🎮The Latest from Champions Seoul - Valorant Velocity

Q*: This was your first time playing against Gen.G. In the teaser, you really wanted to play against them as they were the current best. How was the overall experience, and did Gen.G live up to your expectations? (Question from Sportskeeda Esports' Sneh to MiniBoo)*

MiniBoo: This was probably the hardest game I have ever played in my career. My head was hurting after the game. They played really good. We also played really good but this team we were better. They definitely lived up to my expectations. It was a really fun game to play and I hope it was a fun game to watch.

Q*: I want to know more about the Abyss pick. When you go for a map where you have no info about the other team, how do you guys prepare for that particular situation. What did you think of their performance on the map, and how did you counter their playstyle throughout the series?(Question from Arnab to neilzinho)*

neilzinho: It's kinda difficult when you have no footage of a team but we did some good prep. We knew that was going to be their comp or at least a good idea it would be their comp. It wasn't too much of a surprise and we focused on ourselves. Gen.G played their own game freely and we learnt a lot from that game. We lost both pistols and it still came pretty close. I am happy with that.

In terms of playstyle, they don't really change their comps that much. There is not much change in their playstyle and we just got used to it.

Q*: You mentioned that this is not the team's final form during the short interview between the maps. What things can be improved by the end of the tournament? (Question to neilzinho)*

neilzinho: After the first map, I did say we are not at our final form yet. I do think that it's partly because we are coming into this tournament after a slump. I have told these guys thousand times, and they are probably bored of hearing it that every team in every sport can have their highs and lows. If you power through the hard times and get back to the top, you can reach even higher heights.

We are not there yet. It's a part of the process. We had a few rough weeks in Stage 2. I think the guys had a good rest, and they are going to grow more in this tournament. We are just going to keep improving. The fundamentals can get better but we have more time now. It's also about confidence and today's win will help a lot in that regard.

Q: We saw some visible frustrations on the team after some round losses? Do you think that was because of some mental toll on the team, or were their other factors in play? (Question from Strafe Esports)

Munchkin: I think it's a little bit of both. I do agree that we didn't have the best mental for today's game but we had other aspects affecting us as well. We had lot of smokes in the arena due to the smoke machine. It caused some issues with our breathing. It did get better in the third map. However, it makes everything foggy. We can't really look at the monitor clearly. Overall, it was that external aspect as well.

Q: Did you feel any differences in TH's approach to the match with MiniBoo in the roster, compared to their roster at Shanghai with paTiTek? (Question from Strafe Esports)

Munchkin: I would like to give props to paTiTek because he played extremely well in the grand finals. They were a strong team back then as well. However, with MiniBoo joining the team and playing with the intended roster, it gives them a lot more options when it comes to the Agent pool. They definitely have a different approach to the game.

Q: After a loss like this, what goes behind the scenes for the coaching staff, as well as the players, to reset and come back? Does this loss give the team a good wake-up call? (Question from Arnab to solo)

solo: It's either going to be Sentinels or FPX. Once we get to see who we face next, we will work on our map veto and prepare for the maps. We will make sure we will put in the best prep we can. The players don't have the type of mentality that will kind of die down or crumble just because of one loss. I think they can reset and come back stronger.

Q: Gen.G players have mentioned that things were a bit foggy due to the smoke machines. Did that affect your performance as well? (Question from on-site media to MaKo)

MaKo: All the fog made the mousepad go really moist. It was hard for us to adjust our aim because our mouse wasn't working well with the mousepad being so damp. There were definitely inconveniences due to the smoke machine

Q: What would be the things you would be working on before playoffs? (Question from on-site media to termi)

termi: There are still gaps in our game. We need to work on that. I feel like we need to stay more calm, and if we do that during those games then we would be a stronger team. We are still in the process of having those young players gain more experience. With more time given, the players will be more comfortable staying calm and collected in hectic moments. I personally want the players not to think too much about what it takes to stay calm in those clutch situations.

Q: The meta on Abyss is changing fast since it's a new map. Today, we saw a new team comp Gen.G was playing against Heretics. What do you think about Gen.G's macro and comp on Abyss? You were reacting to Fnatic's actions on Abyss well without calling timeouts. What do you think helped you do a good job on Abyss? (Question from on-site media to MaKo)

MaKo: In terms of Gen.G's comp and interpretation of Abyss, it is a pretty big map. They have an idea similar to Breeze when it comes to Abyss. They want to make those quick rotations and having quick backup. I was able to notice mistakes on both sides during our match. I was quick to notice these mistakes and communicated them with my teammates very well.