PUBG Esports Players Interview Series
An amateur team unexpectedly defeated traditional powerhouse teams and claimed the top spot in Season 8 of Battlegrounds Smash Cup (BSC) and Phase 1, Week 3 of the 2023 PUBG Weekly Series: Korea (PWS). The team is called Game PT. Composed of players Heather, DDakGu, Hush, and Type, Game PT may have finished a disappointing 9th place in the Grand Final. However, their impressive display of skills throughout the competition has us excited for their future performances. We learn about their ambitions and determination in this interview on the KRAFTON blog.
Nice to meet you. Please introduce yourself to the KRAFTON blog readers.
Heather: Hello, I’m Heather from Game PT, also known as Cha Ji-hun.
DDakGu: Hello, I’m DDakGu, also known as Ha Seung-won, and I’m in charge of orders in Game PT.
Hush: Hello, I’m Hush from Game PT, also known as Yang Yoon-soo.
Type: Hello, I’m Type from Game PT, also known as Lee Jin-woo.
First and foremost, we’d like to know how you felt after winning Season 8 of the Battlegrounds Smash Cup (BSC). Did you expect to win? What was the situation and team atmosphere like at the time?
Type: Nobody expected it. So, I think everyone was in disbelief. After the 1st round, we had a little bit of hope (laughs).
DDakGu: I remember we all screamed and celebrated together.
You won the 2023 PWS: Phase 1 Weekly Stage in Week 3. It was the first victory for an amateur team. It seems like this opportunity gave team Game PT the most exposure to a wider audience. What was the team atmosphere like at the time?
DDakGu: When we won in Week 3, I don’t think we were as excited as when we won the Smash Cup. I remember we were a bit more composed.
Type: Maybe we were more excited about the Smash Cup because there was a prize pool (laughs).
Heather, you received a record-breaking 13 kills on your own and had a chicken dinner in the 9th match of the 2023 PWS: Phase 1 Weekly Stage Week 3. What do you think is the secret to your success?
Heather: DDakGu’s post-death orders were a huge help. I also think I had good luck.
DDakGu, we heard that you have experience playing professionally overseas. You were on a Japanese pro team called SunSister. It must have been challenging to communicate. Did you face any difficulties?
DDakGu: Actually, at first, my Japanese was only good enough to barely say hello. As I tried to communicate better, my Japanese naturally improved, and eventually, I reached a level where I had no problem with in-game communication.
What do you think is your biggest advantage as a pro player?
Type: I think being young is my biggest advantage. There are still many opportunities for me to grow.
Heather: I believe my biggest strength is close-range combat.
DDakGu: I think my ability to give orders and make quick decisions in-game is my strong point.
Hush: I believe my overall good mechanical skills are my biggest advantage.
Then, what is the biggest advantage of Game PT?
Hush: I think it’s our fiery combat skills. Unlike typical amateur teams, we don’t avoid combat and face our opponents head-on.
How did you get started with PUBG?
Type: My father loves games. He started playing first and recommended it to me, which led me to begin playing. I felt really good when I eventually became better than my father (laughs).
Do you have any pre-competition routines?
Heather: I don’t warm up my hands too much. I warm them up a bit, then take a 30-minute to an-hour break before entering the competition.
DDakGu: Rather than warming up my hands a lot, I usually wash my face and stretch before starting a match.
Hush: I warm up my hands a lot. I drink an energy drink and warm up my hands in the training ground.
Type: I don’t have a routine yet, but I want to find one.
Do you have any ways to relax or manage your mental state when you’re not feeling good?
Hush: When I’m nervous, my hands and feet tend to get cold. In such cases, I use a heat pack or something similar to warm them up.
DDakGu: I practice deep breathing. It helps.
Type: I kind of enjoy the slight tension.
Heather: I also like the feeling of being a little tense. I just chew gum and feel the tension while playing the game.
I know most of the players don’t have offline experience. Did you prepare in any special way for your first offline competition, the Grand Final?
DDakGu: I approached it with a “let’s have fun” mindset. I didn’t prepare specifically for it. I was a bit nervous on the first day of the Grand Final, but starting from the second day, I was able to adapt and concentrate.
Do you think the current team synergy is at a good level? What efforts are being made for better team coordination?
DDakGu: To be honest, I think it’s still a bit ambiguous. When the team synergy is good, it’s really good, but when it’s not, it’s really not. We have our ups and downs, so solving this issue would be key for us. That’s why we’re trying to communicate more in-game and increase the number of review briefings.
I heard that Heather and Type completed the online Game PT classes. Has it helped a lot in improving your skills?
Heather: It has helped a lot. Over the course of a year and a half, ZAMIL’s careful coaching greatly improved my skills.
How do you resolve the situation when the team atmosphere is not good?
DDakGu: Rather than resolving it immediately when it’s not good, we tend to take some time.
Heather: I also like to go for a walk alone to sort out my thoughts and then come back to talk.
Are there any players or teams that you felt were really good when you met them in scrims or matches?
Heather: For teams, I think it’s Danawa e-sports. Playing against them was really tough. As for individual players, Pio from Gen.G had a strong track record of activity and was someone I was cautious about.
DDakGu: I was really scared of Loki from Danawa e-sports in terms of shooting ability. For the aggressive movements, Pio from Gen.G and Renba from KWANGDONG FREECS were the ones I was most cautious about.
Hush: I was also most scared of Loki from Danawa e-sports. Danawa: I’m still scared when I see the water path shorts (laughs)
Type: I think, as a team, it’s Danawa e-sports, and as a player, it’s Pio from Gen.G.
What would it have been like if you had met each other as friends rather than as professional gamers?
Heather: I don’t think we would have been friends (laughs).
Hush: I believe we would have been close and had a good relationship, but hearing Heather say this breaks my heart.
Who is the player who practices the most in GAME PT?
Hush: I think it’s me.
DDakGu: That’s true, but your method of practicing is wrong. PUBG is not a game that can be played just by shooting guns well. You’re only practicing mechanical skills without thinking about improving your logical plays. Hush is definitely the most diligent player in terms of absolute time, but the practice method needs to change (laughs).
Is there something you want to learn from each other?
Heather: I want to learn DDakGu’s leadership skills in handling teammates well.
Hush: I want to learn DDakGu’s proactive play and flexible situation assessment. I think his orders are really good.
Type: I want to learn Heather’s clutch ability. In important situations, I envy the ability to win many-to-one battles alone.
What is the driving force that supports you and motivates you now?
Heather: I tend to watch domestic and international pro players’ games and learn from the way they do things.
Type: I get inspired by watching the play of my peers. I tend to think that I should do better than Rang, a Storm X Academy player the same age as me.
DDakGu: I tend to gain motivation when my family or other loved ones support or cheer for me.
What do you think you would be doing if you weren’t a professional gamer?
DDakGu: I have interests in both esports and art, so I think I would have worked in a field that combines the two.
Type: I think I would have just been studying (laughs).
Do you have any personal goals for this year?
DDakGu: I want to advance to this year’s PUBG Global Championship (PGC).
Hush: I also want to participate in PGC and demonstrate a high level of personal performance.
Type: My goal is to place within the top 3 in the domestic league.
Heather: My goal is to become a pro and compete in world championships.
Do you have any mottos?
DDakGu: My motto is “The riper the rice, the more deeply it bows.” As I achieve better results, more people around me praise me. But the more that happens, the more I think I should restrain myself with a humble mindset.
Type: My motto is “Acknowledge defeat.” I think acknowledging defeat properly allows me to become a better person.
You finished 9th in the 2023 PWS: Phase 1 Grand Final, which was a bit disappointing compared to expectations in the third week. Please tell us your goals and determination for the future.
DDakGu: I think of it as experience, and I will work hard to achieve better results next season.
Lastly, a word for your fans who support you!
Heather: Thank you for always supporting us. We will show you even more impactful plays in the next tournament.
DDakGu: I believe that I am where I am today because of the fans supporting and cheering us on. I will do my best to show you a good performance that meets your expectations.
Hush: Thank you for your support. I will strive to do better.
Type: I know that there are quite a few fans who have high expectations for our team. We will work even harder to meet those expectations.
