GWN: We know you play Fifa professionally, both on the Xbox 360 and PC. Do you prefer the 360 pad over the keyboard? If so, why?

N.D: In previous versions of FIFA I have had to stick to the Xbox360 controller; however, I am very excited and anxious for the PC version of FIFA 09 early next month because it includes an RTS style control system. I have been recently been able to try this new setup out in the demo and I am more than pleased. I am able to select any single player using my Razer DeathAdder, Lycosa, and have even more control over the game. I think this will give users the ability to be more accurate with passing, shooting and defense because you don’t have to rely on your thumbs; it’s much more practical for players with an FPS background such as mine.

GWN: Have you ever gotten to the point where you just said, “You know what, I’m tired of gaming,” and if so, what kept you in the loop?

N.D: There have been times of frustration where I wanted to give up. This usually happened after practicing hours on end only to be let down by teammates at events. Just as I was about to give up on gaming the Championship Gaming Series was announced which led to me playing the single player FIFA game. After those experiences I now wish I had a chance to go back in time to play more games like Quake and Painkiller; I seem to enjoy gaming much more now with less stress and knowing that if I lose, it’s not because of someone else and am able to go home and fix what I did wrong for next time.

GWN: What do you do at Razer, and how do you like working there so far?

N.D: Razer greatly supports the gaming community and they gave me the opportunity to get my foot in the door, to be part of a huge industry and be able to learn and see how it all works.  Right now I am finishing up my internship with the sales department; however, my position here is unique because I am able to contribute to the company with my previous gaming experiences and giving recommendations and leaving feedback on products from a gamers’ point of view. My daily routine entails product distribution, sales meetings, and marketing strategies; on the first day the guys hooked me up with a new computer and huge monitor to practice with during my spare time. The best is during lunch where we have battles in the boardroom on the big TV with Guitar Hero 3 and FIFA08; thus far I enjoy working at Razer.

GWN: Can you give our reader’s some general pointers to play better, in any game?

N.D: I always tell gamers to first ask themselves if they want to play casually or competitively because there really is no in between for me. When I play casually I goof around and play with friends without worrying about ranking or strategy but when I play competitively I have been known to do so much as scream at my teammates when they don’t do something right. 

I recommend for players who want to play competitively to do their best to stay stress free and avoid burn-out by breaking up practicing sessions into hour long blocks with at least 15 minutes of rest in between. When you go from game to game for hours on end you tend to carry over any emotions from previous games which actually just make your game play worse so by giving yourself short breaks it allows you to sit down and tackle the game as if it was the first session of the day. 

I also believe that a well-balanced diet, exercise and plenty of rest contributes significantly to your video game performance because, whether Mom and Dad believe it or not, gaming takes an incredible amount of brain power so a clear mind is very important.

GWN: Will you ever get over having lost to Tania in Starcraft?

N.D: She did get lucky and beat me. I was a little upset…after all, second place is the first loser right? We did play again and I have to admit that I was throwing fist pumps around the office last week after defeating Tania. I feel much better now that I’ve shown her who the best here is. 

GWN: Alright, last question. What is your best gaming moment?

N.D: I must say that the greatest and most memorable time in my entire gaming career was when I opened the night with my Championship Gaming Series franchise, Carolina Core, defeating the highest rated FIFA soccer player in the world - ChrissyB of the London Mint on live international television. This was so monumental because my team was not only predicted to lose, but I was individually predicted to be defeated by a huge margin.

For the first time I actually spent hours studying my opponent’s previous game tapes learning his tendencies – this would later pay off as I was able to counter strategize Chrissy bringing him into a penalty kick sudden death. I noticed in replays that he liked to kick the ball low and to the right, so every time I chose to move my keeper in that direction. I wound up winning the match by a score of 3-1 boosting my team’s scoreboard points as well as overall moral; together we won $150,000 that night, the night was mine. 

Thanks to Nicholas and to Razer for the great interview!