The Call of Duty: World War 2 League Atlanta Open ended with a bang, with North America's Rise Nation toppling Europe's Red Reserve in a dominant final match. After RR climbed their way out of the loser's bracket with a six-win streak, it was up to Rise Nation to claim the lion's share of the $200,000 prize pool.
"It's a weird feeling, I don't know how to describe it, you're just happy you won but at the same time you're happy you didn't lose," Peirce "Gunless" Hillman told Newsweek after leaving the stage and collecting the trophy. Surviving off Power Bars and adrenaline, Rise Nation went undefeated on the final day, having one of the best records at any Call of Duty open event.
Listening to the direction of team captain Daniel "Loony" Laza and taking deep breaths to settle his nerves, Hillman and the rest of the Rise Nation squad managed to beat the underdogs. Without the direction of Laza, there's no way Rise Nation could have secured the championship. A good shotcaller is integral to success, an important voice of reason who keeps the team from being overzealous and kill-hungry.
"You need someone that's going to make a call, who's not afraid to say 'let's do this' and not be afraid to make another call later down the road if it doesn't work out," Hillman said.
Squad synergy wasn't easy. Laza was seriously ill during the three-day tournament and barely managed to hold it together on stage. During the semifinals match against Luminosity Gaming, Laza had to leave the main stage one minute before the match began to vomit, coming back refreshed and ready. "Nobody's trying to throw up on mainstage because if you're throwing up, I'm throwing up and that's just not happening," Hillman laughed.
With this win behind them, Hillman and the rest of Rise Nation are focused on the next Call of Duty event at the end of March, CWL Birmingham. To an esports pro, competition is the spice of life and success means a steady income.
"If you actually want a career in esports, you're going to have to put everything possible into it," Hillman said. "You're always going to have to be on top and putting in more time than other people. You're going to have to put everything possible into it."
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Steven Asarch is a tech reporter for Newsweek currently based in New York City. In high school, he started stand-up ... Read more
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