The Halo series has always attracted huge amount of players interested in competitive multiplayer, and the most recent entry into the series, Halo 4, is no exception. Recently, developer 343 Industries held the Halo 4 World Championship tournament, with the winner receiving $200,000 for winning the tournament. One 343 executive discusses the future of competitive multiplayer for the game just as the winner is declared at the event.
Aaron "ACE" Elam, a 20 year old won the tournament, grabbing the grand prize of $200,000. Elam fended off 100 other competitors over the three day tournament, which began as a free for all style before the final eight competitors fought each other in one on one play. Elam had this to say to Gamespot after winning the contest:
"This means everything to me," Elam said immediately after winning the championship. "I've been playing Halo since I was nine years old, and I have to say, the games against Deese (Justin "iGotUrPistola" Deese, the second place winner) were the most intense games of Halo in my entire life. I just can't believe this. I feel like I'm dreaming."
At the same time Frank O'Connor, who works for 343 Industries as the Franchise Development Director for the Halo series also gave an interview with Gamespot, in which he described the decision to hold the tournament later in the game's lifecycle, as well as the decision to have an individual free for all tournament rather than a team based event:
"From a very high level, it's just a good way to continue to sustain the game in the first half of its lifespan. As you well know, we've always had a competitive community, and a fairly gregarious and active one. I think one of the issues about that is, it tends to be Team Slayer, Pros only. We wanted to really provide the broader player base with a way to enter that had some meaning. And at the same time, maybe get them interested in the higher-end competitive scene. The basic premise being that anybody can enter, and that anybody has a shot at winning something. And of course they're going to watch the better players and the pros rise to the top here. I think the biggest difference is that this one is so broad-based, it concentrates more on individual play rather than team play. It's a significant hurdle for people to enter something as mainstream as this; getting a good team together [is] probably the single-hardest aspect."
Look out for more Halo news as Halo 4 continues to be a big hit and 343 Industries prepares Halo 5 for fans.
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