Four of the finest PUBG Esports minds share their thoughts on the upcoming PUBG Nations Cup (PNC 2022), dealing with intense pressure, and which rival rosters they’ve got their eyes on!
Thanks for joining us! Can you tell readers a little bit about your players?
MiracU (UK): So we’ve got MykLe, vard, Fexx and TeaBone. They’re all well known players on the scene with some serious fragging power.
I know MykLe particularly well as of course I played with him for TSM. He’s a great teammate to have as he always comes up with good suggestions and helps his roster get themselves out of tough spots. Vard is the man you want opening fights and is a great clutch player. Fexx takes a lot of kills and entry knocks, and TeaBone picks up a lot of points and has bags of experience!
ItzzChrizZ (Germany): Our roster is made up of Myca, PaiinZ, AzzaRR and Zoccer. Four strong players who are going to make life difficult for all opponents that they come up against. They’ll be led by Zoccer who is our IGL.
Tiikzu (Finland): We have mxey who I have always looked up to as a legend in the game as he has been on top since the beginning. Then we have my former teammate D1gg3r1 who I enjoy working with as we played together for 2 years. I haven’t played with PaG3 and curexi before but am really looking forward to working with them.
onur (Turkey): Of course, there is Smash and Quetpa who are very intelligent and stable players, xLyron who has a super sharp aim and esqui who’s a fantastic team player.
What are your rosters main strengths?
MiracU: The experience in this team is crazy. That, coupled with the ability to take kills, makes the UK serious contenders.
ItzzChrizZ: Fragging and fighting. We’ve got a slow playstyle which suits us – the team plays edge to edge and carefully maneuvers across the map. They aren’t rushing around to get to the middle, it’s about patience!
Tiikzu: I think playing aggressively and our overall communication – which is the most important thing. If your team has strong communication then they can come up with solutions for any problems they face.
onur: To be able to predict what our competitors are about to do almost instantly and then react accordingly.
What are your main roles and responsibilities with regards to the team?
MiracU: I’m here to analyse our opposition, help the team connect in a short period of time, keep moral high and assist with the team’s development.
It’s my first time coaching and I’m really looking forward to it. It will be a particularly valuable experience for me as this is an area of PUBG Esports that I think I will naturally progress into.
ItzzChrizZ: I see myself as a motivator who makes sure the team keep going, even in tough situations. I have to help them clear their head in between matches so they refocus and are good to go for the next challenge.
I’m also looking at the other rosters and analysing their playstyles so that I can pass on vital information to our squad.
Tiikzu: I am a support function so just looking to help out as much as I can, give my opinion when needed and keep up the smiles and the good energy.
onur: Training players, strategizing, and monitoring the progression of goals.
What are the unique challenges related to coaching a national roster in comparison to a regular team?
MiracU: I think the main challenge is just helping the players gel, as normally they don’t play together. Another important aspect is to help the guys understand, and then align on, our playstyle and vision. Players will be taking on different roles to usual so it’s my job to help them adjust and thrive.
ItzzChrizZ: There is the added pressure of national pride, no one wants to finish last when representing their country!
Tensions can run high at such a big event, how do you ensure the players keep their cool?
MiracU: Tensions can run high for sure, that is the nature of PUBG Esports! However, these players are super experienced in playing at the highest level so I don’t think they’ll have much trouble keeping their cool.
For me, the best way to keep cool is to stay positive. It doesn’t matter how bad a day you are having out there, negativity gets you nowhere.
ItzzChrizZ: I don’t think we have a choice if we want to perform well. It is a short tournament which I think will make it easier to focus!
Tiikzu: It isn’t something I am worried about with the players in my team as they have all performed well in these situations before.
onur: Professionals should be able to keep composure in all circumstances. I think our team is ready for this pressure and we will not have any problems.
Which nations do you think have the strongest players?
MiracU: Well as you would expect, there are quite a few! China, Finland, US and Australia all have some insane talents!
ItzzChrizZ: The two that stand out to us at the moment are the Korean and Chinese teams, with top players like Ming and Inonix leading the line they can do some serious damage.
Tiikzu: I’m going to say ourselves and China are looking really strong on paper – and the UK as well.
onur: I’ll have to go for China, everyone will be keeping their eye on their roster.
Do you think different regions have different styles? If so, how?
MiracU: I think so yeah, different regions have their own ways of playing. It is probably most noticeable in Asia where they have a really aggressive and exciting style.
ItzzChrizZ: For me, this all comes down to the IGL of the team and how they like to implement their style. I think we will see some unique styles as players from different teams come together.
Tiikzu: As PUBG Esports continues to grow, different regions are becoming more and more similar so playstyles aren’t as distinct as they once were. These days we are seeing more aggression from all regions, which leads to more exciting match ups.
onur: In my opinion the Americas and Asia are usually eager to take the fight to other teams, whereas on the whole Europe and APAC squads are a little more strategic.
Can you see any rivalries developing amongst the different nations?
MiracU: Oh there will be rivalries for sure! Take the UK and Finland, for example, both TeaBone and Fexx have teammates in the Finnish roster… there is going to be a whole load of jokes coming the losing sides way!
ItzzChrizZ: Of course, and in the early days those rivalries with be impacted mainly by hot drops and pre-tournament scrims!
Tiikzu: At PNC 2019, Finland were last and the UK were second to last… so there has been a lot of joking about that. This time we want to turn the league tables upside down and finish in the top two!
Are you excited to be back at a LAN event?
MiracU: Yeah I can’t wait. It’s always fun to see old friends and make some new ones. PNC is absolutely massive and I feel lucky to be able to attend. LAN events are so different to online, you can see your opponents and feel the intensity live in the room. Bring it on.
ItzzChrizZ: Of course, what could be better than meeting up with some of the best players in the world for a live PUBG Esports event! The buzz in 2019 was amazing, the whole scene is like one big family.
Tiikzu: What excites me is working up close with four world class PUBG Esports players, giving me the opportunity to see how they play and how they think – that’s going to be super valuable for me in the future.
Don’t miss out on any of the PNC 2022 action! Coming June 16-19
Broadcast live from 13:00 CEST:
twitch.tv/pubg_battlegrounds (English)
twitch.tv/pubg_battlegroundstr (Turkish)
twitch.tv/pubg_de (German)