“There is still a lot of work to be done to become the best, and with TSM's support we will work hard to make our fans proud!”: Illuminati, member of TSM.FTX Free Fire roster

Since the release of Free Fire back in 2017, the game has managed to gather a huge amount of fan-following.

In India, the esports scene of Free Fire is like none other. From grassroots level to S-tier tournaments, all are filled with countless professional teams filled with budding stars. After last year’s PUBG Mobile ban, a huge number of players shifted to Free Fire.

When it comes to professional Free Fire teams in India, one team on everyone’s mind is Sixth Sense. With consecutive astounding performances in multiple tournaments, the Free Fire roster of Sixth Sense caught the eyes of TSM as the international team signed the whole roster and introduced their first Indian Free Fire team, TSM.FTX.

In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Esports’ Subhradeep Mukherjee, TSM.FTX’s Sagar “ILUMINATI” Patel shared his and his fellow team members’ journey in Free Fire so far.

Here is an excerpt of the interview.

Q: With the formation of the new TSM roster, the Sixth Sense roster finally has an international banner. How does it feel to finally receive international backing after working so hard for the best spot in the Indian esports scene?

ILUMINATI: Yes, this is the result of 3 years of hard work and commitment towards esports. There were many ups and downs that came our way, however, we did not surrender, and with TSM.FTX we are extremely motivated.

Q: The roster of Sixth Sense has been pretty much dominant in their run recently. The number of achievements you guys have pulled off is no small feat. How much do you think that facilitated your recruitment process?

ILUMINATI: It put us on the map as a top contending team and caught the attention of many esports orgs in India as well as TSM's.

Q: Now that you are under the banner of TSM, there must be a set of regulations you guys have to follow regarding practice. Besides practicing your gameplay, are there any other extracurricular activities that you guys go through on a daily basis?

ILUMINATI: We meet with TSM leadership weekly to biweekly and talk in our group chat few times a week. We discuss other teams, communication, coaching, etc., and share ideas with each other regarding what to do next. Even though TSM signed us right before the Pro League started, they did not want to disrupt or change things that were already in motion. For TSM, it was a period to get to know our team better and learn more about the Free Fire competitive scene.

Currently, TSM is searching for a boot camp for us and promised to keep in touch with us regarding the processes and best practices that will allow us to become the best esports org in India.

Q: Since 2020, you guys have won a considerable amount of titles, all of which were big names among the Indian esports tournaments. How soon did you guys expect an esports org to take an interest?

ILUMINATI: In light of our past experience with organizations, we have chosen to reject numerous organizations that have approached us. Rather, we waited for the right moment and org to make the big jump.

Q: With Free Fire growing rapidly every day, how well do you think the esports scene of Free Fire shapes up in India in the coming few years?

ILUMINATI: This is only the start of the esports scene in India. In the forthcoming days, it will definitely develop into much more as Garena is thinking of numerous large competitions.

Q: What brought you to Free Fire in the first place? Did you have any prior experience in esports before deciding to join Free Fire as a professional player?

ILUMINATI: In my adolescent days (2004), I used to play CS 1.6 for quite a while. Yet around then, there wasn’t a considerable esports scene in India, so I left gaming and began focusing on my studies. In the wake of investing some energy in Free Fire and playing World Series 2019 in Brazil, I have observed that the esports situation had already amounted to so much over there.

At that point, I knew in the forthcoming days, India will also have such a huge market in Free Fire esports. And it was in Brazil that I chose to make a professional team, and this is how our professional journey began.

Q: All of the members of TSM.FTX has been well acquainted with each other for a long time now. You guys have played several tournaments together. With such high team coordination dating back to early days, how well equipped do you think you are against other teams?

ILUMINATI: We have been playing together for a long time and it has really served us with much-needed experience in this field. Moving forward with that team coordination, I don’t think any other team will be a problem.

Q: TSM has been a prominent figure in the Indian esports scene for a long time now. With the addition of your roster, they look to solidify their name in the Indian Free Fire community. How confident are you guys in helping them solidify their name?

ILUMINATI: While there is still a lot of work to do to be the best, with TSM's support we will work hard to get there and make our fans proud!

Q: Your team has already gone up against some of the best teams in both Pakistan and Bangladesh in the Tri-Series 2021. What was your experience going up against some of the biggest names in other countries?

ILUMINATI: That experience is totally different from other competitions. In Tri-Series 2021 we were representing India. When we represent our nation, we get a totally different kind of inspiration, and that inspiration worked wonders for us as we became Tri-Series 2021 Champion. Competing with other countries’ best teams and becoming the top dogs inspired us more for further world series.

Q: Is there anything you wish to convey personally to your fans regarding the future of your team and its performance?

ILUMINATI: Hello folks! What you have witnessed from us till now is simply the demo. In Pro League 2021, where after 3 matches we were in 9th position, and in the last 3 games we made a comeback and secured 2nd position in that tournament really showed our worth as a team.

As I said, this is just a demo and a lesson for never giving up on your dreams until the very end. Thank you for all the support you have given us, and my humble request is that you keep supporting us and Free Fire like you always do.