Toronto showcased some intense League of Legends esports action this weekend with the Red Bull Solo Q National Final for Canadian players. Before William “Doxa” Lee won it all, he met with us for an interview about the perilous journey to the top!
Doxa Talks Red Bull Solo Q and League of Legends
Throughout the day, the Red Bull Gaming Studio was full of viewers, loud music and neon lights. While some guests mingled around the bar area and tables, others kept their eyes on the matches.
It’s amazing. I didn’t expect so many cool things to be in the venue. It’s really cool that a lot of people could just come in and watch it. The whole atmosphere is really good. Everyone’s really positive and I’m just excited to be here.
Doxa about the Red Bull Gaming Studio and Red Bull Solo Q event
Of course, the stars of the show were the individual League of Legends players. Prior to his victory, he chatted with us about the difference between solo and team matches plus the high stakes.
“1v1s are different from 5v5s, and it’s really nerve-wracking,” Doxa said. “In 5v5s, you can make a lot of small mistakes and get away with it. But in a 1v1, you can make one mistake and you might lose the whole game.”
Competitors and guests at the Red Bull Gaming Studio. Image via Amy Chen.
What It Takes to Go Pro and Claim Victory
Doxa then went into the effort required to make it to the Red Bull Solo Q National Final in the first place. “So even if I was the best player, I could still lose to the worst player, which makes it so mentally taxing,” he said. “It’s very challenging mentally and physically, but I feel pretty confident.”
So there’s a lot of things I feel like I have to win and if I don’t win it, I think it would be a disappointment.
Doxa on his goals for the year
One of Doxa’s goals this year is to go pro in the League of Legends scene. The other is winning the entire Red Bull Solo Q tournament at the upcoming World Finals. “So there’s a lot of things I feel like I have to win and if I don’t win it, I think it would be a disappointment,” he said.
Doxa also noted how the world stage will be where both amateur and pro players converge. As for his plans after Red Bull Solo Q, he said he looks forward to facing pros in the east coast servers.
Doxa at the Red Bull Solo Q National Final. Image via Amy Chen.
Bringing Canadian Gamers Together
The audience boasted interesting individuals as well. One of them was Robert “Gamer101” Phan, a marketer and Hearthstone manager for Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Esports.
Attendees at the League of Legends event. Image via Amy Chen.
He noted how the Red Bull Solo Q National Final brought Canadian gamers together. Then, he added how although some may not see esports as a big thing, people nonetheless talk about it. “The reality is, esports is always growing,” Gamer101 said. “Especially in Toronto—one the biggest cities in Canada. The growing esports industry is huge.”
Recently, the Toronto Metro University also got the Red Bull Gaming Hub. “I’ve actually been in there and actually seen it, and it’s crazy how post-secondary institutions are willing to invest into esports,” he said.
Oohwayy at the Red Bull Solo Q National Final. Image via Amy Chen.
Jonny “Oohwayy” Monopoly, who is a social media coordinator for the Toronto Raptors’ esports team, Raptors Uprising, shared similar thoughts. He was impressed by the community coming together for the event and how in-person events like this one put faces to online friends.
Although the Red Bull Solo Q National Final for Canadian players is over, the esports action on the world stage will be arriving soon. The Red Bull Solo Q World Finals will take place between October 14th and 16th in Manhattan, New York.
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