Volamel
2018-12-25 02:47:36
Obviously, with the last 2018 season coming to a close, we have to look ahead to first 2019. With the new year brings many changes to the Overwatch Contenders format and system. Overall, what are your thoughts on the upcoming changes?
Overall I think the changes are okay, some bad, some good. There are some positives to the [Contenders] changes but no LAN is, in my opinion, really bad for the tier 2 scene. Luckily I managed to get some LAN experience before this.
Two longer seasons is going to be good, will hopefully put less stress on Contenders players. I also like the prize being more rewarding to the top teams, although, I feel bad for unsigned teams that don't make a salary outside of prize winnings. I don't really mind the soft region lock, but I understand why some people do. And finally, if the cross-region tournaments are true, that would be really good for EU I think.
Let’s get to Overwatch Contenders. Walk me through the week five loss to the British Hurricane. What, in your mind, went wrong?
We didn't expect them to play as good on GOATs as they did and we ended up playing more passively than we had been in practice. They got a lot more value from their ultimates than we did from ours because we played scared. Pretty much exactly what happened versus Shu’s Money Crew EU as well. It will not happen again.
Recently you sang the praises of your new head coach Optidox. What are some of the big changes that he’s made in the team to help you and the Titans improve so much this season?
He has helped us a lot with always being proactive and staying as disciplined as possible. He has had us go through maps together and focused a lot on positioning and playing smart. [He] made us see GOATs in a way we didn't before.
I feel like identifying problems is one thing, but implementing a solution in practice is a different thing entirely. How do the Angry Titans go about fixing issues you guys run into and how exactly does that get implemented in practice?
We usually have long theory talks and VOD reviews after we have identified problems and come up with solutions as a team, the next day we try it out in practice and if it doesn't work, we do it all again or we realize how to fix it while playing. Talking and VOD review > Playing > Talking usually fixes issues.
I have spoken with some of Europe’s best talent and they all seem to dread attempting to practice for Winstrike Team and their more unorthodox take on the metagame. How are you and your team preparing for your quarterfinal match against them?
We had them as scrim partners for the entire season and all I can say is that we will go into the game knowing how to play against them, we're not scared.
Last but not least, I want to ask you about some of your major goals. You’ve represented your country in the Overwatch World Cup and have competed successfully in Overwatch Contenders. What are some of the big milestones you want to accomplish in 2019?
Obviously like every other Contenders player, getting picked up for the Overwatch League is one of my biggest milestones. The thing I want even more, though is improving as much as possible coming into the new year, the milestones come hand-in-hand. Also, representing Sweden again if there is going to be a 2019 World Cup would be an honor and I hope if that happens, we can prove what we've got and win it all.