PUBG MOBILE Esports player interview with SayDen and SPORTA of DSGaming
The finals of PUBG MOBILE PRO SERIES 2022 SPRING (PMPS 2022 SPRING), the supreme PUBG MOBILE Esports event held by KRAFTON in Korea, came to an end. As the tickets for the international championship are offered, top-class players have fiercely competed, presenting great performances. Among them, DSGaming has deeply impressed the fans with the good outcome. Read onto the following KRAFTON blogpost to listen further from SayDen and SPORTA of DSGaming.
Nice to meet you! Could you introduce yourself to our readers?
SPORTA: Nice to meet you! I’m SPORTA, an attacker of DSGaming.
SayDen: Hi. I’m SayDen, the leader of DSGaming.
What are your roles in the team?
SayDen: I usually stand in the vanguard as a scout to collect information for the team. I sometimes back up my teammates, too. We reflect individual characteristics on roles, but we don’t stick to the given roles. Our roles change often based on the situations. We try to share our roles and positions flexibly.
SPORTA: He’s right. We focus more on running the team efficiently than on the roles. As an attacker I must keep on attacking and at the same time I have to survive through all the risky moments until the end. I also back up my teammates.
Many other team leaders give directives to the members. But it’s not the case for DSGaming. Why is that?
SayDen: You’re right. In most team, the leaders are the ones who give orders. My role is to take care of my teammates, sometimes encouraging them to boost the morale. Although I’m the leader of the team, the one who have better gaming skills should give orders to the squad. If I insist that I should be the one who gives orders only because I’m the leader of the team, it won’t be a wise choice to run the squad efficiently in the game.
How did you become the leader of DSGaming?
SayDen: I’ve been a DSGaming player for longer than anyone in the team. Besides, I’m the oldest. I think the coach has named me as the leader we have known each other for quite a long time. To be honest, I’m the leader but it doesn’t have any serious meaning. It’s just like being a big brother to my teammates. I believe the personality is more important than the nominal position. I’d like to be a leader who acts his own age.
What made you be PUBG MOBILE Esports pro players?
SPORTA: I came to know about PUBG MOBILE while I was playing PUBG: BATTLEGROUNDS. One day, I took part in a local tournament called “PUBG MOBILE STREET CHALLENGE (PMSC) Season 4” by chance. And later I also participated in the tryout for the national team and made quite a good result. I’ve been able to show good performances since then, which I believe was the reason why I’m a pro player now.
SayDen: I’ve been in love with shooting games for a long time. I started playing PUBG MOBILE since playing mobile is far more convenient than having to turn on the computer. I was soon fascinated by PUBG MOBILE which is lighter, easier, and quicker to play. One day my game mates asked if I’m interested in participating in a local tournament called “PMSC SQUAD UP Season 2,” which made me become a pro player.
SayDen, you’ve participated in global tournaments more than any players. Do you have any special memories about them?
SayDen: The one that left me the strongest memory was “PUBG MOBILE WORLD LEAGUE (PMWL).” It was the very first event in which I used my current nickname “SayDen.” In one moment during this tournament, I encountered an enemy squad, and I was outnumbered three to one. But I could knock them down all by myself. I was so satisfied with my performance since there were so many good players and team in the tournament. I think it was the most splendid experience regarding global PUBG MOBILE Esports to me so far.
How do you keep yourselves calm in international events?
SayDen: An international competition makes even the most experienced players nervous. It’s because they feel burdened especially in major events like global championships. Such pressure and burden lead to anxiety. If we succumb to the anxiety, it’s hard for us to show our full potential. I believe we can perform as much as we practice. The more you get nervous, the more you should believe in yourself. As the belief comes from how much you prepared, constant effort is the best solution. If you say this to yourself before the match: “I’ll be able to perform only as much as I’ve been practicing anyway, so let’s just go for it.” And voila, you get good results.
What are your favorite weapons?
SPORTA: I like Vector and M416. Vector’s rapid fire allows me to subdue my opponents in close combats. It’s a gun that all attackers should fully understand how to handle. For middle- and long-range combats, I like shooting M416 with a high-magnification scope and shoot in burst mode. I play the game aggressively because I get more energetic when I face the opponents in close combats.
SayDen: I put an M416 on the primary slot and a close-combat weapon on the second. One of favorite guns for the second slot is UMP45. Gunplay in shooting games is affected very much by weapon balance updates and UMP45 was buffed recently. In my opinion, Designated Marksman Rifles (DMR) and Sniper Rifles (SR) aren’t necessary in PUBG MOBILE, so I cover middle- and long-range combats with an M416, the most popular 5.56mm assault rifle (AR), or a Beryl M762, the typical 7.62mm AR. I’m quite level-headed in the game. As close combats are very important in PUBG MOBILE, I try to use throwables as much as I can. I throw everything I can before making my next moves.
You must practice a lot. Could you introduce one of your training routines for the fans?
SPORTA: PUBG MOBILE offers a wide range of modes. It would be helpful for you to practice using various geographical features, vehicles, and buildings.
SayDen: I recommend you play the game in different modes to improve your skills and I believe all pro players would agree that this will help. I play Team Deathmatch a lot to practice shooting from a moving vehicle, and pick-and-hide which requires keen control.
DSGaming used to be called “DEOKSAN Gaming” and it sounds so friendly. What was it mean?
SPORTA: The reason why the team was originally called “DEOKSAN” is because our CEO brought the name from the business he ran before. As the team’s official name changed now, I want you to call us “DSGaming.” Even if it’s not the name, the fans find us friendly. I guess it’s because quite often we seem to be down-to-earth while playing games. By the way, the reason why the official name changed into “DSGaming” is for partnership. We believe “DS” looks better when it’s combined with other firms’ names rather than “DEOKSAN.” We welcome the sponsors that are willing to support us! We’re fully ready to make outstanding performances!
You won the first season of PMPS 2021. How did you feel back then?
SayDen: We won that tournament by just one point. Since the gap with the runner-up was very small, we all thought we should practice harder. The pleasure lasted just for a moment, and I soon came to think about what I should do for the team as its leader.
SPORTA: As we took the first place in the supreme PUBG MOBILE Esports competition in Korea, I gained confidence that we could that well in the international stage, too. I was so happy and excited that I couldn’t even sleep.
You also made good performance recently in PMPS 2022 where you took the second place. What are your secrets to keep accomplishing the good results?
SayDen: I think we have two reasons for that. One is frequent and open communication with our coach. If the feedbacks are not fully accepted between the coach and the players, we cannot grow to be a good team. The other is good chemistry between the teammates, which I believe is very crucial. We sometimes get very sensitive during practice. But, as we get along with each other, we feel more comfortable talking to the teammates to lighten up the mood.
SPORTA: As SayDen just said, we are very close to each other even when we are not playing the game, and we all understand how important it is. When things don’t go well during the scrims, we go for a walk together to refresh the atmosphere. Such a good chemistry leads to the teamwork.
SPORTA, you are considered one of the best attackers in PUBG MOBILE Esports here. What’s your knowhow?
SPORTA: Admiral Yi Sunsin, one of the military heroes in the Korean history, wrote in his wartime diary: “Those who seek death shall live. Those who seek life shall die.” I keep this sentence in mind. I make bold and fearless moves to attack even in unfavorable situations. I also keep practicing in the last minutes into the competition, and even in the off days, trying to maintain the best condition possible.
You’re majoring in esports at the college. What do you study in your major?
SPORTA: Basically, I’m learning about the theories of esports. I’m also learning about broadcasting and streaming. The professors help those who seek to be pro players by holding amateur-level tournaments or encouraging them to try competing with others in such events. It’s a kind of study in which you can learn about the esports industry in general.
You post various videos on your personal YouTube. Could you introduce it?
SPORTA: I usually post mad movies, combining scene from scrims and highlights from tournaments. There are many splendid moments when we play. I wanted to present them again for the fans, sometimes for myself, and review them thoroughly to analyze my previous plays.
Which team or player gave you the biggest impression during PMPS 2022?
SPORTA: I was impressed by “Action” from Trident. In one of the matches in the first season of PMPS 2022, he had 12 kills alone in Erangel and got the Winner Winner Chicken Dinner. Even though I was competing with him, I was awed by his plays. Personally, we’re close friends and I know from experience that he’s very kind and warm-hearted. But in games he becomes cruel and ruthless.
SayDen: Everyone played well, and I could feel how much the other players practiced for the competition. But to be super-honest, I didn’t find anyone who was more impressive than my teammates in terms of personal skills. I’d like to shout out my team once again. During the scrims before the competition, I thought we’re not that outstanding. But we realized our full potential in PMPS 2022. I realized again we are very strong.
Could you describe how much you are determined to present sterling performances in the upcoming competitions?
SPORTA: I will make extraordinary performances that you’d like to save the moments in video clips. I hope your big support.
SayDen: We still have various tactics and strategies that you didn’t see yet. We promise our fans to present many and more cool and stunning moments, so please keep your eyes on us!
What is your personal goal as a pro player?
SPORTA: I want to make my name known to the fans of PUBG MOBILE all over the world. And I wish I could make as much money as the honor. (Laughter) It would be very exciting to be able to buy my own house and do whatever I want, playing the game I love.
SayDen: I want to show everyone if you have a goal that you hope to achieve, you can get it. I’ve achieved good results in the tournaments despite my handicapped hand. I’d like to give people like me a hope. And I want to finish all the upcoming competitions without any regret. I’ll do my best as long as I can.
Lastly, could you give a message to your fans?
SPORTA: I endlessly thank all of you. We’ll do our best, so please keep your eyes on us!
SayDen: I really thank the fans who has given us such a big support for a long time. I would show remarkable performances as a player and try to be a decent human being. Thank you so much.
