"It was kind of new to us"- DRX MaKo on facing Viper from LOUD on Ascent at VCT LOCK//IN 2023

Alpha group semifinals in VCT LOCK//IN concluded with the Brazilian giants LOUD winning against DRX. While the South Korean team performed excellently, DRX fell short of another map in the best-of-three series. However, the South Korean roster attempted a fascinating comeback after taking two maps back-to-back. Fans were almost sure the team would take a third.

That said, the home crowd advantage favored LOUD, as the Brazilian crowd did not rest until they saw their team win. DRX had to end their journey at the semifinals, but they still have a long way to go in the Pacific League.

After the LOUD matchup, the South Korean roster shared a few words regarding their opponents' playstyle and composition.

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MaKo from DRX shares his thoughts on LOUD picking Viper on Ascent at VCT LOCK//IN São Paulo

Kim "MaKo" Myeong-kwan is a professional Valorant player currently signed under DRX. The player is known for filling out Controller roles for his squad and has been seen to excel at Viper and Omen. He has made countless plays that have helped his roster win on multiple occasions.

Coming into VCT LOCK//IN 2023, DRX faced a unique threat while facing LOUD and their setup with Viper on Ascent. In a post-game interview, Sportskeeda Esports asked MaKo if this unique composition on Ascent threw off DRX. MaKo replied:

"While we were scrimming here in Brazil, we did not meet a lot of teams that picked Viper on Ascent. So it was kind of new to us."

He mentioned that while scrimming, DRX rarely faced anyone that brought Viper into the equation while playing Ascent in VCT LOCK//IN. The map is primarily compatible with traditional smokers like Brimstone and Omen, so players and professional teams mostly lean toward them. However, DRX was surprised to see LOUD using the Viper composition.

He continued his statement by saying that the pick from LOUD did not throw DRX off. Yet, DRX struggled to develop a counter to it while playing the game.

"It did not throw us off, but we did indeed have a tough time adapting to it. "

During the Ascent game, DRX was still pretty strong when retaking sites and making aggressive plays. However, LOUD ultimately had the upper hand with many unpredictable plays.

Moving forward in the tournament, DRX will now have to focus on their regional tournaments as they still have this year in hand to come back strong on their foot. They were undoubtedly one of the best rosters in VCT LOCK//IN 2023.