A rising star hailing from Tampa has a bright future!

I had a chance to catch up with the young yet talented Du “NuckleDu” Dang who, to no one’s surprise, has been adorned with a few of new titles as of recently in the competitive video gaming community. Hit the jump to catch the full Q/A session.

Hey, Du! I’m Bobby and I work alongside Chris Bahn at Put That Back. What we wanted to do was throw a couple of questions at you regarding your new achievement stepping up as CEO of UYG; if you have a moment of time to spare, would you be able to answer a few for us?

Du: Yes sir, go right ahead!

Why don’t you give us an introduction of who you are and what you do, for the people who might not be keen to hearing the name NuckleDu?

Du:  Hello! My name is Du Dang and my tournament handle is NuckleDu. My hometown is Tampa, Florida and I am the CEO of Up Your Game. I have won multiple major tournaments and placed top 32 at the EVO world finals. Also labeled the “Infiltration killer” (hehe), I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon!

A lot of developmental changes have been happening and circling around you! From leaving Empire Arcadia to joining up with ‘Black Triangles’, a dev studio who might not be well-known to some, as well as becoming CEO of UpYourGame! So let’s tackle on these subjects one at a time. 

Firstly, let’s talk about your new sponsor, Black Triangles. Where are they from, and how did you come to meet them?

Du: bTri is a indie game development studio located in Austin, Texas. They were formed by developers who worked on franchises such as Call of Duty, Left 4 Dead, and Halo. Till this day, bTri (BlackTriangles) has always been big fans and supporters of me and my tournament career since they took interest in the fighting game community. I am extremely grateful for such a big and supportive backing.

Are there any upcoming indie games that bTri is developing that you might be excited for?

Du: They are working on something big but I can’t talk about it yet but I’ll keep you guys updated!

Roger that! Now, could you briefly explain to us the roots of what it represents and how it came to be?

Du: UYG (UpYourGame) is an organization originally started in Brooklyn, New York, created by players with the intention to provide opportunities for other players. Its inception stemmed from a very simple thing: desire. A desire to be better. A desire to learn. A desire to receive guidance. Because we experienced and understood these pains, we decided to do something about it. This is how UYG came to be.

Who are the other members of UYG that have joined you throughout your time there? Is this a developmental group for better one person’s skill in competitive game, or something on a larger scale?

Du: UYG has been around since [the release of] Street Fighter IV. Players like Starnab, Wolfkrone, Tampa Bison, myself and even the Evo champion Louffy were in the UYG community sharing knowledge and helping it grow. Our primary goal is to become an opportunity hub for players to network, ease of access to information, and having fun.

Opportunity hub for players to network as in ‘sponsorship matchmaking’? Or a matchmaking service for players to meet other players?

Du: Players meeting other players, regardless of skill.

Who is the current roster running UYG with you right now?

Du: As of now, it’s just me and Anthony Nguyen from California as the community manager. We have big plans for the community in the future!

(UPDATE: NuckleDu has confirmed that the previous CEO of UpYourGame, Wade Sikander, is still presently working with Du and Anthony.)

Are you looking to fill any other managerial positions at this time? Any particular people you have an eye on?

Du: Not yet! That needs to be discussed as we move forward with the programs and content that we decide to provide.

Any other bits of information you’d like to share before we sign off, here?

Du: I would like to thank Black Triangles for providing me with an opportunity to travel and do what I love. And also a big shoutout to the UYG community for being supportive through all these years so thank you! And a big shoutout to my family for always being there!

Featured image courtesy of Jason Laboy Photography. Used with permission.