Ahead of the final weekend of PCS6 Europe action we spoke to the coaches making their rosters tick behind the scenes. From game psychology to what makes them a threat, they had lots to share!
What are your aims for PCS6 Europe?
Didz (FaZe Clan): Has anyone ever responded with anything other than their goal being to win? The goal is to win, every single time!
onur (BBL Esports): We play every tournament to be champions, and PCS6 Europe is no different. We have worked extensively on solving prior issues from previous tournaments and are trying to implement these improvements into our game.
ball1n (HEROIC): To play well and finish in the top three. I think we’ve proved in the past that we are very capable of achieving that goal, so we now need to work hard to make it happen.
Fuzzface (Team Liquid): We’re on good form, the team knows what it is doing so we must aim for top spot.
And what are your aims for the year?
Didz: Our aim is to amass enough PGC points throughout the year’s online tournaments in order to clinch a qualification spot at the PUBG Global Championship. Then, the goal shifts as we attempt to win said global championship. If you’re not thinking ambitiously and you don’t believe it’s possible, it’s probably never going to happen.
In 2019, which was the year before I joined the organization as PUBG coach, FaZe Clan managed to dominate the European region and came extremely close to winning that year’s PUBG Global Championship. They finished second overall, missing out by a small margin to Korea’s GenG powerhouse. Since then, the game at the top level has only gotten more competitive. We now see smarter and higher skilled players, as well as teams who have world class chemistry and mentality. The game has changed and we’ve been playing catch up. But with this roster and the progress we’re making in 2022, I believe we can propel FaZe Clan to the top of PUBG Esports once again.
ball1n: We want to qualify for PGC, for us it is the most exciting tournament as it gives us the opportunity to test ourselves against the best in the world – and of course it also has the biggest prize pool!
Fuzzface: It’s all about getting enough points for PGC, we’d also like to win at least one Europe event as well.
What have you been working on in training?
Didz: Being one of the teams who made a roster change to start the year, we spent our first few months focused on onboarding D1gg3r1 and making sure he was able to find his footing on the team. I believe that Daniel is now in a place where he’s extremely confident in not only what he brings to the team inside the game, but also outside of it.
ball1n: Of course we’ve been practicing with scrims regularly but we’ve also been focusing a lot on communication and team spirit. We’ve all been hanging out loads together and organizing fun activities like go karting.
Fuzzface: Recently vard has joined the team so we’ve been focusing on getting him embedded and ensuring there is a good synergy between the players. A large proportion has also been about communication, something we have lacked a little bit in the past. I think those from outside PUBG Esports don’t always realise how important communication is and how hard you have to work to get good at it.
Do you work on the psychological side of the game?
Didz: At this point, all of my players have an excellent understanding of what it takes mentally to be at their best. I can’t really speak for any other teams, but when it comes to our team, tilting is never a factor whatsoever. But we do have a constant focus on holding each other and ourselves accountable for mistakes while also keeping a positive energy flowing regardless of how tough a position we might find ourselves in.
ball1n: Yes, we have a professional mental coach on our team who helps the players build up their mental fortitude. He’s been really valuable for us, he talks to the guys a lot and helps them identify areas where they can improve and work on their mindset.
Fuzzface: There has been an element of that for sure. It is a really hard thing to master, and none of us here have clinical experience, so it can be difficult to work on. One thing I would say is our roster has bags of experience which means they deal with the mental side of the game well.
Are there any rosters at PCS6 that you particularly enjoy battling against?
Didz: I wouldn’t really say that we enjoy fighting any roster in particular. I think when we get the ball rolling, it doesn’t matter what tag shows up in front of our knocks on the kill feed. If we decide that our goal is to kill, then more than likely it will happen if we’re in a decent position to execute.
onur: There is no one team I am excited to battle against. Most important for me as a coach is that we play our matches with the least number of mistakes and we continue to grow in preparation for PGC.
ball1n: It is always good to test yourselves against the strongest teams, and at the moment I would say they are: Northern Lights, NAVI, Team Liquid and ourselves.
What are your tactics for this tournament?
Didz: Well, it’s pretty simple. Our tactical approach is to get as many kills as possible without losing any players and if we manage to put ourselves in a game winning position, try to secure the win.
onur: In the interest of me and my team I have to let you down on this question! In order for our tactics to stay OUR tactics, I can’t share them with you!
Ball1n: We are focusing on not being so centre heavy. We like to play more on the edge of circles and take our kills there… but I better not share much more information than that!
Fuzzface: A lot of teams have very specific playstyles but in my opinion we have great strength in our diversity. We tend to loot in central spots, however on the whole we make a quick assessment depending on many factors and go from there.
How is your roster unique to others, what makes you a threat?
Didz: I mean… have you seen our team? We’ve got a roster of absolute super-gamer specimens from all across Europe. These guys are beasts in and out of the game, just radiating with danger and oozing confidence...
No, but for real, when our roster is on point and hitting that flow state, they are 100% a contender to win.
onur: We have the strongest of all Turkish lineups and with the support of our amazing community it is hard to stop us once we get going.
ball1n: We have four really good all-round players who are very smart. Of course, we have our IGL that makes the calls, but our other three players are also able to step up and pitch in with that when needed. I think that makes us one of the best teams and we are able to take on anybody.
Do you have a message for the fans?
Didz: I love the fans! The fans are awesome, not just of our team, but of all PUBG Esports rosters. I appreciate how extremely passionate they are.
onur: I don’t want to promise a championship but we will try our best to get it done. All I ask for is the incredible support in the chat like in previous tournaments. #FORZABBL
ball1n: We really appreciate all who watch us, it makes the team play better when they can see fans cheering and rooting for them on social media. It is great!
Fuzzface: The support really is a huge boost for the boys when we see all the positive comments, we love you and hope to make you proud!
PCS6 Europe continues this Friday, May 6, at 19:00 CEST. For updates on all things PUBG Esports, be sure to check our Twitter and Instagram pages.