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VCT 2023: Pacific League is finally underway, bringing ten franchised teams from the Asia Pacific region to compete for glory. The top three will qualify for VCT 2023: Masters Tokyo and Valorant Champions 2023. Organized by Riot Games, the event is being held in Seoul, South Korea. It kicked off on March 25, 2023, and will end on May 16, 2023.
On Day 1 of VCT 2023: Pacific League, four highly renowned teams competed in two exhilarating matches. Both ZETA DIVISION and DRX fought hard in the first match, but the latter scored a definitive 2-0 win. The second match, between T1 and Global Esports, was far more intense. T1 finally snagged the win with a scoreline of 2-1.
During the post-match one-on-one interview session, Rishabh Kalita from Sportskeeda Esports had the opportunity to ask T1 xeta a series of questions about their performance on Day 1 of VCT 2023: Pacific League against Global Esports. The IGL shared intriguing details about the team, their strengths and weaknesses, the viability of Gekko in the Agent meta, and more.
T1 xeta discusses opening match in VCT 2023: Pacific League, potential of Gekko in the meta, upcoming opponents, and more
Q. How do you feel about your individual as well as your team's performance in the VCT match today against Global Esports?
xeta: I think individual wise, for me, I prepared a lot for this tournament. It felt like my performance was ready and then I think it showed up today. Also, their performance was really good as well, but the thing is like we prepared after we lost in the (VCT) LOCK//IN match and they also lost a LOCK//IN match.
So even though both teams had a short time to practice till today, I think as a team, composure-wise, I think our team (T1) was a better team against Global Esports today. But I also think they (Global Esports) are strong. It is only a matter of time, dynamic synergy, and chemistry.
Q. As it was your first time facing Global Esports, what were your expectations for the match?
xeta: Against Global Esports, since we didn't have much data to analyze their play style...we only know their last game, which was in LOCK//IN. So it was kind of hard to prepare against them.
I think it exactly showed up on the Haven match. We were prepared, but they showed us a new (Agent) composition we hadn't met yet. So that is kind of tricky to prepare against.
Q. The competition today was intense, and both teams were evenly matched. In your opinion, what areas could T1 have improved upon to be a more dominating team, particularly on Haven?
xeta: I think to be dominant on Haven, every team should have their fundamentals ready as there are three sites on the map, like Lotus. So it's really important to build your chemistry as a team, and within the (Agent) composition, you need to have a firm way to play the round or solve a situation.
Q. On the first map, you guys had a solid lead with a score of 9-3. However, GE was able to close this gap pretty quickly to 10-7. Were you guys worried about this potential comeback?
xeta: To be honest, we thought we were going to win 13-3 to be fair. We already prepared for Fade as well, but I think we just lost by not being able to counter Fade, by not being vigilant about Fade's utility, so we got caught off guard a lot. That cost us a lot and we ended up with a mixed score instead of 13-3.
Q. The game experienced a number of technical pauses, including a lengthy one just before map 2. What was the specific issue causing delays on the stage?
xeta: I think one of them had an internet or sound problem, I am not sure what exactly it was. That is why we got a technical pause for a moment or a second. I mean for a minute or an hour. [Laughs]
Q. You will be competing against Talon Esports in your next VCT match. What are your thoughts on the team, and how does T1 plan to approach the game?
xeta: To be fair, we played scrims against them in LOCK//IN. I think their playstyle is readable as well. But I am not sure if they will change their playstyle when we meet again in the official tournament. I am pretty confident that we will win against them. They are a good team, so it should really be a quick matchup.
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?
xeta: Our team consists of experienced players. I am from Counter-Strike and I have played Counter-Strike for six years. Carpe, Saya, and Munchkin have a lot of experience as well in Overwatch. Ban also has a lot of experience with NA VCT. So even though we were in tough situations like technical pauses or have mental breakdowns, with our experience we just break through these situations, maintain our composure, and win.
Q. You primarily play KAY/O, an Initiator. What is your opinion on the newly introduced Initiator Agent Gekko? Do you believe that Gekko has the potential to replace other Initiators, especially in the esports scene?
xeta: I think Gekko has potential because his utility is really special. But I think people really need to explore how to use Gekko first and then melt him into the composition we currently use.
I think a replacement is going to be hard, but as long as you know how to use him efficiently, it can be a meta as well. Like people are already using Harbor in the current meta because of LOUD I believe.
Q. You have previously played for C9, and it has been almost a year now since you joined T1. How has your experience been with T1 so far, compared to your time with C9?
xeta: Playing with the C9 squad gave me a lot of experience on how you can deal with some situations because, honestly, I didn't know about many different ideas, various setups, and various playstyles that we can have. Playing with the C9 boys helped me a lot. And also now being the IGL for T1, that experience has helped me a lot, and I am doing a mix of things, which can be a mix of T1 style and C9 style that can be the T1 style at the end of the day.
T1's next opponent in VCT 2023: Pacific League is Talon Esports. The match is scheduled to take place on April 1, 2023, in Seoul, South Korea.
