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The Apex Legends Global Series (ALGS) Split 2 Playoffs 2022 is all set to take place from April 29, 2022 to May 1, 2022 and professional players all over the world have headed to Stockholm to take part in the highly anticipated tournament. Interestingly, it is the first Apex Legends LAN tournament since 2019.
Muhammad "laheem" Ilham is a professional player who was recently signed by Revenant Esports and is all set to compete in the upcoming tournament. In conversation with Sportskeeda Esports’ Debolina Banerjee, laheem talks about the Indonesian esports scenario, ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2022, and more.
laheem on his journey in the competitive scene of Apex Legends
Q. How long have you been playing Apex Legends professionally? Tell us about your early days as a gamer?
laheem: I first competed in the competitive scene of Apex Legends in 2020 when I took part in the ALGS tournament.
I started gaming when I was 10 years old and the first game I played was Counter Strike 1.6. I also played Point Blank, Counter-Strike Online (CSO) and many other titles.
Q. Tell us more about the competitive gaming scenario in Indonesia. Which games have a thriving esports scene in your country?
laheem: Esports in Indonesia began after Eddy Lim, General Chairperson of the Indonesia Esports Association (IeSPA), formed the Game League in 1999. DOTA and Counter-Strike were the first games whose competitive tournaments were held. There were representatives from Indonesia, although they did not win.
Over time, the world of Indonesian esports has grown with the expansion of internet access. The community is currently very familiar with esports games such as DOTA 2, Free Fire, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang, and PUBG Mobile.
Q. Which Legend in the battle royale game do you love the most? What is your go-to weapon combination for aggressive gameplay?
laheem: I like Pathfinder a lot because the legend has very cool abilities.
The weapons that I often use are the VK-47 Flatline and the Mastiff. These weapons are suitable when it comes to playing aggressively. Sometimes, I also use the R-301 Carbine + Mastiff combination at times.
Q. You have been part of the organization founded by Bellkun, XTeam. How long have you both known each other in a professional gaming scenario? How long do you guys spend playing Apex Legends whenever there is an upcoming tournament?
laheem: We were playing under the XTeam banner before we got signed by Morph and we won a lot of tournaments together. I took a break from competitive gaming for a year and decided to come back and join Bellkun in FreeAgents. We ended up qualifying for LAN and got signed by Revenant Esports!
We practice every day for 12 hours. In the case of tournaments, the only special practice is that we do more VOD reviews.
Q. You have won quite a few tournaments (GLL Community Cups) representing XTeam. Can you tell us about some memories that you have in any of those tournaments?
laheem: My best memory is getting the chance to play competitive Apex Legends matches. My worst memory is of playing the battle royale game with only 30 FPS.
Q. Free Agents recently joined the Apex Legends roster of Revenant Esports. Do you feel that the support of this esports organization will help improve the performance of your team as a whole?
laheem: Yes, of course! We did not have a manager or were not under a particular esports organization. Signing up with Revenant Esports adds to my enthusiasm to compete representing this organization.
Q. The ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2022 is less than 10 days away. How are you and your teammates preparing yourselves to take on some of the best Apex Legends teams in the world?
laheem: Since we qualified for this tournament, my team and I have to be ready, because this is a big step in my career in the esports world. I also want to make my family proud.
Q. Since the ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2022 is the first international Apex Legends LAN tournament since 2019, do you feel that your performance will be affected after months of playing online?
laheem: Definitely yes, because this is my first international LAN tournament. Hence, I'm nervous, but I’m ready to face my opponents in the ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2022! This is also my second ride on an airplane (*laughs*)
Q. Many professional gamers have YouTube channels where they can stream or create content regarding the game. Do you have plans on launching your YouTube channel someday?
laheem: Yes, I already have a YouTube channel, but I don't have any videos at all! After the ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2022, I will start streaming on Twitch again and upload content on YouTube.
Q. What are some tips and tricks aspiring professional gamers can take note of when it comes to battle royale games like Apex Legends?
laheem: The first thing you do is fix your intentions, give a lot of effort, and play a lot. I don't know how to set an example, but you have to fulfill these three conditions.
