On the eve of the
VALORANT Game Changers Championship 2025 in Seoul,
players who qualified for the event through different regions of the world took time to answer our questions at a press conference. The players notably discussed hometown pressure, meta shifts, new rosters, friendly rivalries, and settling into life in Korea, as well as the draw of the GCC.
Questions for Michaela "mimi" Lintrup:
Earlier this year, G2 benched Petra "Petra" Stoker, which shocked a lot of people. Now she is back, you look in good form again, and your duo is reunited. What does it mean to compete with her again at this world championship?
mimi: "Playing with Petra is always a lot of fun. She’s a great person to be around and having her on the server is very calming for me. Personally, she helps me feel more composed and more confident in my calling and in my own play. As for our expectations, we are focusing on enjoying the process. It has been a long year for us, so we are genuinely grateful to be here. We know every match will be difficult, and we plan to take it one match at a time without getting ahead of ourselves.
You and G2 have historically handled VALORANT’s meta shifts well, but this time you had limited time after Stage 3 to adapt to the big patch Riot introduced after Champions in Paris. How prepared do you feel for this championship, and has that meta shakeup added pressure?
Mimi: Initially, before we could actually practice on the new patch, we thought the meta would end up being much more different than it really is now. There are definitely aspects you have to reconsider with this patch, but I don’t think it adds extra pressure. We’re probably one of the teams that had the least time to prepare, but we already had some ideas in mind during Split 3. DrewSpark (Drew Spark-Whitworth) has been ahead of things, making sure we stayed on track, and he has also had support from people outside the team so we wouldn’t fall behind. In the end, we’re not obsessing over it. We’re going with the flow and focusing on doing our best."
Questions for Melanie "meL" Capone:
Shopify comes into this event as the team with the most trophies. What keeps you motivated to stay at the top and keep pushing for more?
meL: "For me and my team, we always strive for greatness regardless of what tournament we’re playing, whether it’s GC Champs, Challengers or Premier. Our main focus is on ourselves and on trying to show everyone the best VALORANT we can play. That’s the priority. Personally, I feel like I’m entering my “auntie era”. At first, I didn’t like people calling me old, but I’ve started to lean into it, being more of a maternal presence on the team. I don’t really mind being called auntie anymore; I’m growing into that role, and honestly, it’s kind of fun."
Question for Anastasia "Glance" Anisimova:
You will once again be participating in the Game Changer Championship, but this time with Karmine Corp. In your opinion, what made KC so strong this year, and in what area do you think the team improved the most?
Glance: "It was surprising at the beginning because we built a full new roster, but the major part was our schedule because we played a lot and compared to other teams, not just talking about game changes, just in general. And we managed to work a lot outside the server with mental stuff, with team synergy. So the vibe in the team in general just stuck in good, and that's what makes us perform better and better.
You are the most experienced member of your team, while three of your teammates are attending their first GCC. What kind of advice have you given them?
Glance: I didn’t give them any formal “speech.” I just told them to enjoy it. It’s the first time we’ve all come to Korea, and we don’t know if or when we’ll return. I’m trying to help them as much as possible because of course they are a bit nervous, like all of us. I talk to them, make sure they’re okay, and remind them that we’re here because we worked hard. Now is the time to play our game and have fun, both in and out of the server. I want them to enjoy meeting other teams, saying hello, and simply being present at the moment."
Question for Giulia "lissa" Lissa:
This is your first world championship. What were your expectations coming into Korea, how was the bootcamp, and have you been feeling nervous?
lissa: "The bootcamp was mainly about helping us deal with the jet lag. A twelve-hour time difference is a lot, and we really felt it at the beginning. Now we’re mostly adjusted. During that period we also looked at how APAC teams play, how the ranked environment feels, and we adapted to the food and general lifestyle here. Out of the game, it was a crucial time for us to talk. We needed space to discuss what we wanted, without the pressure of official matches. Those conversations helped us focus much more on ourselves.
In terms of expectations, we have never been this focused. Our discussions have really centered on what it will take to win this championship. It’s something I think about when I go to sleep and when I wake up, and I believe the other girls feel the same. This desire to win is always in the back of our minds."
Question for Julia "Jelly" Iris:
Apart from MIBR, is there any specific team you would like to face in your debut, or any player you would especially like to meet on stage again after a long time?
Jelly: "For me, coming to these Worlds, my second Worlds as a player, and I’m very happy to participate again. MIBR is a team I genuinely believe can reach the grand final, but a team I would really like to face again is Shopify, to get a rematch from last year. They are very strong, and I still carry that match with me. In my opinion, this World Championship is one of the most balanced we’ve had. All the teams feel very close in level, so I’m sure it will be a very competitive tournament for everyone involved."
Question for Park "332" Min-ju:
You’ve finally made it to this competition as the home team, which is a really compelling story. How does it feel to reach the Game Changers Championship as the hometown team, and what is the story behind your nickname, “332”?
332: "For the name “332”, before our very first tournament the organizers asked us to submit our nicknames early, and we thought it would be interesting to choose numbers instead of a typical name. That is how “332” came about. Competing here as the hometown team brings me far more joy than pressure. Playing in my own country, in front of a home crowd, is something special. Knowing the fans are behind us and cheering will be a huge boost rather than a burden."
Question for Kelly "shirazi" Jaudian:
Can you explain the differences between your experience in your previous region and now being in China, which is unfamiliar to you? What about the structure and support from the organization side?
shirazi: "The biggest difference is definitely the language. I didn’t know any Chinese when I arrived, so that was a big step for me. In terms of game style, it’s similar to APAC in some ways, but I’d say it’s more disciplined. I’ve noticed that everyone has very sharp aim, and there’s a strong focus on playing the sites and on a slower, more methodical style. On the organizational side, I’ve had good support; moving to China was a big change, but the structure around the team has helped me adjust."
Question for Neslişah "ness" Demir:
Congratulations on making GCC despite all the roster turmoil, and kudos for taking on IGL duties. How did you navigate those changes while learning to be an IGL, and how do you feel about calling around your current starting five now that things are more stable?
ness: "It was hard. Nami (Iman Nagaaoui) used to help a lot with mid-round calling, and when we swapped roles, we didn’t really have someone filling that position anymore. We tried to move that responsibility onto different people, but it didn’t work the way we wanted. Right now I feel a bit more comfortable, though I’m still learning. It’s still scary at times, but I’m trying to manage it. Playing Sentinel makes it harder to see everything, since I’m often not with the group and I have to rely on checking the map more. That means someone else needs to talk more actively, otherwise I’m missing information. It’s challenging, but I’m doing my best to handle it."
Header Credit Photo: Karmine Corp
