The VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters kicked off in Reykjavik, Iceland, featuring a close competition between twelve of the best Valorant teams in the world. DRX took on Zeta Division to claim a spot in the Group A Winner's matchup in the tournament's opening bout.
DRX, formerly Vision Strikers, has consistently been one of Korea's representatives at VCT events. Similarly, Zeta Division has been one of Japan's top teams in previous tournaments. Both Asian contenders faced off in a Bo3 matchup to inch closer to playoff qualification.
The Group Stage matchup between DRX and Zeta Division was their third official encounter, but the first on an international stage. Similar to their past matchups, DRX emerged with a dominant 2-0 victory after they claimed Icebox (13-2) and Haven (13-3) by a remarkable margin.
BuZz shares his thoughts on DRX's victory against Zeta Division at VCT 2022 Stage 1 Masters: Reykjavik
In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports' Adarsh J. Kumar, DRX's Yu "BuZz" Byung-chul talked about his role change, detailing the changes the team went through to compete in the ongoing VCT 2022 Masters: Reykjavik.
Q: DRX has consistently been the best team from Korea at past VCT events. How does it feel to come into the tournament as the best Korean team yet again, despite the changes your team has gone through?
BuZz: This was our third international tournament, and I feel like we really need to prove ourselves this time, so we're working really hard towards that.
Q: DRX enjoyed a smooth victory over Zeta Division today. Did the Japanese side play the way you expected them to?
BuZz: We didn't expect Zeta Division to crumble this hard. We're a lot more experienced in international tournaments than many of the Zeta players. But in terms of how the game played out, we were able to pick up their mistakes and snowball thereon.
Q: You were renowned for your plays on Jett during your time at Vision Strikers. After rebranding to DRX, what inclined you to switch over to a Sentinel/Controller role?
BuZz: The coaching staff thought that my ability to grow as a player would increase over time if I switched over to the Sentinel role.
Q: On the same topic, what made you move away from your conventional Sentinel/Controller role to reprise the role of Jett on Icebox today?
BuZz: We were trying different comps on Icebox, and we felt like our chances of winning were the highest when I was playing Jett.
Q: DRX has played on Icebox only once since the map changes from Patch 4.04 kicked in. What made you remove Icebox from your map pool prior to this?
BuZz: In terms of Icebox, we struggled a little bit to see what kind of composition and playstyle would fit us the most, which is why we have been steering away from playing Icebox too much.
Q: On a similar note, what are your thoughts on the Controller changes that came with the patch since you switched roles around the same time?
BuZz: I had just moved on to the Sentinels and Controller role. Since I had a role swap, I got a wider perspective on how I approached the game and how I looked at the game in general. I think all the changes, including the patches, will help me grow as a player and get a better grasp of the game.
Q: What are your thoughts on teams at the VCT 2022 Masters: Reykjavik having less time to prepare than at previous major VCT events?
BuZz: Everyone was given the same amount of time (at Masters: Reykjavik), not just us. That just kind of made us practice even more.
Q: After a dominant victory today, what can Valorant enthusiasts all over the world expect from DRX at the Masters: Reykjavik?
BuZz: We definitely want to bring home a trophy, and in order to do that, we will need to work a lot harder since it's a long way up leading to the championship. So, that's our main goal for now.