Game fanatic is gunning for $1m Halo world title

Leuis Charles works in IT and lives in Leverstock Green, but in his spare time, the 25-year-old takes on Xbox gamers from across the globe at the popular ‘Halo’ game.

He has trained himself to watch four screens at once under his game name of Prsma, and for the last eight years has coached one of the best teams in the UK.

exceL eSports, who train with one another online, will soon travel to Hollywood to play the popular first-person shooter against teams from the US, Australia and Asia from March.

The boys will scoop $1million (roughly £706,700) if they can beat off the competition.

Leuis said: “It’s a bit like being a football coach. I have to analyse everything in the game and think of tactics and plays.

“Things happen in the blink of an eye so I have to watch all four screens at once.”

Leuis said he is one of the older gamers, and he is in the unusual position of being a top coach without having enjoyed the success of being a high-ranking gamer himself.

The side were the runners-up at the EMEA Regional Finals in Germany at the start of February.

In doing so, they qualified for the world championships, and are guaranteed $25,000.

Leuis said: “We battled it out as one of the top 12 teams in Europe. We surpassed all predictions and placed second, falling short to Team Infused.

“For placing second we walked away with $10,000 and that all-important spot at the Halo World Championship Finals.”

Leuis’s team consists of Arkel Brown, 20, from Ilford, Casey Lunn, 19, from Stoke-on-Trent, Kyle Thompson, 23, from Blackpool, and Max Cottle, 24, from Trowbridge.

Visit www.excelesports.com to learn more the team.