HisWattson
2021-01-01 — 2021-04-01 | Rare Xcellence |
2022-05-31 — 2023-07-15 | FURIA Esports |
2023-07-15 — 2023-12-17 | FURIA Esports(Str.) |
2023-12-17 — Present | FURIA Esports |
Jacob "HisWattson" McMillin (born December 29, 2001) is an American player who is currently playing for FURIA Esports.
Initially known for being a ranked leaderboard grinder, HisWattson is also most known for his run at the 2022 ALGS Championship where he was awarded the MVP award at the event.
- See also: HisWattson: Biography
Achievements[edit]
Date | Place | Tier | Tournament | Team | Prize | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023-05-08 | 4th | A-Tier | ALGS: 2023 Split 2 Pro League - North America | $9,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023-03-31 | 5th - 8th | A-Tier | MFAM Gauntlet #4 | $10,150 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023-01-20 | 3rd | B-Tier | Oversight - Season 1 Split 2: Playoffs | $3,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2023-01-06 | 1st | B-Tier (Week.) | Oversight - Season 1 Split 2: Week #5 | $2,300 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-12-10 | 3rd | A-Tier | JBL Quantum Cup 2022 - North America | $5,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-09-29 | 1st | B-Tier (Week.) | Oversight - Season 1 Split 1: Week #4 | $2,300 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-08-18 | 1st | B-Tier | Intel Creator Challenge | $4,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-07-26 | 1st | A-Tier (Showm.) | Twitch Rivals - NA Showdown 4 | $7,500 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-07-22 | 1st | B-Tier | Atlanta Premier Invitational | $6,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-07-10 | 2nd | S-Tier | ALGS: 2022 Championship | $300,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Extended list of results |
Earnings Chart[edit]
Awards[edit]
Date | Tier | Tournament | Award | Team | Prize | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2022 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-08-18 | B-Tier | Intel Creator Challenge | 1v1 Winners | $1,000 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
2022-07-10 | S-Tier | ALGS: 2022 Championship | Monster Energy MVP | - |
Biography[edit]
Dabbling into Competitive (2020 - 2021)[edit]
Although HisWattson was often seen as a known grinder of the ranked ladder[1] he did compete early on with a team called TSS together with Keon "Keon" Berghout and Christopher "BlurrFlavorz" Martinez. Together the trio made various showings through the North American ALGS and various other tournaments, but never placed high up nor managed to grab any meaningful victories. Together with his squad they did however get picked up by Rare Xcellence in 2021. [2] Under the new banner the team was able to qualify for the Winter Circuit Playoffs through the Last Chance Qualifiers, but during the playoffs the team failed to get on the board during the Match Point finals and ultimately finished in 16th place. After the event the team parted ways with Rare Xcellence as Keon looked to step away from competition, and back under the TSS banner HisWattson played in the North American 2021 Championship where this time Tommy "Sung" Nguyen stepped into the squad. This squad however did not make it past the group stages, and they ended the competitive year in 25th place.
Coming near the end of the year, the team did reunite with Keon to compete in the Preseason Qualifiers for the first Pro League, but with only two tournament showings to put points on the board, they failed to make it into the newly established league.
Splashing unto the World Stage (2022)[edit]
Initially not competing in the first half of 2022, HisWattson gained the sudden chance to join FURIA Esports ahead of the Last Chance Qualifier for the 2022 Championship as he replaced Will "TeQ" Starck. [3] Together with his two new teammates Nelson "Xeratricky" Medina and Scott "Pandxrz" Maynard he would have a consistent showing throughout the bracket stage to qualify for the finals of the LCQ. And although the first two games in the finals didn't seem to bode well, FURIA picked up steam as in the following four games they would place no lower than fourth, and picked up two second place finishes alongside a victory. With this performance they netted themselves a total of 73 points, enough to secure themselves the first seed out of the LCQ.
And it was at the Championship where HisWattson together with his team would upset the world stage. [1][4] During the group stage the team came in with a hyper-aggressive playstyle where they utilized HisWattson playing on Seer. A character that at the time was not seen as a meta pick. This pick however turned out to be the perfect fit to counter the meta alongside allowing the aggressive playstyle. FURIA led the Group Stages with the most Kills, with HisWattson leading the rankings on the individual kill leaderboard.
"I don’t really care what people think about me, I want to just live as myself. When it comes to Apex, something I’m really good at, I want to make my own decisions. I saw Seer and I just believed myself that he was really good and it turned out great."Jacob "HisWattson" McMillin ([1])
The team would not stop their momentum as they continued their kill-heavy playstyle and during the bracket stage they sealed their 2nd seed for the finals by winning the last game with a total of 16 kills. This allowed them to gain 9 starting points for the Grand Finals. In the Grand Finals it again seemed there were no brakes on FURIA as they continued with their aggresive playstyle, but this did turn out to be a hindrance in the Match Point format. While FURIA managed to get a lot of Kill Points during their series, closing out a game and securing wins was a lot harder. Compared to a lot of other top 10 teams, they only had 15 top 10 finishes, while most teams averaged above 20. Nonetheless FURIA made no changes during the Finals, and continued to acquire points through kills. Although they were the first team to hit match point after game 5, they didn't manage to find another top 5 finish in the following games, and eventually the series came to an end by game nine as DarkZero Esports was able to win the tournament after being match point eligible. FURIA Esports however did finish the tournament with more points than DarkZero, as they led the lobby with 85 points total, and ultimately finished the tournament in second place. Alongside the second place, HisWattson was also awarded the MVP award. HisWattson at the tournament also led the tournament with the highest average kills per round with 15.6, also finishing in second in the kill leaderboard with 78 kills, falling only behind Mikkel "Mande" Hestbek who had just 3 kills more, while Mande also played a series more in the losers bracket.
A Fall from Grace (2022 - 2023)[edit]
Following the Championship, FURIA continued on their success in various third party tournaments such as the Atlanta Premier, SteelSeries and HisandHers Invitationals, the results soon dropped off. And with a shifting meta, it seemed FURIA were unable to adapt in time during the first split of the Pro League year. However after a 2nd place finish on day 6, followed by a day 7 win it looked like FURIA was making a return to form as they put themselves in contention for qualification towards the Split 1 Playoffs. However in the final Match Point week FURIA dropped a dissapointing series that saw them only secure 2 points in the overall standings, while on the flipside, DarkZero Esports with their second place finish bolstered up with 21 points, putting them ahead of FURIA, and also knocking them out of the necessary top 10 position for LAN qualification.
FURIA however looked hungry to bounce back, as in the following Pro League Split FURIA found form again, and the squad secured multiple second and third place finished throughout the regular season. Even putting themselves in contention for the Split 2 title. However once again in the final week did the team have a disappointing result, only netting themselves 3 overall points. While they lost out on title contention, they had still secured more than enough points to secure the 4th seed heading into the Split 2 Playoffs in London.
Leading up to the event HisWattson had found themselves in a contest for Lightning Rod on Storm Point with Alliance. With scrims seemingly going into a favourable match-up for FURIA.[5] While during the first two rounds of the Group Stage of the Playoffs FURIA wouldn't face Alliance, FURIA found themselves outside of the top 20 after their first two rounds of play. Sitting at 49 points however, they were still in contention for a slot if they scored enough points in their last series. It was however here in their last series where they had to face Alliance in their first three games. This time Alliance turned the tides, and won the contest against FURIA convincingly 3-0. Even sending a note to the casters that said "FURIA WHO?". [6] Following the three maps FURIA was only on 3 points, and being so far behind they weren't able to pick up much more in the series, finishing the lobby dead last.
Although FURIA wasn't just out yet as they were able to play in the losers bracket, here they again had a disastrous series, only securing 14 points total, and with that ended their tournament run 37th place. That same day HisWattson came out to announce his retirement from competing in Apex Legends. [7]
"I went from being miles ahead of the 2nd best player to being poop. I tried everything possible to make myself enjoy playing comp, but even when we were winning, I still wasn't having any fun. I've tried looking at it from every angle, but I simply don't think it's something that can make me happy. And over time, me not having enjoying it has made my skills deteriorate to the point where I'm no longer content and just want to go back to what made me the best and happiest I'd ever been: Spamming ranked like a degen and being a goofball on stream/"Jacob "HisWattson" McMillin ([7])
Following his retirement HisWattson went on to focus on his streaming career, but it seemed his retirement would be short-lived. As leading up the fourth year of the ALGS, HisWattson made his return on FURIA for the 2024 Pro League. [8] FURIA had made the decision to drop their roster that saw Mac "Albralelie" Beckwith as HisWattson's replacement. And instead picked up Ryan "ImMadness" Schlieve and HisWattson's former teammate Keon "Keon" Berghout. ImMadness and Keon initially were playing together with Alan "Vaxlon" Gonzalez. But chose to drop him for HisWattson who had voiced to FURIA that he was interested in returning to play if he could play with Keon. [9]
Media[edit]
Gallery[edit]
HisWattson at the 2022 Championship with FURIA Esports
Trivia[edit]
Organized Tournaments[edit]
References[edit]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Esports.gg (2022-07-09). "FURIA HisWattson: “If we don’t get a top 5, I would be extremely disappointed. But we are definitely a top 3 team, even if the best team doesn’t always win.”" (in English).
- ↑ Rare Xcellence (2021-01-01). "Rare Xcellence Adds Apex Legends" (in English).
- ↑ FURIA Esports (2022-05-31). "Welcome @HisWattson" (in English).
- ↑ Jumbo (2022-07-12). "How Furia CHANGED Apex Legends" (in English).
- ↑ HisWattson (2023-06-08). "6-0 on contests today. Feel free to chall us in London we look forward to the donations" (in English).
- ↑ Alliance (2023-08-23). "Alliance taunting Furia on Apex LAN" (in English).
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 HisWattson (2023-07-16). "Apex Legends Competitive" (in English).
- ↑ FURIA Esports (2023-12-17). "Who said we were out of Apex?" (in English).
- ↑ HisWattson (2023-12-18). "TLDR on how and why" (in English).