STACK #151 May 2017

GAMES FEATURE

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Each month, STACK takes a brief look at what’s happening in esports, both locally and overseas. esports Round-Up Junglist with

W ith IEM Sydney a couple of weeks away at the time of writing, all eyes were on the League of Legends OPL Split 1 final between Legacy and Dire Wolves – and you’d be forgiven for doing a double take when seeing this final was without the Chiefs. Always the bridesmaid, Legacy was denied yet again as Dire Wolves comprehensively outplayed their rivals 3-1. In truth, the quality of all OPL teams has increased, but an expensive new training system paid off for Dire Wolves as they executed team fights with noticeably more cohesion. You could see how much it meant to longtime OPL player and Dire Wolves mid laner Richard “Phantiks” Su, as he

force solution: simply wear the cost and take your team to a country where the quality of

tried to compose himself for a post-match interview. But even a teary-eyed LoL player brings the banter on camera, as Phantiks spoke about the upcoming international MSI competition: “We’re not scared of any team. We’re not scared of SKT. We’ll take it all.” Much was made of new director Dave Harris and his investment in the organisation, having flown the team of five to South Korea to play with top-tier players there. As long as esports

We’re not scared of any team. We’re not scared of SKT. We’ll take it all.

play is higher. With a team at the top of the O the place, so I went and got my own sports organisation PL after Split 1, nobody is doubting his methods. At a recent esports panel, Harris told me, “I used to work in Rugby League, until I got tired of people not listening to me about how to run!”

has existed in Australia, our geography has held us back. Poor Internet makes it more important to have LAN competitions, and travelling across the country is difficult, let alone heading overseas. Harris appears to have come up with a brute

This month we take a look at Plantronics' RIG800HS.

I f you’re looking for a new gaming headset that’s both comfortable and reasonably priced, Plantronics’ RIG800HS should be on your radar. Plantronics have been long heralded as one of the leading brands of headset manufacturers. Their latest, the RIG800HS, is of course no exception. First off, it’s wireless, so you can enjoy hassle-free sound from your PS4 (or PC). It’s also really lightweight

PLANTRONICS rig800hs HEADSET

hours of use on a full charge, and there are rarely any connectivity issues. The sound, too, is great; voices and people talking will occasionally be lost in the blast of an explosion or the firing of a gun, but for a wireless headset this packs a punch when you need it to. The 40mm drivers have a great balance of bass and treble, and the cups are surprisingly noise-cancelling despite their appearance. For voice chat, the RIG800HS is equipped with a noise-cancelling mic that flips down from the side of the left cup, also muting when it’s not in position – a nice touch and another mark of Plantronics’ ingenuity. Audio dials on the back of the left ear let you adjust the balance between game and voice chat, and there’s also a general volume dial for easy access. For a wireless headset with surprising battery life, and one that won’t drop out, the RIG800HS is a good place to start.

– a feature of most Plantronics RIGs – so it’s no trouble to carry around. Despite being wireless, you need harbour no concerns about battery life – the RIG800HS boasts 24

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MAY 2017

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