Hi5 are not strangers to these pages. They have featured not once, not twice, but three times before. Considering they’ve been around for the better part of 11 years, that is quite understandable. It’s also pretty obvious that in being around that long, the team will have featured in a number of firsts. At least in relationship with us and our associated brands. The first Hi5 clan interview was the one that started it all and now we’re around 250 profiles later. They were also part of our exhibition LAN Call of Duty match in 2012 with the other iconic team F34R.

And now, most recently, the Hi5 team and players took part – and secured a number of first spots – in the Fortnite Festival which was hosted on the first custom lobby in Africa.

All in all, this is a brand with a rich history who are looking towards the future under their current management. We chatted with them again to see where things are heading for the team at Hi5.

Hello again. Remind our readers who you are.

We are High 5 eSports.  We have been competing in Call of Duty since 2007, being one of the longest standing teams to date. In its early stages, Hi5 was created through the efforts of Holden and Dastrix. Since then, the team has been left in the hands of Era and Drew, who’ve been running Hi5 since 2016. Era and Drew now co-own Hi5, and manage and coach the various teams, whilst running the organisation.

How was the clan name chosen?

The name was inspired from the movie Borat. Members at the time chanted Hi5 whilst playing Gears of War.

What is your platform (or platforms) of choice?

We initially competed on Xbox 360. Before the current generation of consoles, Xbox was the preferred title for Call of Duty esports. At the time we focused on Call of Duty and Gears of War. Currently we have teams playing on both console and PC.

What games are Hi5 currently focusing on?

We have teams competing in the following titles:

  • Call of Duty
  • Fortnite
  • Street Fighter

What are the current Hi5 team rosters?

Call of Duty: Rainz | Vexxo | Enigma | Deuz

Fortnite: Hutchie | Zozu

Street Fighter: Apollo

How often do the teams practice together?

Our teams practice daily.

From personal experience, the old team enjoyed a laugh while being a seriously strong and competitive team. Do you still see yourselves as such?

Hi5 was always about enjoying oneself. As time has passed, we still want our players to enjoy competing at the highest level. We want our players to compete seriously, but still enjoy doing it.

Is attending LANs important to the clan and its members?

LANs are one of the core focus points of Hi5. These events are a platform to showcase the efforts of our players throughout the year.

What are you hoping to achieve in the future as a clan?

The ultimate goal is to reach a point where South African players can compete with the best. We have always tried to support our players in any way to allow them to reach that point.

Which opposing MGO do you most respect?

Bravado. In many ways, they are setting precedent for the rest of South African eSports.

In regards to professional – or competitive gaming (or even gaming in general) – what do you as a clan think needs to be done to raise the profile of South African gaming?

Personally, scrim blocks need to become a thing. Teams need to structure their practice times in a way that they’re able to play and thereafter, review, their gameplay. South African Call of Duty, and in general any eSport title, has been the same for several years. Players need to develop solutions to bring their gameplay to the next level.

Thanks for your time – is there anything you would like to add before you head off?

Thanks to those who’ve shown support to Hi5 over the years. We’ll be back to impress in the Black Ops 4 Call of Duty season.

Hi5 Contact Information:
Twitter | Facebook

If you are keen to feature in this column in the future (as a gamer, clan or industry person or company), please feel free to contact us at info@zombiegamer.co.za and we’ll think about – after you’ve sent us a sample of your braaaaaaiiiiinnnnsss.