Riley Troy is a country kid from Campbell Town who has been treated like a rock star in the city of London as one of the world’s best players of the online game Apex Legends.
Invited to compete in a global E-sport competition in the UK earlier this year, his team Dark Zero made it through the elimination round and played until the end where prizemoney of $1 million was up for grabs.
With his parents unable to afford the $5000 in travel and accommodation costs required, it was Riley’s hard work and the support of the Campbell Town District School and community that gave him the opportunity of a lifetime.
WHILE most parents were trying to keep their kids off their com- puter games through the summer holidays, Riley Troy, of Campbell Town, was receiving encourage- ment and kudos for his screen time.
The 16-year-old flew to London in January to compete for a prize of $1 million in the E-sport event Apex Legends Global Gaming Se- ries, a tournament featuring the best 120 players in the world.
As part of the three-man Dark Zero team, he battled the best during a five-day elimination con- test, finishing 13th overall from 40 teams.
With a coach, managers, bodyguards, merchandise and fans, plus the competition live- streamed globally, it was rock-star treatment and an experience Riley said he’ll never forget.
This success comes as no sur- prise to his former Campbell Town High School teachers who supported his efforts and were grateful for his technical skills working the sound equipment at every assembly.
Both Riley and his parents know that without the support of the school, and former Londoner and school associate Lucy Fox, who helped organise a $1900 school bursary and connected him with a chaperone, the trip might not
have happened. “We had to come up with $5000 to get him there and back which isn’t easy,” Riley’s mum Suzanne Smith said. “Riley worked really hard at the local IGA and Subway to pay for a new computer that would keep him
competitive and somehow, with the help of the community, we got him there.”
Riley, now attending year 11 at Newstead College, was one of only three Australians invited to com- pete and he said one of the high-
ights was meeting his gaming he- roes face-to-face.
On his return home, he was gift- ed a $700 gaming controller from one of the competition sponsors.
For the uninitiated, Apex Leg- end is a free-to-play Battle Royale hero shooter game released in 2019. Before the match, players form into two- or three-player squads, and select from pre-de- signed characters with distinctive abilities, known as “Legends”.
In the Battle Royale mode that Riley played, up to 20 teams land on an island and search for weap- ons and supplies before attempt- ing to defeat all other players in combat.
The available play area on the island shrinks over time, forcing players to keep moving or else find themselves outside the play area which can be fatal.
The final team alive wins the round. Amassing 100 million players by April last year, it is one of the most played video games of all time and players need to put in at least 5000 hours of practice to get to the kind of level that Riley enjoys.
Giving a demonstration of his skills at Optimal Gaming in Laun- ceston last week, Riley explained that his role in his team was to be the in-game leader, keeping an eye on positioning so his teammates
could concentrate on combat. “You have to really use your brain, and make split second de- cisions, these are skills that come in handy and are actually sought after by some employers, for in- stance the armed forces, Riley
said.
“And I was interviewed so many
times in London I soon realised I need to improve my communica- tion and public speaking skills!”
Optimal Gaming manager An- drew Thomson agreed, saying not only is there big money to make and many career paths linked to gaming, but he would like to see more schools get involved in E-sports so that players add com- petition and socialising to their repertoire.
Riley’s next gaming challenge is a community tournament next week where the winner will re- ceive $2000.
He has an invitation to the Apex Legends Gaming Series Finals in London later in the year and will strive to get there.
“I really was astonished at how well my team performed, it’s a reminder that even if you’re from a small country town you can achieve your dreams.
“Hopefully I can improve my game and improve our team as a whole and perhaps next time, we will return champions.”