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Cloud 9's latest prodigy, Jake "jakee" Anderson, plays for the organization's Valorant esports team. He became a professional player in March of this year as he left his collegiate team at the University of St. Thomas and filled the big shoes of C9 yay, the best player of 2022, who unexpectedly dropped out of the team. Since then, he has proved himself to be one of Valorant's best players in his role.
Recently, I got the chance to ask him a few questions regarding the experience of facing such sudden changes in his life while also having a conversation about the mechanics of Valorant and how professional players differ significantly compared to those in the top ranks of the game.
C9 Jakee on Red Bull Ready Check tasks, Valorant mechanics, keeping your nerves, and more
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Q. What is your warm-up routine? Does it include Aimlabs, if yes, which tasks specifically?
Jakee: Usually, for my warm-up routine, I do a bunch of different Aimlabs playlists. used to use Kovaaks primarily or in-game warmups in Valorant (Range or Deathmatch primarily). Lately, I’ve been working on my target switching on Aimlabs.
Q. What are your thoughts on the Red Bull Ready Check tasks in Aimlabs? Do you think you would be able to top the charts in any of the ranked tasks?
Jakee: I thought the Red Bull ready check tasks were primarily focused on tracking, and that isn’t something I’m used to, so I find myself struggling. As for topping the charts, the only one I think I can do is float click, but we’ll see, given I’ve been playing it a bit lately.
Q. How does it feel to be promoted to a tier 1 Valorant team after only playing at a collegiate level?
Jakee: It feels insane and like a dream come true, but I’ve had to play catch up to prove I deserve to be here. I am learning more and more every day.
Q. How do you keep your nerves during close games at the biggest stages with so much at stake? Is it something that comes with experience?
Jakee: Different breathing exercises help me quite a bit with keeping composed during close games with so much at stake. In my opinion, experience helps the nerves go down slightly, but they always stay there, maybe just less noticeable over time.
Q. After playing at the highest level for a while, how does the line blur between a job and a game?
Jakee: I feel like having a job and playing the game are almost the same. If anything, when playing the game, I feel like I’m dedicating more time than I would if I were to work a regular 9-5.
Q. If Cloud 9 had gotten through to Tokyo, given how close you were to qualifying for it, how far do you think your team would make in the major?
Jakee: I think we’d make it easily as far as Evil Geniuses did, but who knows, we could’ve choked.
Q. Almost all walls in Valorant are penetrable, do you think this increases the skill ceiling of the game or ruins the gameplay experience?
Jakee: I think it increases the skill ceiling in most maps, but on Ascent, it’s a little too much, I’d like to say. However, being aware that you can be spammed at any time is a skill in itself.
Q. Do you agree with molly line-ups that make defusing the Spike almost impossible? Would having a limited skybox be something you prefer?
Jakee: Utilizing molly lineups is completely fair game, in my opinion, and I have an unpopular opinion that it has to increase the skill and thinking of different teams as they have to account for the possibility of lineups being used. If you know a team plays lineups a lot, you might need to flank and use utility to deny their lineups and other stuff like that.
Q. A game that is built around precision and accuracy, what is your opinion on RNG spray patterns? Would you prefer a system more like CS: GO?
Jakee: I think Valorant is a different game than CS: GO, and I almost prefer the RNG spray patterns as I feel like anyone can understand a spray pattern, whether they are silver or radiant.
Q. Which aspect of Valorant, in your opinion, is currently the most broken? Is there something you would like to balance out to improve the game's competitive integrity?
Jakee: I think the game, for the most part, is pretty balanced, and you can pretty much play any agent as long as you have a plan. Jett is a little overtuned but I think having a character that is “overpowered” is healthy for the game.
Q. How different are players in the top ranks in-game from professionals? Is there a clear contrast in the quality of the gameplay?
Jakee: Players in the top ranks of Valorant typically have niche playstyles that they understand themselves, yet they don't seem to grasp how others play the game and how to counter them. Compared to pro players, you must be prepared for any playstyle, whether aggressive, passive, or somewhat of an in-between.
