Initio Gaming Signs Fury Born Gaming

Initio Gaming's logo.

Initio Gaming signs Fury Born Gaming in a hope to expand the clan across international waters.

Initio Gaming is a clan that’s dedicated to their teams, players and communities. “Initio Gaming seeks to be a professional eSports organization with a strong sense of community involvement.” This statement perfectly sums up how the clan greeted all members of Fury Born Gaming into their clan.

Initio Gaming is an American based clan which is spreading its reach across Europe. In September of this year Initio Gaming accepted Fury Born Gaming into their fold and since then it’s been go go go!

All teams, from the American teams to the European teams, have been working across the clock in an effort to better themselves and make their clan proud but none of this is possible without the clan working together. A huge amount of work has been put in by the managers and owners of Initio Gaming but a special mention must be made to thank the dedicated support of both the Fury Born Gaming sponsors and the Initio Gaming sponsors; GameServers, AFX, GameKit and Boss Boxes.

After a brief interview with the Head Manager of Initio Gaming, Nicholas "Royal" Smith, we got a very good view of what Initio Gaming is all about.

What is your involvement in Initio Gaming?

“My involvement being head manager for Initio Gaming is that I organise maintain and create teams for the organization. I have been in various leadership roles for the past 10 years and have been managing eSports team for close to a year now. I have managed teams for different games and have provided successful results for each team I was a part of.”

How did you come to bringing Fury Born Gaming into your organisation, Initio Gaming?

“I have worked with Bean [Head Manager for Fury Born Gaming] for months now as we were part of another organization together. We have similar styles of leadership so we became friends rather quickly. Working with him again feels good and I can’t wait to see what the future holds.”

What are your goals for Initio Gaming?

“My goals for Initio Gaming is to bring teams and build a winning platform for players to be a part of while maintaining a professional work environment. This is done via player interaction and providing proper management for players to ensure that their time is spent practicing and not on the more lucrative side of the industry. I strive to ensure that people whether they are staff or players are taken care of in the most effective way possible.”

What, broadly, are your plans for the future?

“The plans for the future are grand, with more and more attention being drawn to eSports we will do our best to stay and maintain a competitive edge. We are at a time where support for what we do continues to grow and we want to make sure we are at the forefront of the scene with the right people in charge. We have amazing players and great staff so accomplishing this goal will be as hard as any other task but with the trust between talent and management I feel strongly we can achieve whatever goal is in front of us.”

Are you excited to expand Initio Gaming into Europe?

“Expanding into Europe was a no brainer because the people there love their eSports. With large established organizations already have bases of operation there we cannot be caught by the wayside and let others take the glory. Every day we look to bring in more top notch EU players because we want to become a global presence on the stage. There are great players everywhere do not get me wrong but the passion I have seen after all my years of working in this industry I can say for sure that EU is a powerhouse with many T1 and T2 teams gathering support the community we intend to match the passion and commitment that we have achieved here in the US.”

You can feel the excitement in the air as both clans, now merged into one, begin their journey to success together.

Initio Gaming, from the beginning. 

In the pursuit of victory!

Gauteng's new Provincial Director.

Ian taking the controls of Gauteng gaming.

MSSA has just co-opted Ian Bezuidenhout at the Gauteng Provincial Director.

Such position makes Ian responsible for the events held in Gauteng as well as being the Provincial Team Manager.

But who is Ian?

Ian Bezuidenhout is all of 20 years old and engaged to the most beautiful woman ever.

Although an avid gamer, Ian too has his Private Pilots Licence and has the time, inclination, and talent to have started on his Commercial Pilots Licence.

Ian is more astute than most. Since MSSA does not accept membership of profit making ventures, Ian applied his mind, and with a little 'out-of-the-box' thinking established a non-profit club to run alongside the privately owned Clan.

Thus Ian is the owner of the Clan VexxedPhoenix, and is also the Chairman of the club that is entitled to use the VexxedPhoenix brand. As Ian states, "We are a clan that base our teams and players on being a Family. We are not just a Clan we are a Family. And as a Family VxP is trying to reach the top but also we are trying to get Gaming better name in South Africa". Being competitive, and having an eye for detail, Ian has made it quite clear that his ultimate goal is that both Clan and Club will eventually be the best.

However, knowing that gaming can not be an end in itself, Ian is also exploring ways to create jobs for Gamers, and to have Gaming as a viable career option in the future for South Africans. Together with the other owner of VxP Natasja Bezuidenhout and Ian are in the process of opening up a shop that will allow gamers to get a salary and eventually it will become a full time job for gamers. Ian's goals are no different for MSSA. It is for such reasons that Ian was co-opted by the Management Board. Ian has made it clear that his goal is to have the very best in gaming be put to the highest manner. With the experience that Ian earned in both Club and Clan, Ian has the tools to run Gauteng as the premier province. Much is thus expected of the Gauteng Provincial Teams as they get put to the test against the other provincial teams. Ian too wants MSSA to work together as a family to reach even further heights.

Qualifying for Protea Colours

Protea eSports Team that attended IeSF's 8th World Championships - Jakarta

It is that time of the year again when many gamers look towards MSSA's National Team Trials, and wonder what they have to do to qualify for such Trials.

Why does MSSA use National Team Trials to select Team eSports South Africa?

It is common knowledge that everybody's standard of play changes from year-to-year. Not only that there  is a natural growth in new gamers who enter the scene and a natural 'drop-off' of gamers who leave the competitive scene due to changing work and family commitments.

Thus annual trials are held to  accommodate the above changes. Through such system a highly competitive  system  is too maintained wherein gamers are able to fight for their positions as a position in the team is only held for one calendar year. 

May anyone enter National Team Trials?

It must be remembered that the team  selected by MSSA to officially represent South Africa is  an official sports team that officially represents South Africa  and is awarded Protea Colours.

As such MSSA is required to follow due care and follow proper procedure in awarding such colours to its teams.

As such there are qualifying criteria to qualifying for the National Team Trials (NTT), being:

• Such player wishing to participate in NTT must be affiliated to an affiliated member club, and
• Such player must have won a MSSA Regional Championship, or
• Such player must have finished in the top three places, or in the top 20% (whichever  is greater), at a provincial and/or national championship, and
• Such player is already a member of the  national team and has met the terms of the contract, and
• Such player must have a signed copy of the contract, and
• Such player must have a valid passport, and
• If such player is  still a minor, such player must have a signed affidavit signed by both parents as well as an Unabridged Birth Certificate.

Does the winner of National Team Trials automatically get selected?

Gamers should remember that NTT is not a competition, it forms part of a selection process.

At such Trials drug  testing may be  held and gamers shall be tested to see how they deal with issues that may occur.

It must be remembered that those being selected are being selected to represent South Africa. 

Is the team selected immediately at Trials ?

The captains of the teams are immediately selected at Trials. The selected captains then sit with the Selectors and the Team Manager to select the team. Once the selection is completed and all the procedure has been followed, then the team is announced.

May Team eSports South Africa belong to an existing clan/team?

The short answer is yes. A player will only be selected to represent South Africa if he is a member of a club affiliated to the MSSA, so that is really not an issue! The membership that the the team member has does not just disappear when the player is selected for national duty.

Is the national team allowed to enter private tournaments like the DGC or EGE or even overseas events?

MSSA allows all of its National Team Members to enter any competition that they want to  as members of their clan. 

Gamers only play as the national team in international events upon request by the MSSA. 

However, the National Team Member must, and can, only represent a clan that is currently affiliated to the MSSA. Thus, for example,  a member of the National Team, who is affiliated to Clan A, which is a member of the MSSA, that means he cannot play for any clan that is not affiliated to MSSA. Should a clan that is not a member of MSSA indulge in ambush marketing by claiming that he is a member, MSSA will expect the player to publicly renounce any such claim.

Why do the members of Team eSports South Africa need to sign a contract?

All members who are selected to, and join, a national team are given a contract to sign. If the gamer has not yet reached the age of majority, the legal guardian signs the contract. 

Essentially, if the rules are broken, there may be a financial implication as well as a disciplinary implication. Depending on the severity of the breach, action may be taken by the International Federation concerned, SASCOC, or by the National Federation. 

Does the National Team have to abide by a Code of Conduct?

Indeed it does! 

The Code of Conduct that a team has to follow is an amalgamation of what the South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (SASCOC) and the National Federation expects. Obviously the player representing South Africa has to hold him/herself to a higher standard than the average gamer as so much more is expected of the team member. This way all the parties concerned, the sponsors, the MSSA, the IeSF, and the gamer are protected. The Code of Conduct is not onerous, but largely common-sense. 

In short, it is how you would expect someone to behave if they were representing you!

Is there a difference between officially representing SA in eSports as opposed to any other sport?

There is no difference between officially representing South Africa in eSports to any other sport. eSports is an officially accredited sport, and the Protea Colours that are awarded are awarded by the same Protea Colours Board that awards Protea Colours for all other sports.

The Origin of the clan 'VexxedPhoenix'

VexxedPhoenix; the Clan of Believers.

Dreams were created amongst the sight of the best, all taking place in the life of a gamer. 

During a casual game of League of Legends, the two Owners; Ian Bezuidenhout and Nastasja Bezuidenhout were fooling around, discussing the possibilities of professional clans and how it could be so amazing if they were part of one.

Combining their ambitious and committed traits, an idea sprung between them thus the start of the clan VexxedPhoenix.

Discussions took place, regarding the implications that this might have on one’s life, yet nothing could stop them, so the dream began its journey. Calling on the friends, suggesting the plan of becoming the best, nothing but joy sprung to the members eyes, and so the teams were formed; with the collection of League of Legends, CounterStrike: Global Offensive, HearthStone, Overwatch and DotA 2 teams, there lay the youth of a Clan; VexxedPhoenix. 

Ideas began shooting from team to team, all relating to the final dream of an individual gamer; to become the best, just with the unique strategy of VexxedPhoenix striving for this dream, as a whole. 

Taking on every task and opportunity on the pathway to the top, only for the clans benefit, never loss. 

Now lay a single group of friends, trying their utter best to reach the top, enduring in the exciting, joyful and ambitious moments; letting these moments circumvent the struggles, and disabilities along the way. Nothing can bring this team down. Once one attempts to bring them down, the team will only shoot right up again. 

The clan also decided to partake in the the mindsport events, Adele Janse van Rensburg will be managing all the necessary tasks for the clan.

by VexxedPhoenix