On Sunday we completed the final test of our Microsoft Store battles. We had teams in the University Village and Portland stores with DJBlue casting out the action. While we had a few glitches with the casting, everything else ran smoothly. The Microsoft Store staff in both areas provided absolutely awesome support. We are ready to expand the battles to stores in several locations on the West Coast.
Seattle won the first best of three series against a Portland team that had virtually no previous practice time together. Portland then took a second series creating the need for a tie breaking match. The last match was Strongholds on Plaza. The Portland players took the early lead showing much improved teamwork. Portland continued to build a lead holding Seattle to under 40 points for most of the match. The final score was 100 to 37.
DJBlue, the voice of the PBL, is also heavily involved in the growth of not just the Willamette Valley Swarm, but also the whole Tempest Region scene. He was very excited to see the team pull out the victory and commented, “We kept Portland weird, and we won. A random assortment of talent brought together by the PBL produced a combination of players that shocked everyone in both stores. A prime example of what the Pro Battle League can bring to the communities around us through 343's Halo 5: Guardians.”
It is a sure thing that Seattle will be looking to avenge this lost next time they get a chance. And the PBL is definitely looking to help teams to demonstrate who can build the best Halo squad. In the end, an intense rivalry between Portland and Seattle only helps people enjoy Halo more. James “Fury” Porretta made this observation, “Community involvement was outstanding, seeing local members go from strangers to teammates in 15 minutes was really powerful. You could see the dynamic of the room changing as the night went on, people opened up to one another and conversations started that wouldn't have without connecting over Halo.”
The next PBL action scheduled for Microsoft Stores is set for February 28th. However, look for us online and watch for possible test matches near you. Any questions can be directed to info@battleleague.com.