Mike Haze is a professional Super Smash Bros. player who is well-known for not only his success as a player, but also as an event organizer. Mike is regarded as one of the best Marth and Fox players in the world and is known for his love of screaming (see video below). Aside from his professional Smash career, he has also shifted into the world of music, with an EP out already and an album on the way.

You started playing Melee over 10 years ago now after seeing HugS play at a tournament at your school. Did you ever think back then that you’d be where you are today?

MikeHaze: Nah, my intention wasn't ever set to become good at Smash. I was initially drawn to Smash for social aspects since lots of my friends played so it's crazy to see where I'm at now.

Looking back at the career you’ve had so far, you’ve not only taken part in numerous tournaments, but you’ve also helped organize many. What would you say have been a few of your absolute favorite moments so far in your professional career?

MikeHaze: Organizing and running events was really fun, but my heart is really drawn to competing at this point. As far as favorite moments go, most of the best times generally happen outside of events when I'm just able to hang with other players on a personal level. Summer of 2017 was probably one of my favorite time periods overall. Crush and None spent a while at my house and we just got to hang out for a while. None is a character, Crush is ridiculously funny all the time.

You joined up with beastcoast last year. What went into that decision and what has it been like being with them so far?

MikeHaze: Being with beastcoast has been amazing and I definitely wouldn't be able to continue my journey without them. I was the first person to be signed to the team, so I've seen beastcoast grow from the start. Every person on the team is super supportive and it's definitely been a positive experience overall.

Are there one or two different players out there that you absolutely loved playing against? If so, why?

MikeHaze: SFAT because he pushes me to be the best me possible, both in and out of game. He's frustrating to play against which forces me to try new things in game. Swedish Delight as well because he's never beaten me LMAO.

You were pretty well recognized as the best Marth player in the world in Brawl. What do you attribute to your insanely high skill level with him?

MikeHaze: Playing Brawl competitively was the first time I realized that I could actually be great at something. I never thought I was good enough at anything growing up so when I started getting results in Brawl, I gained a lot of self-confidence and began putting in the proper practice. I really believe the main reason I was so good was just because of my work ethic. Same with Melee or anything I'll put my time into in the future. If you put in the time and practice, then improvement is inevitable.

What are some things that you feel really set you and other top tier players apart from “good” players?

MikeHaze: Mindset is likely the most undeveloped aspect of the game for most players. Having a positive mindset influences the way you think about the game as a whole and leads to positive reinforcements in difficult scenarios. Most players don't put proper time into this aspect of the game since it's a difficult one to grow but it's often more important than aimlessly practicing tech skill.

If you could, are there any changes to the Smash scene that you would like to see? How do you feel about the level of viewership/following and how it will be moving forward?

MikeHaze: There are lots of things that the Smash scene could implement but ultimately (pun intended) the implementation comes down to money. A well-done Smash circuit would change the game for both viewership and playerbase, but it won't happen without financial backing. This would hopefully lead to more brand sponsors in the scene which would eventually lead to more money, bigger events, and better production. An important issue the community also needs to find an answer to if we wish to continue to grow is creating better experiences for newer players. At the end of the day not everybody is a competitor and it's important to cater to and draw in the non-competitive crowd if the community is going to live long term.

You recently released your first EP earlier this year (EP Link). Would you say that you’d like to shift your time more towards this project than focus on Smash? Or still maintain a mix of both?

MikeHaze: Working on that project was an amazing experience and I definitely learned a lot about the myself and the creative process as a whole. Shifting my focus towards full time Music is definitely my long-term goal but for now I plan on continuing to balance my time between both. I'm currently working on a full-length album that should be released during the middle of next year. The project will be a more cohesive piece than the EP and I couldn't be more excited for it.

Where can your fans look forward to you playing at next?

MikeHaze: My next few events are:

GTX 2018

The Mang0 - Homecoming

and hopefully Summit 7 if I win the wild card spot!

As a final, easy question. If you were able to permanently ban one character to play against, who would you pick?

MikeHaze: Ice Climbers most likely, or at least wobbling. Such a stupid mechanic LOL

Thank you so much for answering some questions for us! Is there anyone that you would like to give a shoutout to?

MikeHaze: Thanks to all the supporters and fans that help keep the dream alive, I legitimately wouldn't be where i'm at with out you all - I'm forever grateful.

Be sure and check Mike out below and follow along!

Twitter

Instagram

Mike's Music

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