timeto like focus on competing or content. When

spk_0:   8:26
you bring up a couple of good points, you know, you bring a couple, and I think in the beginning, you know, we all we all came to this. We'll have a common bonds like we all started like, especially with the game that we both love Halo like it's, there's there's this level of nostalgia that, like even people that don't play Halo today. They like people. Remember land parties back in the day with, like, you know, forget, you know, like 16 player, you know, blood gold maps and is like there's, you know, I think there's a time and all of our lives where it's like, you know, when we're kids and when we're growing up, you know, that is all we have to D'oh! You know, And it's there's a certain there's a beauty in that, you know. But I think that you also bring up another good point that, like there's nothing linear about this journey, you know you like, you don't have to finish school at a certain time to be successful, to be okay. You know, it's it's recognizing where the attentions at and taking advantage of that, especially given the platform that you've already built for yourself and seizing that moment. And it's like, Look, it's like I'm not giving up on school. It's like I'm not putting it on the you know. It's just it's just going on the back burner for Mike for like, a year or two. You know, it's exactly is being able to shift priorities towards like if I need to devote, you know my time to just one thing. I can do that and know that it's not so absolute. You know, CEO, of

spk_1:   9:38
course. Yeah, I think that's very important. Whether it's even about my sort of plans for myself or does anything in general just having an absolute mindset, I think is very dangerous and very, um, sort of. It just leads that linear mind set. It leads toe not being flexible enoughto sort of adapt. So I think it's important to recognize opportunity. It's like infinite launch, huge opportunity, at least in myself. In particular. A lot of other people like I'm I was already at the top for Halo five at the end of it of making content. I've been tryingto stay consistent for these past literal two years, roughly, um, so I got to make sure that I follow through at the perfect time because like this, that for any game that drops new game that drops like the beginning is so big and hopefully it's remains big. But it's just such a huge explosion right when it lands. So that's why in my eyes it's like I want this degree I want to be educated and have something in my back pocket for the future. But that is still my future. And what I really plan on right now is to be the best player, one of the best content creators. Aiken B. And I read that to be my focus towards the end of this year. So that's why I'm closing out the semester right now in this next week. And then throughout this summer, I'm gonna be making Honza content screaming, just like how it was last year. Start out with hopefully of flights in the next few months. Hopefully and hopefully there's no delays so that we can just get right into the holiday season and just stream and grind and then have competitions back up in the next Ah, the next year.

spk_0:   11:20
Yeah, you bring up a fantastic point and you know what your internet like. One thing I've heard since we've been just, you know, in the 10 minutes that we've been chatting is that it's even though you are, you are competitive and you do wanna compete and you want to be the best like you've put the heaviest emphasis on content. You know, and it's like like everything like EA Sports has come. Second, there's been probably about like five or six times were used like yep, content, content, content, content. Why is it so important?

spk_1:   11:44
Yeah, continents so important. Just because I feel like Halo, even though like Halo is always big, it's never big all the time. And obviously, just like I've said this a few times now with any game that he gave this with a game that still something with a low with any game, it's gonna die down a little bit when new things come out over time and lose the hype. Lose players. But content people like people, are unique and, like they have their own spin on things. They have their personalities, and it's like when you have just the gameplay and nothing else like that's when new things take control of people's like mind and bring them to them. Naturally, they're going to want to play something new when they've been playing the same like Hill five for five years, they're not. They're gonna wanna play Valerie now, or they're not gonna play whatever else that's new or Apex, and that's why I like That's just gonna happens. A new wave. Well, if you have the same players who enjoy that game, Um, and they still wanna make content. It's like there is another layer. Another reason to come back to like hell if I, for example, that's why I see, like I've seen the best numbers, even though it's the low numbers. Like the best numbers for Hello, five viewership on twitch Ah, in a while with like 6 708 100 viewers, it's like I mean, last year I was streaming probably just me, and I saw, like, maybe 200 max 300 max if I was screaming. And so it's like it's doubling. Tripling now because I've seen Snake by renegade. Ah, few other smaller streamers. For example, Lady Kenna And who else? Complexion precedents are all people, like smaller communities that are now becoming not so small. And so it's because, like they've been consistent, they had their personalities. They have their niche group and like that can keep growing. And that's what haloed needs. Um, obviously everyone the conversation always rolls back into, well, three for three that through further this yes, they have had their issues. They've made their mistakes and they've been they've been just put on the stake for and like they've been pounded down by everybody myself included many, many times. But that does not relieve us of, like our duty as like a community as like the small percentage that are privileged enough to like make money playing to, like, do our part to make make it more enjoyable for everybody else's experience as well. Try and be very open minded and critical and just keep people coming back and try and like, develop that height because I feel like that's one thing to that. Ah makes it hard for pro players to really get any sort of input. Any sort of backing, just from a broader community other than just the players and people that watch them compete is like they didn't have their own sort of community. There is no like thousands of players that watch me that agree with my opinion or can hear me out and say, like, Well, these settings are not so good because of this, and it's like there's no broader community coming together to say yeah, these these need to be This needs to be changed. For this reason, I will say at the beginning, Hail of five. There was a lot of that. It was so big, so high. And they're still bunch of pro players, a bunch of the community outside like all right, we shouldn't have a radar. We shouldn't have an a r. And that was when three for three. They're not listening. They really weren't doing too much toe. Sort of make it cohesive. Ah, agreement between the players and themselves. They just kind of did what they wanted. And so then the community itself drops off, And so that's why I just creating that sense of community is so important for so many different reasons. And that's just where content creation flourishes for Halo and it needs to. And I've been saying it slowly develop this past year, and hopefully it will continue even further and infinite. Yeah,

spk_0:   15:22
I'm yeah, yeah, it's exactly And it's, you know, I can't you know, I'm not as nerdy and Takada's I am inhaled, but I know that there was a rough spot in cod, you know, And then, like, it was people like scum. Pit was people like optic. You know, these groups like Optic that were constantly just pumping out content. Yet even through some of the times where the developers didn't have the best game or the community wasn't the best or, you know if they hit a rough spot or whatever the case may be, they just went through a learning experience. It was, you know, accounting accountability is a two way street. It's, you know, the the the developers and the public, like three for three, is just as accountable is content. Creators are like theirs. It's not that, you know, it's one side, and I think that's where not only just in we consume at a halo for just a moment, but like that's a lot of where you know a lot of problems happen in just in society is that people think accountabilities of One way Street, and no one wants to take accountability for their own actions. You know, it's it creates this rift. It's like, Well, if we're constantly hounding three for three, well, it's like what's you know? I guess what like what are we doing to basically strengthen our argument? If we're just sitting here complaining and not doing our part, you know exactly. Then why would they listen? You know, it's it takes two and you can look at one being above or below the other. But the reality is we're all people, and everyone has a role to play in making this thing halo That's bigger than ourselves. You know, a reality in, in my opinion, bring back a second wave of nostalgia is that way. This generation can experience a very similar feeling that we did growing up with this game.

spk_1:   16:52
Exactly. And there's this is a whole relationship, a literal relationship between the people of the community and the developers. And just if you think of relationship as a 1 to 1, you and your significant other you think about it as if you were to actually be telling your significant other. You're terrible because of this. This and this. I want you to do this this way, and you're not making any sort of sort of ah adjustments or Acknowledgments of your own lack ings. It's like that makes it so much worse and so much more toxic of a relationship. And no one on the receiving end is gonna want to Just listen to that and say, You know what? You're right. I'm terrible like and that, like I said, it goes. It's still wonder one. Even though it's a much larger group, it's one group to one group, and when due for three, is hearing all this toxic things. And obviously there's still some very levelheaded criticism among it. But when the majority of it is, you are terrible because of this and you're ruining Halo and Baba Baba blah. It's It's natural for that to happen, but you need to have and accountability of self. And that's where I think, Um, we're recently I've been trying to make that note of us as the people that play these games, and I think people have noticed that. And that's why it's like I I made note of just the viewership of On Twitch for Halo five, even though that's not perfect. Um, example of like, Oh, this game, Mister, we're starting to better. It's not the end all be all, but it's something and that little something can flourish if we just keep it that way and keep growing off of it and just sort of understand that we are, in fact, in a relationship with number three. Yeah,

spk_0:   18:29
yeah. Um, and I think that anything is, you know, any progress forward is progress forward, and we haven't had that for the longest time. So I'm I'm right there with you when I see some of these moves that are being made by three for three, you know, whether it's the partnership esteem, whether it's announcing your PC altogether and whether it's the constant flight updates and the just what, regardless of the opinion, I think that's to me. I think that's the most important thing and people are gonna like. You know, I'm grateful to have the awareness and a lot of friends that hold me accountable to where they can kind of take me down a few notches when I get full of myself. But I think you know, when I when I see a lot of this, sometimes I'll judge. Actually, a lot of times they will. But it's what I forget is that not a lot of people have those type of people in their lives, and they're just going based off what they feel is right. You know when it's it's what a cool thing to be able to make a difference in to be able to bring that different perspective where it's like I have those people that hold me accountable. I have those people that can help keep me level headed to provide, like a sensible argument That's not just rage filled with Moshe, you know? Yeah. And, uh, exactly the

spk_1:   19:30
last thing we need And this goes just beyond Halo is just instant like response. You don't need an instant response off knee jerk reaction of emotion. That's usually where the worst of people e. I mean, sometimes the best of people. But I'd say more typically the worst of people come out and they become very ill with hate. They fill themselves with hatred because of something that they do not like, where something that just seems off. And it's like you do not understand the intention of people a lot of times because they say what they say. But then you need to ask, Why do you say this? Why do you feel this way? And that's why I think the sort of transparency from three for three is very important, and what they've been working on and hopefully keep going on, is to sort of have that. We're doing this because of this. We're not able to do this because of this and blah, blah blah. They need to have a very open not we're doing this and not say anything else. That's when people get angry and then people get angry, and then they say what they say 2343 and then it just kind of is a visit. It's a vicious cycle at that point. So, um, I think that's when people on both sides need to step up and recognize that they have a role to play three for three years to recognize, like they need to be very open. They can't just say something and leave it at that. They need to have more depth to it when they explain why they are doing something or why they're not doing something in some specific way. And then people on the receiving end of this information need to think, Why are they doing? Even if they don't say, like, that's the sort of point I'm trying to get, as even if they don't give us that depth. Sometimes I think it's important for people to not just fly off the hinge and just freak out like they need to think. Well, is there some reason why What I'm saying I don't like is actually occurring, and I think that's just the most important thing I said. It goes back to being a relationship. Yeah,

spk_0:   21:19
it's having heads having empathy like we don't we don't understand what it's like to be a developer. At least most people don't know a publisher or what what it takes to make a company thrive and succeed. And, you know, they a CZ Muchas like a cz Muchas. They made mistakes like they weren't the original maker of this game. You know, it's every company's got a learning curve, and I you know I'm gonna go off like, slightly off topic but is relevant. But it's the same thing with the Star Wars franchise. You know, like when Disney took over, it took them a while to find their groove. You know, if they're gonna mess it in, like as a Star Wars fan, like you know, like it's, it's it's upsetting to watch some of that happened and like there's things I don't agree with. But, you know, they're fun to me. They're finally starting to find their rhythm. And I think 34 threes, experiencing the same thing when you've taken over a dynasty, essentially, that people know and love and I just passionate to no end about, you know, it's you're gonna receive a lot of this because you just don't know what you're doing.

spk_1:   22:08
Yeah, I mean, I thought about this. Ah, I don't know when, but I thought about it a few times. Um, like 343 came in during Reach 2010 on G. Basically, hands over Halo reach 2343 and they move on the destiny or whatever. And then that's 2010 2012 2 years later, there's a brand new Halo brand new, and obviously it is what it is. I don't like Halo four, but they're like two years usually, like why wasn't there a three year cycle? At that point? I'm not sure I can remember exactly why. Maybe there's some reasons I'm ignorant to, And then not even two years again, 2014 the Master Chief collection is released, which another two year cycle for an entire collection of every single halo on one title on the X original X Box one. It's like they're taking on these like I it's ridiculous these projects that they're getting in the time that they were getting and then Halo five. At that point you had the two year cycle going from Halo four to MCC, and then one year later, for some ungodly reason, we get Halo five. So it's like they must have had split different teams. But, like, why is there a studio working on two completely giant projects? If that is the case on to just like they're both, like titans in their own Rome and they're so important to people. It's like we have this collection of all the halo games you love and it turns out completely broken. You can play it for like, the first month. All right, well, now you're gonna have Halo five. All right, Well, it's a new halo game now. Everyone's hype, and then now it's like, Well, you have Master Chief collection. That was all classic. Everything everybody loved Broken. You release a low five a year later in a very desolate state with just matchmaking, just like competitive and then, like war zone, pretty much with no like social aspects to it. No forage and theater. I don't know if it was in there originally, but may be broken. And then on top of that, it takes them like a year to even get all those things. Add it in. The Halo five has support in charge, ground pound and things just completely new to the franchise that seems very like out of left field. You know, we've had, like, spartan abilities and, like equipment from Halo three to Halo Reach. It's like they've had these really small time frames. They've had these crazy, sweeping ideas to just change halo up, and it's like there is no. It's no surprise that people are so, uh confused with Halo on an upset, and I think it's important to understand where they're coming from. Um, an aspect of like they took on all this responsibility. But then on the same end, like they, they allowed all these things that just kind of go by with, especially like Halo five, where it's like, I don't know if they had an extra year to the game. It may be just more time to develop it that we would have seen like ground pound spartan chargin. We probably would have had, like the infection, the grift ball, the social things that everyone loves and forge in Halo five and full package. And everyone would have been a lot more people still enjoying the game from the from the get go. Now they've had five years with infinite, and it's like I and they've had all these years of people just pounding on them and they finally start to recognize their role. And then hopefully now is the community were starting to recognize our role. It's like this should be the perfect storm as long as it's execute properly, and it's very unfortunate with what's going on the world. But aside from those factors, just from the sense of the history we've had this past decade, like they should be ready with this game, I

spk_0:   25:38
think they've learned a lot. I yeah, their actions so that they have learned a lot, so it's it's it's a good moment. Um, and I like I you know, again, I think people choose to tend to see excuse me, the negative side and things in the just like what's still going on. But a lot of people fail to recognise like this small progress is being made. That's the most progress we've had in years, you know? So it's it's it's exciting to see, you know, It just it really is. I'm right there with you and, you know, the the game. Just remember, like the release of, like, MCC. That was just the worst thing in the world and you change. Then you changed everything with table five, along with an already salted community. I was just like my personally. I was like, The fuck y'all doing?

spk_1:   26:14
Yeah, that's why I'm saying it just confuses everybody. Yeah, and that's why I like my mind was blown like thinking about it. And it's like, even though it's like a year or two years can seem like a long time to us, like just in the moment. It's like when you're looking back in hindsight. Now, looking back on it, it's like I can't believe they even attempted to do all they did in that, like five years from Halo Reach like think about that from Halo reached a Halo five launch date. That's what we're getting now from a Halo five. Hail, Infinite and they had Halo reach, they had MCC and they had Halo five all just crammed into those five years from going from bungee 23432 Having this massive collection of all the halos to a new halo ends like now we're just going from one game to the next, and it's like they have tohave the proper amount of time and knowledge now, at this point, to actually have a solid product. Or at least I hope so. And then we should actually be able to see what it's like to have a real properly developed three for three game alien.

spk_0:   27:19
Yeah, I I Yeah, I'm glad you touched on the point of like having three year cycles cause, like even even the company I work for its like its three like 3 to 5 year plans. You know it, Sze. I'm glad you told me, because it seems like a long time for us. But for for a company to move that money for that many moving pieces, um, it's that's that's pretty pretty standard, you know? And what we have a halo Fans are very impatient. We won't gaming in general game fans in general Yeah, it's just the nature of it weeks, You know, we we we got greatness with Halo, you know. 123 yeah, I'm gonna agree with you on four. We got greatness with one through three and reach. But it's, you know, so we're used to it, you know, where were we expected? And if there's anything less that comes from it, you know you're gonna get that big explosion. Yes.

spk_1:   28:00
I mean, then you got that greatness with, like, the original developers who had their product, and they developed him, push their product even further. And then then it gets handed off to a studio who it's still made up of majority of previous people that work on Halo. But now it's not just all the main players that were there before are no longer there. And then they're given even less time than bungee was to produce these giant games. It's like, Well, no wonder they're completely fucking up. They're kidding, completely destroyed on everything, like all these decisions that they're making, because it's just so I I don't know. I can't believe that Microsoft. I'm sure Microsoft had a big impact on, like the decisions that had to be made in the timelines that I had to come by. But, man, I think with this new launch, like they finally realized, like, we need to get through for three. The right amount of time we wanted to be, like with this new Xbox, we want to push like the next generation and all this. And so I think it's just like I said, the perfect storm.

spk_0:   29:00
It is meant it is. Um, yeah. Thanks for going out. Don't go down that rabbit hole with me. Um, wanna get to know a little bit more about you personally. It's like growing up. You know, What was the game? That What was the game that got you into, like, what was the name of your first became obsessed with?

spk_1:   29:15
Ah, well, I mean, the first memories of just gaming I have in general was pretty much with Halo one with my brother. And we used to play put split screen for players split screen with me. My brother, Um, my friend, my my brother is like, seven years older than I am, so I was like, four years old, playing Halo one, just trying to play with him and keep up. And his buddy There's 7/2 years older, so they're like, basically middle school. And we're like kindergarten. And me, my other kindergarten friend, my brother and his like most girlfriend. And I was playing around like Warlock, just playing like shot. He's free for alls or something like that. Just playing. And that's just where it all started and my first memory life. My funniest memory that I have back then is I was I don't know if I was like that young whenever I was about to beat my brother on Ah, like the free for all whatever. I was about to win the game, being as young as I was and he turned off the Xbox. See, this house is not the way they turned off the Xbox. I thought about that before anything. We laughed about it, but it was so funny just thinking about that. But you have split screen back, inhale one that's like where it all started. And I

spk_0:   30:22
mean, what is it about? Like, what is it about hell that keeps you coming back to like, What is it like that dry like, What is it about the game that just drives that obsession.

spk_1:   30:30
I mean Halo, even though it's stolen and f p s. There's Sony F. B s is on the market nowadays, it's still just so different from anything else. You really find there is no like, longer kill time, even though it's still short, at least like inhale five. Nowadays, it's still a shorter kill time, but it's like just that sort of longer engagements. There's more strategy involved with the power, weapons and power positions that, uh like, I just don't really notice any other games. Even though CS is so, um, strategy based and just so meticulous. It's like you just get the one walk around on one type people if you're good enough, and so it's like that, that sort of longer engagements just really is not, Ah, fix that I find anywhere else. And like just this past year, I've been trying to find other games, to play off stream and just playing my enjoyment. Sometimes I just wanna play a multiplayer game. It's like I don't want I don't really want to play cod. I played enough cod's. They're all pretty much still the same, and the kill time there, so sure, it's like I just kind of want it something like Halo. I just can't find it. There are not like enough games in, um, split. Gay came out last year. I tried that, and I enjoyed. It is a mouse and keyboard, and it was okay, but it's still faster. It's still different, has portals and all that. So it's like it's still somewhat like it, but they're still isn't just something like Halo that's like very grounded, even if it's Halo for hell. If I was still very grounded in, Like what It presents its still, maybe it's faster than it was in Halo 302 with one, but it's still very, I don't know, like I'm not jet packing around Portland around inhaled Foreign Hill five. Like I am a split gate comparatively, so it's hard to find a substitute for Halo. Um, the only thing that could come close is like maybe Apex buts about rail, So yeah, yeah, it

spk_0:   32:12
is. But you could argue that, like not being able to find something like halos. What makes Halo Halo? Oh, absolutely, absolutely, yes, because it's like then, if another game, then another game would actually come and get it some competition. But I think that's what that you bring up a good point cause it's what drives the uniqueness like into me like the one of the reasons I loved, especially the original Halos. Like, you know, the ones I grinded two and three was that, you know, you were you could in the middle of a gunfight, make one single mistake, and that could be the difference. You know, between the game, you know, it's like there's like in the middle of a gun, but I know you can make one mistake in in the game, and that could be the decision making. But it's like you're punished for making the smallest little mistakes in a longer gunfight. Or you

spk_1:   32:49
could even make the smallest like accomplishment in a gunfight. And it really just turned into like you just won the three door won't be afford somebody by like, completely turning on. Somebody would like a sniper rocket whatever, because you just made the right decision in that split Second is like, I only get that in other games because I just happen out, shoot somebody and they're like missing. But it's like I made some, like, very smart decision in Halo or just something that was bigger Brain, if you will, and it's like it just turned into something great. It turns into greatness and like it's like you just said it can turn into just complete like chaos with smallest mess up. And like you said, it's just not it's not. Ah, it's not something you really find anywhere else. Yeah,

spk_0:   33:31
and in, regardless of what side it's on, whether it's the great, you know, whether it's you, just make an incredible play or, you know, there's a small mistake that you make like that mo mentum carries to the team. You know, it's like like like when that when that play is made, I've watched your streams. I watched some of the competitions, like when that when that flip get switch, you know that switch gets flipped it There's a whole nother level of energy and like people to start becoming more cracked naturally, you know, it just, um it just it brings out it elevates everyone up to that level or can bring everyone down, you know, depending on what that move is. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. It's one thing I've loved about. One thing I've loved about Halo is that it's it's simplistic in its own nature, but it's also there's a There's a whole lot of detail that a lot of other games don't take it like they don't have the same amount of detail that goes into, you know, like strategy and Halo three or Hill into a hail of five. You know, I'm very, very similar, very similar in that, you know. So when was it? I guess the images for the follow up questions well. But when was it that you started realizing that your potential inhaler like the Obama camp editor

spk_1:   34:33
so just the the competition potential started around the summer of 2016? And, um, I was always, I felt like pretty good at video games in general, not just Halo. Just I played a bunch and played a bunch of different games like Gears of War was also big one that I just played a lot of, Um, that and so I, once I started are just playing a lot of Halo in the summer 2016 because I was looking for a job. I was in high school. I'm still doing crazy classes that I had and full, of course. But once the summer hit, I have no time are full time. No time for anything else. I could just play waiting for any sort of like callback from, like any jobs. I was looking for a couple jobs, didn't get any callbacks because I didn't have experience. I wasn't 18 so it was very easy to not get call backs. Um, so I was just like All right, well, I'm gonna be good at this game. And then I got good enough to where I'm getting messages like every other game from people in matchmaking, saying like, You're really good. You find a team where people have been asking the team. It's like I'm just playing to play. And then once I started getting messages and playing in certain players that I noticed where, um, competing like ah, a smart camper was his name. He was like an amateur player. It was like a really smart kid. But I remember what it was, but he was like a player I had seen in some competition somewhere in some way, and, like people, knew his name. And then he asked me if I wanted a team like Oh, okay, maybe. Yeah, sure, Why not? You said he had, like, one of their player that we played with. His name is Cafe Cafe con leche. So those they were like a duo. And then it was me. And then we have found, like, 1/4. And we started screaming. Um, there was like, I want to say there was, like, a competition in September. I think that was I can remember what it was. There's a competition that September of 2016 and, uh, we were screaming and we were, like, kind of body ing everybody. And then all of a sudden, something fell through in the team, fell through, of course and stuff amateur stuff like it doesn't really work out. And then they wanted they still want to compete. And they found their team. They, like, went to the event and remember how they place. But then I found another team, and that was when I started playing with Trippi. And I think we picked up a tire iron because that's at that point, I started competing in AIDS and playing aids pretty frequently, playing on a matchmaking, Um at that time. I'm in, like all the pro streams, like kind of watching them asking like some questions here. And they're just like any other player trying to get better. And, um, I start playing attribute Surplus tire, and I think we picked up scary ah, tick. I don't know if it was first, but some bigger names. Some players that I have seen that actually have some reputation, tomb and trippy. At the time, he wasn't really competing either. We're both pretty much started our competitive Ah, um lifespan right at that point together. So we were just good players playing. Its other good players were doing well and then we had, like, amateur online tournaments leading to the It was Vegas 2016 in November. I want to say and we were winning on the online and cups against, like most wanted and whoever else. That was like the top, Ah, amateur teams like the 9th 10th spots and we were winning like two or three of them, and that's when I started making money and so once I start getting some checks, my parents saw that they're like okay, so there's something actually to this, I'm getting like, remember how much it was made, like 200 bucks 250 bucks each, though for first place, I think. And so I got, like, $700 in the span of like three weeks. And once that finally came in there like Holy crap like you're making pretty good money for just playing some games on the weekend. Um, even though, of course, playing a lot more than just on the weekend but isolated for one Saturday got 250 bucks like that's a good check. And so then, from there on, we go to the first event we ended up getting basically like ninth or 10th. Rather, I think three's up was the other team, other like top team that beat us and I was with the team that renegade with on it was renegade, monster, Grammy and prototype, I think, and we lost to them. But we played really well and we beat the other was like Dynasty at the time was like Rob the turtle and ah, I can't remember his other name. There was Ah ah, camera. That was a really good team, but we ended up beating them and we're freaking out were playing super well. And then I even got a mess at GM from El Town at the end of that night, I think, and he said, just like good shit and I was like, Ah, I appreciate that man that's also here Thank you so much, something like that. And that's just where it started.

spk_0:   39:19
That's awesome. That's awesome. And you know, So you alluded to a little bit, you know, before before he started making money, what was what was the dynamic like with your family? Like, How did those like, How did that? What did it look like?

spk_1:   39:30
Uh, let me. For the most part, it's just like they know I'm doing well with what? Whatever else I was doing school still getting like a Cem Bey's. I'm doing my college courses AP classes while in high school. So I'm doing well and all that, and I'm still looking for a job over this summer. So then it's like it's summertime and I'm looking for a job. So I'm waiting and, of course at the time, and I'm playing like all the time. My mom's like, Tell me like, Oh, you should go outside like you know? Well, you should just go outside. They go do something. Uh, nah, I'm all right. Keep playing. Um, so all like the actual priority stuff. I'm still doing well and I still have had my girlfriend also for a long time now and so many relationship, everything still going well, we're still hanging out, and it's like everything's still going well, And then I'm like, I just want to play this game and then I start making money. That's the thing is like, I never really I never really started out with the mindset like I need to go pro like I want to go pro. It was just like I want to get better. That was just like, I didn't care if I was gonna be the best player in Halo, which would be like, I'm gonna go problem be the best player. It was just like I just wanna be the best best player in my eyes. I want to beat everyone else in matchmaking. Whenever I started getting better and I was screaming, I was like, I just want to beat everyone I'm playing, and that's just kind of where it started. And then I'm sorry, making money. And then I realized myself like I can do this And I went to my first competition and, um, money matches at the time sponsored success who was like some other one off work that started to get into halo from there, um, it was paid for, so that made it immensely easier. Thio convince my parents to let me go across the country to Vegas Thio Go and try and make some money like I'm making money, we're doing well and it's paid for in Vegas and it's like I could do this like I can do it. Obviously, we didn't make any money. That event we got, like, nine cents, But for our first event, we did that well, like I was blown away. Mike, my team and I were pumped, Um, and like my parents at that point were like, That's awesome. Like, congratulations. You guys still did super well and like they're all on board. And then a few months passed, though, and I originally had been reached out to from ah, like l town and Ninja. The time and I didn't have a PC, so I didn't have any good like audio sort of way like to communicate with, um, other than through, like my explosion, like Skype or whatever. And they did not want ninja, I think was the one that convinced him not to do that. Um, so I was it. I did not give the team off for a trip. You got the team offer and where he got on the team. And then they competed. They got, like, this six or 78 that, like ST Louis, I think in 2017 in, like, January 20 something or something like that. And then he left that team and I got the offer again. This time was for sure. Like I'm getting on, I can't remember. I think I was using discord on my phone. Or at that point, I had bought a computer. It was like some of the money I had I bought, like a all in one computer. That was, like, 700 bucks or something like that. I can remember. No, actually, no, I didn't. I did not have. Yeah, that's lie. That was later on. So before that, now Vegas 2017 is coming up, and I want to say that was in February I think it was before my birthday before my 18th birthday. And I want to say like we were We're actually using Skype, I think. And we ended up making it. The world's so on LG with El Town Ninja and Victory X, We make it the world's we beats place. Um, I think we got, like, 5th 6 that event. So I made some money and my first check from LG that I got I bought a computer. I was able to buy, like, the all in one computer. I was like, 700 bucks, which, of course at the time was still like, This is so much money like, I don't have that much money. This is so much. But I know I need it because I'm getting roasted by like, ninja like every day because, like, I'm not using discord or whatever, So got that computer after that. And, um, I actually remember in the interview, I think for Vegas of 2017 ninja attribute our win and why we have played so well to get the world to actually being able to hear me well or, like, communicate with me. Well, uh, I want to say he said that, like the post game interview, Um, because of how absolutely, like terrible it was toe work online with that, um, but yeah. I mean, with my family, like once, like the ball rolled, and then it just didn't even roll. I just got straight dropped off a cliff, like it just dropped it real hard, like everything just started happening really fast. And, um, it was so easy toe kind of transition to like this being my job for my parents even see it that way as well.

spk_0:   44:37
That's awesome. And you know, one thing I noticed throughout the your throughout your entire answer there is that you never, once, you know at least four ways that you've never once at, like you bought everything on your own. This is nothing that your parents contributed to. They bought for like when it came to that computer. Like you bought that you didn't go running to them to ask him, you know, to buy that for you. Yeah, and that's something in and also a cz. Well, is that you know, you were fought like you had dr in other areas toe where it wasn't like it didn't to to the family members. It didn't feel like you were just completely wasting your time. Yeah, it's you were still selling. You're still hungry for a job, and it's like, You know what? This is how he wants to spend his free time awesome, and I think most people can recognize that. But if I think we're a lot of people struggle, is that like they don't have that drive in other areas to succeed in life? And when they just want to sit there and play video games mindlessly all day? That's where that big like that's where that the big disconnect comes in. And that's where I think a lot of families, especially, you know, of the situation like think that, like, this is a weight like, What is he doing with us, like, what is he or she doing with this life?

spk_1:   45:38
Yeah, exactly. You need tohave. You have multiple goals you can, just especially when you're starting out like that's. I think once you come very specialized and you recognize, like what you what the possibilities are like. It's nice to have that sort of dream like I'm gonna become the best player. The biggest content creator like I wanna have like, even if there's somebody right now listening and watching like they think they want to become the biggest. An infinite It's like, Look, you got to be realistic. Just start becoming like the best player you can be. Have the highest rank you can be in, like matchmaking. Get on the team. So you compete against amateurs while you're still doing other things while you're going to school while you're still working. Your 9 to 5 or whatever you're working like have those goals and it's not gonna be easy. It's never easy. But if you like, make the time and plan these things out, it makes it that much easier. Not easy, but it's easier. Thio sort of have these multiple things going on same time, and it's not gonna be for everybody. You're gonna kind of recognize your limits. Some may, but I would say like if you have the proper strategies, it's a lot of people can still accomplish this. Um, once you start realizing becoming realistic about what you're able to do, um, that then you can start having like larger aspirations like I at this point now, with infinite releasing. Like I can say, like I want to become the best player on the best team, become one of the biggest content creators. Now, am I going to have the very top? Maybe not. But I want to say, like, I wanna have something that is larger than it is now and work towards that growth and still do other things. Well, like I said, for infinite, I can now say I'm not gonna go to school because I've already reached that sort of, um I'm already on that growth. Now, from these past few years of competing like I know, I will be, um, in a safe spot where this is my job. This is what I d'oh. I'm already known for this. This is me. And I want to make that you own a sort of solidify that even further with this next year. But if you're not already in my particular position, you need to try and work both many angles. You can't always just say like, that's what I'm gonna d'oh! And that's it. It might work for some people. I think it's very slim chances for somebody to just say like, Yep, I'm gonna become the best of this and become the best of that. Now. If a 1,000,000 people do that, there's definitely be one person, two people that could probably do it. But it's just not realistic. That's why I say be realistic. Have, like the larger than life goals, but still be realistic, like have that in the back your mind, Like I want to become this. I want to become that. But don't just put all your eggs in one basket

spk_0:   48:21
and you touched on a big thing like when we focus the goals insult like it's cool to have these external goals, But I think one thing that you you done really well is keep keeping things simple is like when we set goals. It's like how you became in the hail, like how you became a pro in the halo. Seems like you just wanted to be the best player you possibly could for yourself. It wasn't for anyone else. It wasn't for it wasn't to become a pro and to make millions into, like, you know, to kick it on stream. It was, too, and I I love this game and I want to be the best that I can add it and thats, you know, finding what it is that you want to do. And I think a lot of people struggle like what it is that I want to do. What is it that motivates me that much to do that? And it's like, I think we look too hard like it's we don't look at the simple thing like man, that'd be cool if I could be better at that, start with

spk_1:   49:06
that. Absolutely. I under percent agree with that, and I think that's very much. Ah, sometimes that's where people get losses over complicating things and to save yourself the misery and the heart of like the heart ache and just the headaches is like keep it as simple as possible. Just just set a goal, even if it's like in your classes. If you're in high school and college or whatever, say, like, I just want to get a B. If you're out like a D and you're like, don't say you're gonna get 100 on this test, just say you're gonna get like a 75 or getting 80 like that. Set some realistic goals, and once you can accomplish those goals consistently, Then start setting your goals even higher. And it's not like you should be trying to think too hard and planned out every single little detail meticulously, just like if you don't study any hours at all for a test. All right, well, I'm gonna study maybe an hour today if our two hours for this next test coming up. And if that wasn't enough, if you got it like a 70 or 65 it's like art Will you put in more effort? That goes for anything like that sort of mindset could be applied to anything at all. It's like set some goals. If you can't accomplish what your goal is with what the effort you're putting in and sort of that driver, then that means that you need to expand further. And if you if you realistically can't for some people, if you're working a 9 to 5 and you're like, I want to set this goal, I'm gonna do this this many hours and you still can't feel any sort of progress. And you're noticing like you're not, um, getting any further then? Yeah, that's why you need tohave. Not all your eggs in one basket and try and still have backup plans or something, at least somewhere to not fully rely on this one goal. That's why it's not for everybody. But I can say I feel like I can safely say that if you have the right mindset in the right sort of strategies, that it can make it more applicable to more people. And I think a lot of people can change their mind set. I think a lot of people can actually change themselves, but that's like I said, It's not easy. No, no, you

spk_0:   51:06
know what? It's not, um, you know it If you don't like when it comes to when it comes to competing, you know, like when it comes to this, like this world of the sports, you know, I may ask, What is Ah today? You know what is a I guess that's of course, if you don't want to like sir personal, I get it. But in the sports arena in general, what is the typical like player salary for a pro player? Look like you know what is realistic to expect from

spk_1:   51:29
that so realistically I'll just go off of Halo five That's basically all I have. Um, it varies. It varies from what the placements are. And we're like the team is currently So I'll say, roughly with LG. Whenever I was on the team of the time, they were still placing around like 5th 6th Even though ji was like a very big organization, um, we were getting between like, 1000 to 1500. I won't say like, specific numbers, but it was getting that range. Um, so 5th 6th team, we're getting around that. I know some teams in the 7th 8th forgetting close to lower than that. I think maybe at the beginning, that's thing to want, depending on how well the game itself is doing, Ah will also determine like what the salary can look like for a team. If you're not placing at the very top, um, the organization can still supply probably, Ah, decent amount of money. Um, on envy. We already knew we were gonna be a great team. And that was me. It was myself. Trippy Bastola and Boo Boo. And so already had interactions with envy. He has already owned them before, And so, um, I don't remember exactly what they're salaries were before I was on Indy, but we got around like 4500 range. Um, it was negotiable. So then we were somewhere in between. There we were at how three team. So making decent money. That's like a monthly check. That's not like we cleared. That's once a month. We would get like a deposit. Um, and it was like somewhere around then around that

spk_0:   53:17
that's is good. And part of the reason I ask that is it's not. It's not just about like the actual dollar figure, but its toe. I'm glad you touched on a lot of different variables that go into it, because I think that people like it's not like it's like your typical company, you know, it's it's Ah, there's there's the how will the game's doing. You know how well the companies funded, Like, how will you place how what like there's so many different, like unknown variables that affect playerssalaries, you know, absolutely, like in legal legends, you know, you see, people get traded for, like, $8 million contracts. You know what it's like like what does it take to get to that level? You know, and It's like it just goes to show that, like, there's so many different, you know, things that are unknown around it. So the point I'm getting at is that, like, if if this is about the money, you know, it just doesn't seem like that should be the main motivating factor, you

spk_1:   54:02
know, understand. And that's even though I think it'd be nice for all teams, at least like a top aide to have, like a living wage. Um, I think it's still like a lot. A lot of the organizations organizations take into effect. Like if you're pushing top eight, you're still placing in the money, um, for tournaments and tournaments, and he'll have still been fairly large. So if you're placing like 7th 8th and you're playing probably every two months, that means you're making. I think teams usually make maybe, like between $2,505,000. Usually, if I'm thinking about it correctly, I don't know. I ah, just usually placing like 5th 6 and we would get a little bit more than that. And it also various tournament to tournament principles aren't always the same, but you're still making a decent check. Every couple months. And if you're winning tournaments, you're making a great check every couple of months. So that's why it's like, but something, too. If you're if you're on the best team, you're getting a higher salary. You're gonna get paid more than the other teams below you. And if you're winning tournaments, you're making even with money, the other other teams there anyway. So that's why it's it's a very big growth or exponential growth from going from 7th 8th toe 1st 2nd 3rd just based off the organizations and what they're paying you. And then what the term in payouts are, Um, so it's still like it's still kind of like a normal wage, like a normal job wage once you're in that, like 7th 8th spot. Um, but that's the thing to another. Ah, nothing take into effect is is the person streamer How marketable are they? Um, ninja. I know I don't know exactly how much more he was getting paid on algae, but he got paid more because a He was still getting actually insane numbers for five by today's standards when he was screaming Halo five. Uh, but he was just so much more marketable, and there's so many more eyes on him and they were on us. And there are also other streaming incentives and other contracts that I've had, like with reciprocity. I didn't partake in it, which I should have. Other players should have. Um, but if we streamed a certain amount of hours a month, we got paid extra. Ah, so those other stipulations, Aaron, they're usually organizations will pay for year controllers. Maybe even some chair, sometimes something like that, or they'll obviously supply like flights and hotel for events. When you're traveling, Um, what else? I mean, that's the majority of it. They obviously give you your jerseys and geared, aware and all that. It just depends on the sponsors.

spk_0:   56:32
No, it's It's a good because, like when When you're when you're in that, like, I can only imagine what it's like to me, for my for me, looking from the outside in, like when you're in that position and say You said you're getting paid 1500 you know, Thio two grand, you know, but say there's also a content house or you're also getting flight, you know, flown out to places or in all of these things are being paid for. That's not a bad salary, considering a lot of things that you do that you need to be successful are being paid for

spk_1:   56:55
exactly. Yeah, that's why it's still like it's by the standards of just looking at it monetarily. It's not like any crazy wage. But when our job is to travel to these tournaments to then make money and that's free great. If you have a content house, you have a streaming house, whatever. And like the organization's paying for that, you have no rent. You don't pay for utilities and all that stuff great. And then it's like, Well, what else do you spend your money on? We'll probably maybe a couple of their bills and like food. That's kind of like what it comes down to. Maybe some other like that's so then, like then, even if you're making my bare minimum like $12,000 a year, $14,000 off of like being 1/7 8th player, some of the eighth place player on a some of the team like you're still doing well enough and it's like that is like all you can really ask for and then obviously trying stream, Try make content. I think now that I wish, uh, I would have done that more so at the beginning. But since it was so fresh to me and I came in so quickly, I'd like this is all coming to me like more So now, Um, but there's so many opportunities. That's like the biggest thing is like the opportunities for players to get in and then recognize where they can go and usually content creation is E, I would say, Even though it's not easy, it's the easiest way to then start making more money because, like, I will say this, that even last year, I really wasn't streaming. Um, I was sharing a lot, but not as much as like, a normal, like, 40 hours a week. Um, like I should treat it as like a normal job if I want to try and, um really see real growth. Um, I was still making, like, 5 $600 a month from just streaming in like getting subs ads, some donations here in there, Um, so that's solid. If I'm 1/7 8th player, um, and I'm getting 12 or like 1000 like 1500 a month plus, like maybe 5 to $600 a month from screaming plus tournaments. Every like two months, maybe even some online tournaments, weekly tournaments, whatever it is, there's still so much more room to grow, and I think that's like the beauty of it. And it's still like a free enterprise where you like you can branch out and do it yourself. This thing, you have to do it yourself and have to actually have that. Dr. Yeah,

spk_0:   59:19
it's is very similar to like a like a sales role in any company. It's like you have a base salary and then whatever your whatever you do outside of that, whatever your commission, it like conditions. Europe, your that's that's on you. Performance performances on you if you won't like it. And I love that you touched on that I didn't have to do. Is it is that you know, the That's not yet another avenue for content creation where it's like, you know, say you're only getting paid, you know, 1000 $1500 a month, but everything's being paid for and you have the equipment to create content, and it's like that's a huge avenue. Not only are you keeping the community together, you're you're sharing this story line. You're keeping the store lines going, but it's also an extra revenue. If you wanna have some money, do you throw in a savings account or, you know, you know, for black veteran by the new uses that just came out that you really want? Like it's like, you know, it's Yeah, there's always a way to do that. Um, awesome, man. Awesome. Wanna wanna start kind of wrapping things up a bit? You know, when it comes to when it comes to your career and East Boards was been your favorite team to compete on And why

spk_1:   1:0:18
my favorite team? Um, it's still it's I've answers a few times on Stream. Butt's definitely super close between envy and reciprocity. Um, obviously, the majority of the players on both those teams are on each of those teams. So, um, it was just boo boo for site down from any direct, Um, just he's a great player, is a great teammate, and he's just a cool guy to play in team with. Same with Eric, great player, great team at school, and hang out with. So it's really hard to say reciprocity. Obviously, I got the highest placing I've gotten so far. Um, I think our potential was even higher on reciprocity, I'd say, but it was still super high with envy. And I think even with Jesse, we could have gone really far. Um, well, I think also just the backing on reciprocity. I think maybe just because of the polo and snipe down duo like support, like the whole team just got really great support on M V. We still got it, too, but it was It was insane on reciprocity. And both I will say, I wonder percent would give the organizations like the CEOs both. And I've had I really talked to the in the, uh, owner too much, but he's really stand up guy and just really easy to work with. Um, and same goes with Chad a reciprocity. He's amazing to talk to and work with, like they're both just very stand up and there's no no b s nothing. It's just trait the business. But they're still chillin like you can talk to them on like a normal we'll feel. Oh, that was it was really great play under both of them. You know, G. I never really had I'll say this to Justo Throw it out there all day and I really had any problems. Ah, the one thing I did have a problem with and that they shouldn't come back to bite me in any way. But, like, I had anon opportunity to leave luminosity pretty early on to join liquid. Um, and there was a forced super large buy out for me because they didn't want me to leave with him. Um, which was really unfortunate because the liquid team of the time was ICO stellar and penguin, and they would have going, um so it would have been insane. And I really wanted to go to that team and I would have gotten a better salary. I know for sure, but it was Ah, either way, the interactions I had on LG and the opportunity that I got was still great and I appreciate them, but overall envy of reciprocity were probably my favorites.

spk_0:   1:2:47
I thought, Yeah, do I got to meet Chad for the very like, My very first event that I went to was the hcs event. There was this split event between Gears of War and Ah, Halo and ah, yeah, yeah, and right after wreck. You know, you're right after right after a loss like I was Ah, you know, I was outside and like I randomly went in, I saw I saw, um, calm and Chad walking out. I just went and randomly, like, introduced myself. The channels. Like what? What a cool standup guy to just like this, from a CEO to the to a fan level. Just can have a casual conversation. Without you, I never felt like I was less stand. I never felt like I was, you know, talking. You're talking up to somebody. It was just two humans having a conversation. It was one of the coolest, like, small interactions that I've ever had.

spk_1:   1:3:28
Yeah, Chad is so much. He is very much just like any gamer. And it was funny to talking toe to here and likes night down at the time. And they're like, Yeah, he's just like a halo nerd. He's like he just loves a low, and it's great, like he sees so much. It's just so cool and great to talk to and interact with, and he just loves the game, and so it's very much just that's the interaction you get with Chad. And it was really great. Doesn't just have him there and talk with them and interact with them. He was really awesome.

spk_0:   1:3:57
Yeah, it makes me. It made me sad. Seeing that announcement about wreck like that was, um when they had to, like, let a lot of their staff go, and that was that was because it just I hope they bounced back because chat, like, you know, um what He just seems like such a like, smart guy and such a good guy to work with. Like, I really hope that that comes back. You

spk_1:   1:4:14
know, they've been putting in so much worried. He's passed, like, two years, three years at this point. So I really, um, same thing with you. I really like to see them bounce back from, uh, from this.

spk_0:   1:4:24
Yeah, yeah, yeah. This thing is definitely put a lot of strain on a lot of lot of teams, you know, It's, uh yeah, yeah, um, like, right. But, you know, again, what's so out of all these years of competing and current time, like, what's your what's been your biggest success so far up to this point,

spk_1:   1:4:39
uh, I mean, the biggest sex success is probably still just the ah, the second place finish. The highest placing so far with, ah, with Atlanta 2018. Really unfortunate the way it ended. I think it could have gone in our favour with some changes, but that's the I'm so proud of it. Once it was all over is like, man, we I still felt like we were playing really well the entire weekend. Besides that one, of course, the most important Siris. Um, but it it just made me want it that much more like I'm here to compete in infinite toe win. And that's just kind of the mindset I'm going in with. And I'm so gonna be hitting content, everything else but competition is still gonna take my number one spot. As like what's most important to me? Like I want the chip that that's definitely my biggest goal.

spk_0:   1:5:28
Awesome. Yeah, I That was my last questions, like, what's next for you? You know what's

spk_1:   1:5:34
eso I mean yeah, trying to You're just the best that there is at Ah, at infinite. That's my goal. I just want to be the very best player. When somebody thinks of the best player in infinite, that's I want that to be me. And I'm gonna be putting in the time and I'm gonna have the time to make sure I can actually make that happen. I want to see my content, um, expand. I want to try and make it consistent. I wantto I really have been tryingto it's been hard this past year to really try and when I do have the time to make myself realize the potential of my stream to make it for me an actual job that like 30 to 40 hours if I can each week or more of streaming Um, I think for me it's the hardest. Just because I'm playing Halo five most of time and I played it so much so it makes it a little more difficult. But still, I I think I kind of need to grow up a little bit and just recognize that I make money from this and I can continue to make money from it if I just put in more time. More effort,

spk_0:   1:6:31
Simple. Yeah. Yeah, just simple. Uh, you know, if you could give one piece of advice to yourself when you stepped in the scene. What would it be?

spk_1:   1:6:38
Yeah, I kind of touched on Touched on it a little bit earlier, but, um if I could have just started hitting my content right from the get go, um, 100 sent would have been doing that. There should have been doing that. I didn't really have the setup. That was really great enough for streaming at the time when I had, like, the stand alone, all in one piece. E um But I did get a capture card from ninja that I actually still use now, um, to start screaming. And I think I, as soon as I came back from was ninjas. Last event. I think it was hcs Atlanta 2017. And that was when I got and LG scoff and I had just started out my first stream after that, I think, and I actually had a lot of support. A lot of people watching, like at the time, I had, like, 100 plus people watching, like on my very first dream, and I was kind of blown away, but then, like, I just couldn't really follow up. I It was unfortunate because I I would say, like, that's what I needed to really ah hit even harder. But I think I have the luxury now to say that because of the free time of being in college and, um not taking as many classes that I still was at that time. Um, but if I had the time back then I would say I should have been hitting content streaming as much as much. I could have been. I

spk_0:   1:8:00
got it. No, awesome. It's awesome. Thank you. Ah, thank you so much, Tommy, for being on here, it's It's been It's been an absolute pleasure. There's a lot of good stuff here.

spk_1:   1:8:09
Yeah, it's been great. I appreciate it.

spk_0:   1:8:11
Yemen. So lastly, for the last thing for anyone who's who hasn't senior content, Um, you know, uh, because I do share this song, you know, a couple different platforms of different audiences, you know, if they're they're interested in finding you, you know, where can they find you? What? Your handles were You were the most active,

spk_1:   1:8:26
so I'm definitely most active. Ah, probably on my twitch. So twitched out tv slash the one saying underscore, But just type in the one saying You probably find me, um and same thing on Twitter and YouTube. It's the same. I think it's just the one san at the one saying, um, Twitter, I'm not as frequent, but I've still been tryingto make it over more frequent. And once I'm hitting content, I'll be posting clips and probably just announcements and what? Not on there. I'm trying to just get myself to post anything, if I can think about it. If I do it, I've never been big on just like tweeting or doing those things just for the sake of it. So I'm just for the sake of content in personality and getting it out there. I want to try and do a little bit more s so you can check me out there.

spk_0:   1:9:09
Cool. Also, men I will put. I'll put your your handles and all the all the links in the notes down below. So, um, if anyone needs just copy and paste that they can go and do that. Awesome. In a way, it's been a pleasure. Ah, and I look forward to Ah, look for to seeing you soon.

spk_1:   1:9:24
Thanks so much man. Appreciate the talk.

spk_0:   1:9:26
All right, These y'all. I hope you enjoy that episode as much as I did. That was one of the most flowing podcast I think I've ever done. If you got any value of this, any value out of this at all, it would mean the absolute world if you like and subscribe to this podcast chair to your friends. Share to your family. Share to your grandmother helps spread the word of e sports out there. That is the main mission of this podcast. As I have a bunch of exciting more guests coming up down the pipeline reach out to quite a few people, Uh, you know, excited for the one next week. And if you guys haven't followed me already on social media, I am at bona fide gaming on Twitter, and the YouTube handle will be at bonified gaming. But I need you all support and getting some more subscribers up there. I have my first new game play video being announced on Friday being released, I believe 9 a.m. Central on Friday. Lots of cool stuff in the works. Just got a GoPro planning on a vlog schedule. So lots of exciting stuff for the YouTube channel. Stay tuned, and I can't wait to show you some more