Gen.G took on Rex Regum Qeon (RRQ) in the only VCT Pacific match on March 25, 2023. They lost their first match of the 2023 season to LOUD in VCT LOCK//IN, leading many fans to underestimate them heading into the APAC Split of VCT 2023.
However, Gen.G delivered a decisive performance against RRQ, taking the series 2-0 after absolutely crushing their opponents on Lotus. The team displayed some interesting composition ideas for both the maps that they played. With the win, they won back the faith of their fans and proved themselves to be tough contenders for one of the Masters Tokyo seats from the region.
Gen.G's k1Ng talks about his team's match against RRQ in VCT Pacific League and more
In an exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Esports, Lee "k1Ng" Seung-won spoke about the reasons behind the team's Agent compositions, their toughest opponents in VCT Pacific, his pre-match routine, and more.
Q: What advantage does VCT Pacific being held in Korea give you? Or is it more of a pressure to perform in front of the home crowd?
k1Ng: I mean, we are playing on stage, but maybe because it's a full-round-robin week, I haven’t had the sense that it’s our home ground or anything.
Q: How do you feel about your team's as well as your individual performance in the match today against RRQ?
k1Ng: We won, and so I am satisfied with that. However, there were quite a few mistakes that we made on Fracture, and if we are able to fix these mistakes, we will be able to do better going forward.
Q: Gen.G had a solid lead with a score of 10-4. However, GE was able to close this gap pretty quickly to bring the game to 12-9. Were you guys worried about this potential comeback?
k1Ng: Once RRQ were able to close the gap, I thought things were getting a bit dangerous, but I am glad that we pulled through.
In terms of our mistakes, our communication was our primary issue on defense. On attack, personally, I could have used my Viper utility a lot better. But overall, as long as we are able to fix our communication issue, we should be able to reduce these mistakes.
Q: What is the thought process behind picking two Controllers on Fracture over a Sentinel?
k1Ng: We have been practicing a number of different comps, but ultimately, we want to be very flexible and be able to adapt to our opponents. That is why we chose the double Controller composition. Because of this, our defensive side was quite reliable.
Q: Did you encounter any unexpected challenges during your match against RRQ today?
k1Ng: To be honest, I was very certain that we would win the match, and I was quite disappointed that we gave up rounds on Fracture that we didn’t need to give up.
Q: Which teams do you consider to be your biggest threats in VCT Pacific 2023 and why?
k1Ng: I mean every team is very strong. I think the very fact that they are in the VCT Pacific League indicates how strong they are.
However, if I had to pick a team, I would go with Paper Rex because the way they play is so unpredictable. They deliberately create so many variables that you never know what they are going to throw at you. So many of their players seem to thrive in that playstyle. Yeah, definitely Paper Rex.
Q: Competing in tournaments can be stressful and exhausting, yet you appeared strong and focused throughout the match. What are some routines that you and your team typically follow to remain calm and focused, especially before a significant event like VCT Pacific 2023?
k1Ng: I don’t know about my other teammates, but for eKo and myself, eKo tends to play a lot of Deathmatch and even a couple of ranked games before the stage match.
As for me, I spend a lot of time in the Range, honing my aim. Also, I have to drink a cup of coffee in the morning if I have a match that day. I also want to make sure that I have gone to the bathroom. Once I am at the venue, I drink a lot of energy drinks and water.
Q: You will be competing against DFM in your next match. What are your thoughts on the team, and who is the player you are most excited to play against?
k1Ng: I don’t think there is a particular player I am excited to face because honestly, I just need to go in there and kill them all.
Regarding my thoughts on DFM, when I was watching their match against Paper Rex, I thought that they had put in a lot of work and effort but they seemed to be playing a little scared. I don’t know how they will perform against us, but the fact that they looked scared is a bit disappointing. However, I hope we will have a fun match next week.