Aaron Elam is an American professional Halo player who goes by the moniker “Ace”.  He currently plays for OpTic Gaming and is well known for his time playing for Team Liquid and Status Quo.  He won the Halo 4 Global Championship FFA in 2013 and has earned over $315,000 in prize money.  

What was the first game that got you into gaming when you were younger?

The first game that got me into serious gaming when I was younger has to be Halo: CE.  I always played different single player games on N64 and PS2 but Halo: CE was the game that I played all the time whether it was Campaign, Splitscreen Multiplayer, or LAN 2v2s with friends.

Why did you pick Halo as your game of choice?

I picked Halo because that’s what the popular game was at the time, and that was the game I had a passion for and fell in love with.  The high level of competition in the game and constant need to improve kept me engaged.

How has your view of the game changed since becoming a professional?

The game changed a bit for me; it went from more of a hobby to more of a job that I could make money in.

What has been your greatest gaming accomplishment?

My greatest gaming accomplishment would be winning the Halo 4 Global Championship in September 2013 for $200k.

Can you describe your training regimen?

My training regimen is mostly playing Matchmaking online as much as possible a few hours a day along with team scrims for about 3 hours a day.

How do you stay motivated to keep playing?  Do you ever get bored of your game?

The desire to improve and win is how I stay motivated.  It can definitely be boring playing the same game all the time but bigger breaks help with that.

Are there special routines you follow prior to the start of a tournament?

No, there aren’t really any special routines before tournaments aside from eating right and exercising.

What do you feel is the most important characteristic of being successful with eSports?

One of the most important characteristics in order to be successful in eSports is: learning how to be able to function on a team, learning how to communicate effectively with teammates, and being able to have teamwork inside the game.

What advice would you give to aspiring eSport athletes?

The advice I’d give to aspiring eSports athletes would be to stay consistent with it!  It’s much better to consistently grind a lot in a short period of time than to spread it out.

What do you think is the biggest problem facing the eSport community today?

The biggest problem facing the eSport community today might be the under-representation of the players for each team, and it’s hard for players to have the rights they need when they sign under organizations sometimes.

What are your views on eSports in the Olympics?  Do you think it will or should happen?

I believe eSports should definitely be in the Olympics because I believe gaming is a sport and I think it would be mutually beneficial for both parties.  However, I don’t believe eSports need to be in the Olympics to thrive so it’s fine if it isn’t picked up.  I believe it will happen in the short future.

You can follow Aaron “Ace” Elam on Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube.