We might soon be seeing a new icon in the world of esports, and he’s already amassed a massive following thanks to a mega-popular Netflix reality series.
Trey Plutnicki, better known as No. 301, is a fan favorite from Netflix’s reality show, Squid Game: The Challenge. He participated alongside his mother, LeAnn, and both of them were well-liked by competitors and fans. Now the show has wrapped its first season, participants have felt free to tweet their thoughts on the show and plans for the future, and Trey’s eyes are set on some exciting prospects; on Dec. 10, he tweeted his bucket list items are to commentate a Smash Bros. tournament and participate in PogChamps.
When asked about his favorite Smash game, Trey responded he “play[s] a ton of Ultimate but wish[es he] was a Melee player.” He chalks this up to his geriatric 26-year-old hands. This led to plenty of encouragement from Melee players to pursue his passion, including professional Peach player William “Bbatts” Batista, who is currently ranked No. 43 in the world as of the 2023 Summer rankings.
On Dec. 11, Bbatts offered to interview Trey and provide him with coaching to get him into the game. Trey quickly responded that if Bbatts could install netplay for him, he’d “do this in a heartbeat.” This would be a tremendous win for the Melee community, as getting a celebrity from Squid Game into the fold could put another new spotlight on the now-22-year-old fighting game.
As far as PogChamps goes, Trey was encouraged to get in touch with Ludwig. Trey has shown his interest in chess in the past, but it’s unknown how good he currently is. Perhaps a chess GM or IM might reach out in the near future to brush up on his game, the same as Bbatts offered for Melee.
As an avid fan of reality TV, it’s always exciting to see players share the same passions I do. It makes them feel even more real to me, and the thought of walking by Trey at the next Melee supermajor would be so awesome.
