Foreword: Challengers is a series where we cover young up-and-coming Smash Wii U and Melee competitors, particularly those whose careers began in the last 1-2 years.
Competitive Smash Wii U is unpredictable. It’s an esport where the skill gap between those at the top and the ones directly below narrows down with every passing day. Every time a perceived status quo seems set, new challengers enter the fray -- ones that raise the bar in terms of skill and change the playing field.
Canadian Ryu specialist Mason “Locus” Charlton is one such challenger. Locus made a name for himself at last December’s ZeRo Saga, arguably the most important Smash Wii U event of 2016, by taking down several of the world’s best in quick succession. The kicker? He had only been playing competitive Smash for about a year and wasn’t even considered the best in his home region of British Columbia.
Of course, all competitors have beginnings. His rise to relevancy was by no mere chance; it was only through talent and passion for the game that he became the threat he is today. Travel back a single year, Locus was just like any other competitor; travel back a couple years more and he was just your average gamer.
Beginnings
“I started playing video games at a very young age, starting with the original PlayStation when I was about 2 or 3 years old. My dad would give me a controller that wasn't plugged in and he would play behind me so I'd feel like I was playing.” It was this early exposure to the hobby that lead him to finish dozens of titles by the age of nine.
Making up just a fraction of his video game repertoire, Locus first got into Smash via Melee when he was around 8 years old. He quickly developed a rapport with the series and bought all subsequent games accordingly. Eventually, he was lead to Smash Wii U, a game he played casually throughout high school.
In the summer of 2015, Locus was introduced to the competitive scene. “One of my good friends that I don’t get to see all too often managed to convince me to go to a small tournament in Regina (a nearby town). There were about 15 or 20 people there, and I managed to win it. That really motivated me to keep playing and see how far I could take my play.” It was at this moment Locus realized that he had the potential to make it big. “I was feeling pretty good about my skill level and I thought I must be pretty good at the game.”
While Saskatchewan served as the birthplace of Locus’ career, it wasn’t until he moved to British Columbia for college that he got his first full taste of competitive Smash. “ My wake-up call was moving to British Columbia and playing there. I went into thinking I might be able to do something along the same lines, and start winning tournaments there as well, but I got bodied compared to in Saskatchewan. I ended up still making it out of pools at my first few tournaments, but it really made me realize that I had a long way to go. “
From there on out, Locus set a goal for himself: he would be on British Columbia’s next power ranking, at least within the top 10. “Unfortunately, I fell just short of that, being one of the honorable mentions for that season.”
Locus was understandably upset. Though he was a top contender in Saskatchewan, he was just another up and coming player in the more active British Columbia. To alleviate this, he strived to further improve his work and training ethic in the coming months; he even attended every tournament he could. “I set tiny goals for myself each month and tried to push myself as hard as I could to achieve them. To begin with, there were two Wii U weeklies each week, one on Friday and one on Sunday. I went to every tournament possible to try to improve.”
Come April 2016, Locus’ efforts bore fruit as they resulted in him being ranked 5th in the region. He still wasn’t fully satisfied. “I was super excited to have pushed that far into the power rankings, but I also knew that I could go further if I didn’t get complacent with myself or the way that I practiced.”
Going Global
Locus and the British Columbia crew after his ZeRo Saga performance.
When the summer of 2016 hit, Locus began to travel internationally in order to gain more experience. “My first large-scale event was EVO 2016, where I placed 65th, losing to Ranai in winner’s bracket and Logic in loser’s bracket. My only notable win there was beating Xzax in pools.” Locus was unsatisfied. He knew he had the capacity to place higher, but it wouldn’t be until half a year later that he would have the chance to prove that.
“Competing at EVO really got me motivated to compete on that higher level. I was super driven to get better.”
In the months leading up to December’s ZeRo Saga, Locus was more focused on Smash than he had ever been before. What was in store for him on that fateful weekend however, was something he never expected to happen.
During pools, Locus was knocked into the loser’s bracket. While most competitors would have given up at that point, his will to succeed overpowered any other feelings that he may have had. It was his iron-will that allowed him to go toe-to-toe with Yuya "9B" Araki , his idol, and win.
“He (9B) was always one of my idols back when he played Ryu, and I tried to model my Ryu closely around his. So to be able to play with him and actually win against him, I knew that I could keep going further if I just played my best.”
And so he did.
In quick succession, Locus took down Ramin “Mr. R” Delshad and Gavin “Tweek” Dempsey before losing to the eventual 3rd placer Gonzalo “ZeRo” Barrios to secure a 9th place finish. Mr. R, a player generally considered to be within the top 10, was and still is one the hardest matches of his entire career. Even today, he still reminisces over the moment he beat the Dutch legend in a nailbiter 3-2 set.
“The moment of victory felt surreal, it still does. I don’t think that’s a memory that I’m ever going to forget. I remember walking off-stage and my legs and arms wouldn’t stop shaking. It (beating Mr. R) is one of the best feelings I've ever felt."
One Foot Forward
Now that Locus has risen to prominence thanks to his recent performances, he plans on travelling more often. Specifically, he’s got his eye on Shine and CEO, and most of all, EVO.
“I’m also really interested in EVO this year because of Smash Wii U getting a chance on the stage. If could make it to Top 8 on the big stage at EVO with Ryu, that would be a dream come true”
It’s a dream that could very well be tangible. Locus has proved himself to be competent not only as a player, but as a competitor too. If there’s one thing we can expect from him, it’s the unexpected. He hopes to to make top 25 on the PGR V3, and although it may be considered a lofty aspiration, don’t be surprised if you see him climbing through the ranks fast. According to him, setting tiny goals each month is imperative for improving, and those tiny goals can add up to reap gargantuan rewards.
Locus is prepared for the dragons ahead he will inevitably have to slay. Through his love of the game and the community, he says, the dreams he has to become the best will never bedissuaded. Even when things get tough.
“Even when things are tough and I’m not doing as well as I’d hoped, the support from the community and the amazing people I’ve met along the way make everything worth it."
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If you enjoyed this piece, follow the writers on Twitter @PopiSSB and @Wnocoz, and the interviewer @1PC_SSB.
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