Rutgers student juggles schoolwork, professional career as Smash player

February 10, 2016 2:59am | By Manya Goldstein

Photo by LjGordon | and James Liu The Daily Targum James Liu, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, is ranked No. 1 in New Jersey and No. 31 in the world for players of Super Smash Bros. Melee.

Walking down College Avenue, James Liu appears to be a typical college senior. If he is not on campus, it is probably because he is traveling to a tournament to advance his professional video game career.

Liu, a School of Arts and Sciences senior, is a professional Super Smash Bros. Melee player. He boasts a No. 1 ranking in New Jersey, and No. 31 worldwide.

Liu, known by the tag, "Swedish Delight," began his video game career in eighth grade.

“My brother wanted to get involved with the game, and he made me play with him,” Liu said. “Then I took it up on my own.”

Liu and his brother traveled to tournaments together throughout high school, where they competed with players from across the nation.

Liu said he will never forget his first major tournament, Revival of Melee, held in March 2009. His mother was uncomfortable with him and his brother traveling to New York alone, so she decided to take matters into her own hands.

“She actually came with us to make sure we were safe,” Liu said.

Much has changed since then, with Liu traveling to Michigan in October to compete in The Big House 5 where he captured 13th place. He was also invited to Los Angeles to compete in the 16-player invitational Smash Summit last November.

Most recently, Liu attended GENESIS 3, the largest overall Smash tournament, where he placed third in doubles with teammate Anthony "Slox" Detres.

His success began his first year as a Rutgers student when he became known in the tri-state area. He started receiving national recognition this past year, Liu said.

To Liu, Smash stands out from other video games because of its communal nature.

“There’s a good community around it,” he said. “You can’t play online — you have to play right next to the person so you have to interact with them.”

Liu is also the founder and president of Scarlet Smash, a club that brings together Rutgers Super Smash Bros. fans to meet new people and enjoy the game.

“We thought it was a good idea to have a Smash club because we were all broken up,” Liu said. “We wanted to get everyone together.”

Unlike most professional video game players, Liu only spends an average of two hours a week practicing his skills.

“I just mentally get tired or get bored,” Liu said.

For the majority of college, Liu said he prioritized school and only attended the biggest tournaments. This past semester, he decided to devote more time to the game.

“It was my senior year, and I was like ‘I won’t get this chance again,'” Liu said.

Liu plans on going to medical school either right after he graduates or after taking a year off.

Regardless of his post-graduation plans, Liu will keep playing Smash for at least a year and attend tournaments during breaks.

“I definitely can’t get away from it,” he said.

Liu has not allowed his video game career to detract from his college experience. In addition to reviving the Rutgers Chemistry Society and participating in the Olympic Weightlifting Club, Liu has been a member of Sigma Pi since his first year at the University.

Liu also holds a part-time job at Colgate, where he works in oral care developing toothpaste. The job has allowed him to take care of the travel expenses and other costs that come with his video game career.

“Before, it was my parents helping me out because I didn’t have an income. I’m pretty self-sustainable now,” he said.

Though he is unsure of where the future will take him, he believes Smash has provided him with valuable skills to help him through life.

Most importantly, he has learned how to interact with people of all different backgrounds and ages, he said.

His video game career has also taught him the value of perseverance when working toward a goal.

“What I’ve learned is that if I’m really pressured in situations, I’ll keep on going. I don’t fall back,” Liu said.

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Manya Goldstein is a School of Arts and Sciences first-year student majoring in journalism and media studies and political science. She is a contributing writer for The Daily Targum. She can be found on Twitter @ManyaG18.

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