By Peter Elacqua
Staff Writer
MARLBORO – Spending some free time playing a popular video game has paid off for Marlboro resident Justin Lax, 16, who will travel to Columbus, Ohio, this fall to compete in the “World of Warcraft” Arena Americas Regionals.
“World of Warcraft” is an online multiplayer video game that allows players to create characters, explore an open world, go on quests and use their online time to meet other players from around the globe.
According to the “World of Warcraft” website, the game has 5.5 million monthly subscribers after peaking with 12 million monthly subscribers in 2010. Players pay a fee to participate in “World of Warcraft.”
A team is comprised of three or four players. Justin said he met his teammates online through a social function in the game. His teammates hail from Ontario, Canada, Florida, and Nova Scotia, Canada. Justin said the competition in Ohio will mark the first time the teammates have met in person.
Players compete in a function in the game known as 3 v 3 arena mode. Each team is made up of at least one damage dealer, one healer and a third teammate. The goal of the match is to knock out an opposing team’s damage dealer or healer. The first team to accomplish that task wins. Each match is limited to 25 minutes.
The format being used for the Arena Americas Regionals and the World Championship is a double elimination best of five series.
Online qualifying competitions were held on June 18, July 2 and July 16. The top two teams from each qualifier (six teams in total) plus one team from Latin America and one team from Australia-New Zealand will meet in Columbus on Oct. 8-9.
Justin’s team won the third and final qualifier cup.
The young man said he has been playing “World of Warcraft” for several years, however, he did not play competitively until this year. Until he began playing competitively he played for about four hours a week. Now he tries to play any day his schedule allows him to do so.
“I think most people underestimate how much time you have to dedicate and put into the practice,” Justin said. “You have to put in solid communication, have good teamwork and a lot of hard work. Without putting in hard work you won’t get the results.”
Justin, who will be a junior at Biotechnology High School, Freehold Township, in September, said he does not know what career path he will follow. In the meantime, he is looking forward to continuing to compete in “World of Warcraft.”
“It was a dream that I did not know I wanted to come true,” he said. “I did not know I wanted to compete until a couple of months ago. I tried it out and now I am here.”
He described an air of uncertainty surrounding the October competition as a result of a new expansion coming out for “World of Warcraft” that will change a player’s abilities in the game.
“A lot of people don’t know what is good, how to heal, how to do a lot of damage (to characters in the game),” Justin said. “A lot of people don’t know how to differentiate a top player and a new player. Nobody knows how they could do. I could come in first or last place. We will just have to wait an see what happens.”
In Ohio, Justin, who is the son of Steven Lax and Vivian Shen, will be on one of eight teams fighting for a share of a $100,000 prize pool and one of three spots in the Arena World Championship finals to be held at BlizzCon 2016 in Anaheim, Calif., Nov. 4-5. First place at the regional competition in Columbus will be worth $50,000.
Three teams from the Arena Americas Regionals will compete against two Asian teams and three European teams at BlizzCon. The winning team at that event will receive $120,000. Each team receives money for playing in the World Championships.
Justin plays other games casually, such as “Heartstone,” “Overwatch,” “Rocket League” and “Pokemon Go.” Outside of gaming, he volunteers at CentraState Medical Center, Freehold Township, and he is a tutor at the Kumon Learning Center, where he tutors math and reading.
“I am beyond excited for Justin,” said his father, Steven. “Every parent is always especially proud of their child when they do great things … I guess playing video games until 4 a.m. during the summer just paid off. I continue to smile … every time I see Justin since he won. I look forward to seeing what he can do next, whether it is gaming related or not.”
