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In the vast world of mobile gaming, PUBG Mobile is one of the few titles that has secured one of the top spots in the global esports scene. Even if the game is banned in many countries, its popularity knows no bounds.
Kauan "Federal" Goncalves, a Brazilian PUBG Mobile player, recently won the Snapdragon Conquest Masters Series, and has also won the PUBG Mobile Pro League Americas thrice (Season 1, 2, and 5). In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Debolina Banerjee, Federal spoke about his journey in the world of gaming, his experience as an esports player, and more.
Federal's journey in the competitive world of PUBG Mobile
Q. What made you choose gaming as a career? When did you first realize that you have the potential to become a professional player?
Federal: I was very passionate towards sports and used to play football in my free time. Later, I moved to Barretos in 2016, where I got inclined towards gaming as I initially did not have a group of friends to play outdoor games with to pass the time. However, online games came to the rescue and became a major part of my daily routine.
In 2017, I got to know about the rules and regulations of survival games and, thereafter, I gathered more knowledge about these games by watching videos on YouTube. Slowly, my interest started to build up further and I realized that choosing gaming as a professional career could be a good option to opt for in the future.
In the beginning of 2018, I got my very first iPad and it was then when I started considering professional gaming as one of the career options. Later, after developing more skills and considering the growth of the industry, I started my journey as a professional gamer.
Q. Tell us more about the esports scene in Brazil. Aside from PUBG Mobile, what other games have a thriving gaming scenario in your country?
Federal: Brazil is considered one of the biggest markets in the Latin American (LATAM) region and is home to some of the most die-hard esports fans in the world. There are many reasons behind the increasing popularity of esports like accessibility of smartphones as the mobile games market outpaces the PC and console markets.
More and more Gen Z and millennial players are watching esports and taking an interest in it. Gaming is also an escape from poverty here, resulting in a booming ecosystem that is increasingly appealing to teams and sponsors alike. As of now, I follow PUBG Mobile and CS: GO esports.
Q. You have won PUBG Mobile Pro League Americas thrice. If you had to pick one highlight from these tournaments, what would it be and why?
Federal: If I had to pick one, I would definitely want to pick PUBG Mobile Pro League - Americas Championship Season 5, because we really wanted to win the league to showcase our calibre and gaming skills to the American gaming community.
Q. Whenever there is a professional tournament approaching, how much time do you dedicate towards playing the game? What are your go-to guns when it comes to PUBG Mobile?
Federal: Whenever there is a professional tournament approaching, I would prefer to go with the flow. Currently, I am not into training and I just warm up a little before the PUBG Mobile tournament. Sometimes, I just open PUBG Mobile to play the championship and focus more on that instead of investing time and effort in training before that.
I pick the M416 for mid-to-long-range combat and the AKM for close-range combat. These are my preferred go-to choices when it comes to PUBG Mobile.
Q. You have been a part of teams like Loops and Rise Esports before. What are a few takeaways from your previous rosters?
Federal: It was a mixed experience being a part of teams like Loops during my professional gaming journey. But in the end, I learnt a lot from there too and polished my gaming skills. Without a doubt, it was certainly considered one of the best teams that ever existed in the esports community, for sure.
Q. You currently play for Influence Chemin Esports. How has your experience been like on your current roster been like so far? What is the one aspect that you like the most?
Federal: My experience with Chemin Esports has been amazing so far. I consider it one of the best possible experiences because there is a lot to learn which is helping me to upskill my current set of skills. I believe that we are in the best phase today and there is a long way to go. There is a lot of potential to tap in and explore within both the team and industry. We are hoping to do our best to grab all possible opportunities present in the esports industry at a global level and make the best out of it.
Q. In the current scenario, do you have a specific PUBG Mobile player/team that you look up to? Why?
Federal: As of now, there is no one on my ideal list to look up to. I believe in learning and always take things up from my team's players after watching them perform in PUBG Mobile tournaments. It is all about dedication, teamwork, and team spirit.
Q. Many amateur gamers want to play PUBG Mobile professionally. What is your advice to them as a professional player?
Federal: In my opinion, it all depends on the player as to how much he or she is dedicated towards the game. There are definitely a lot of factors such as investments, financial conditions, etc. which play an important role, but players should know about their talent and have faith in their set of skills.
I want to say to every player out there, "Do your best with what you have". If you are not able to get sponsorship from any of the teams, just go with the flow. Save some money and buy a good phone to play with and give your best until the right time comes.
Q. You recently hit the 100K subscriber mark on your YouTube channel. How did you celebrate your milestone achievement? How do you plan on expanding your channel?
Federal: I am extremely happy. It is a small milestone that has been achieved, but there is a long way to go. I am so overwhelmed after receiving so much love, support, and trust from my fans that help me to always do better.
As of now, there is nothing much to celebrate, but in the future, I intend to bring new content to my YouTube channel for my subscribers. I will come up with more exciting esports content, live videos, other games, and much more.
Q. What is your message to the fans that have supported you in your journey so far?
Federal: I really want to thank all my supporters who believe in me, accompany me, and cheer for me during every PUBG Mobile tournament. I am very grateful to have support from my friends and family, because none of this would have been possible without their support and trust.
