Dylan “Roth” Short wasn’t satisfied with the grind in early 2020. His love for the randomness, chaos and skill found within PUBG: Battlegrounds was starting to wane when he was asked to play in a coed tournament February.
“I never usually branch out and do much outside of the game with my team or friends,” Roth said. “However it was a Friday night and I was looking to just play the game and I got asked to play.”
He set with up with the three women on BFFs, including Karina “kamikazeeKeek” Alofaituli, and they had a relaxing evening of battle royale action. The digital fireworks that popped off during one 16-kill win – even though “fireworks” was just their code word for cover fire – made the real fireworks that popped off between two members of the team all the more palpable.
His team wound up placing fifth, but he came away with something much better than a cash prize.
“We became best friends there,” Roth said of kamikazeeKeek. “About eight months later we were dating and now here we are planning a wedding.”
After more than 8,000 of hours of PUBG, between playing professionally since 2018 and casually before that, Roth didn’t think there was anything the game could do to surprise him. Furthermore, Roth felt his dedication to the game wasn’t paying off in the year leading up to the PUBG Global Invitational.S in 2021. He became so hyper focused on competing, getting an income through it and winning above all else. He forgot how to have fun.
“I was ready to call it quits,” Roth said. “She made me love the game again. She made the game enjoyable to sit down and play for hours on end when I probably would’ve been looking elsewhere for work.”
KamikazeeKeek used her experience playing college basketball at University of Southern California and professionally overseas in Australia, to help motivate Roth.
“She reminded me of the fun side of it, when I was so focused on the job, the income, the results,” Roth said. “I can’t put into words how grateful I am for her and her support.”
Now Roth is headed to compete in the Grand Final of the PUBG Continental Series 6 against 15 other teams from across the United States and South America. He believes his team, Bing Bang Boom, is scrappy and a bit of a wildcard – he still thinks he plays like a chicken with its head cut off at times – and will need to be aggressive if they want to make an impact during the tournament.
But even if he comes out on top at PCS6, the prize won’t compare to the one he found at the Girlboss Squad tournament he joined in 2020. It’s because of that tournament – and the girl he met there – that he’s here at all.
“If it wasn’t for her I wouldn’t be in the position I am in currently, or of had any of the success I’ve been able to find,” Roth said. “She motivated me to not only continue doing what I knew I could be good at, but reminded me of my flaws and my strengths as a person and a competitor. She helped me become a better IGL, a better leader.”
Don’t forget to watch how Roth and his team, Big Bang Boom, do during the PCS6 Americas Grand Final at 4 pm PT, starting on April 15th. And don’t miss Roth’s breakdown of an epic BBB Chicken Dinner, here on YouTube.
WHERE TO WATCH / FOLLOW
PCS6 Americas Grand Final will be broadcast live on:
Be sure to follow PUBG Esports on social media to stay up to date on all the action