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jbhifi.com.auNOVEMBER
2016
GAMES
Q&A
Want to know what it’s like to be in one of
the most successful eSports teams on the
planet? Chief Operating Officer, Ryan “OpTic
J” Musselman, talks to
STACK
about life in
OpTic, playing competitive Call of Duty on
the world stage, and working with headset
designer Turtle Beach.
How much time do you put into
recreational gaming?
It depends on what is happening in
the competitive season. We try to find a
good balance between work and play, but
given that work/play go hand in hand, it
somewhat gets blended together.
What does an average year look like
for you?
Depending on the season, there can be
a ton of travel and practice time, coupled
with staying focused on producing
content. Time moves very fast in the
gaming world.
How do you spend your downtime?
We do our best to stay healthy, work
out and still enjoy life with friends and
family. We have all grown pretty close
at the house and it’s exciting to be in a
profession where others share the same
passion.
Do you get the chance to have a look at
CoD titles before they’re released?
In most cases, yes. Activision has been
great about teaming with us on that front.
Our pro players and content-focused
members get some good time with the
title prior to release.
Do developers ever come to you for
consultation or advice – especially in
regards to the multiplayer component?
Yes, they have in the past. Although not
widespread, we are seeing more focused
communication between developers, pro-
players, and YouTubers alike.
How do you see
eSports and the
scene developing?
[According to] an
article from
NewZoo
,
there are currently 131
million global enthusiasts who
enjoy eSports and the industry
is anticipated to be a $1BN market
by 2019, so we’re optimistic that more
brands, new players, new teams, and
updated game types will continue to fuel
this amazing profession.
Why choose to partner with Turtle Beach?
They have the best headset on the market
and have been an absolute pleasure to work
with. They get eSports. They get OpTic. As
the scene advances the way it is, TB serves
as a benchmark organisation to get behind.
We won’t just wear any headset – it truly has
to be something we believe in and TB has
made it happen with the Elite Pro [exclusive
to JB Hi-Fi]. Plus, they look so good!
What is it like working with them?
They are very responsive and very open to
our suggestions when it comes to bringing
the product to the audience. They get it
and support our approach. It’s not always
easy to find such a great fit, so to have a
top of the line product with top of the line
representatives from TB, it’s a partnership
we really appreciate.
What advice would you give people trying
to break into the industry?
Focus on your craft and your respective
gaming title. Eat, drink and breathe it. Master
it. Watch other teams and other players. The
more qualitative information you have, the
more informed your decision making will be.
Leave frustration, arguments, and anger at
the door. You only have time to find out what
works best and to hyper-focus on using it to
your competitive advantage.
What are your ambitions?
To continue our focus on improving
our craft across multiple eSport titles and
produce highly engaged, entertainment-
gaming content.
PRO
GAMER