On Sunday,
G2 Esports players gave a press conference after securing a historic third consecutive
VALORANT VCT Americas title. In it, players and staff dissect the season’s arc, covering everything from individual form and the evolving IGL-fragging paradigm to upcoming map-pool shifts for
Champions Paris, group-stage “
revenge” narratives, and the team’s preparation on and off the server.
Questions for Jacob "valyn" Batio:
How are you feeling after this victory?
Jacob "valyn" Batio: "I feel amazing. This is something we dreamed of at the start of the year. After we won the first two,
we kept imagining the third. To actually do it with the boys means the world. It shows that when we set ambitious goals, we can achieve them. It’s motivating and fulfilling.
In this meta, do most IGLs need to step up, considering players like PRX’s Jason "f0rsakeN" Susanto and you are excelling in your regions?
valyn: Many of the world’s best teams have Controller mains, often the IGL, who can take over. Across the top teams, a common trait is a Controller who can frag. Even against Fnatic, I’ve had Boaster (Jake Howlett) drop a plus 20 on me. Great smoke player IGLs elevate you from having four strong players to five, and that’s how you win trophies.
Which trophy was your favorite to win, and which was the hardest?
valyn: My favorite is Stage 1, or the most recent, because of the journey. At Kickoff, we went through uppers and felt ahead with the Tejo meta. By Stage 1, people caught up, we were knocked to the lowers by Sentinels, had to grind back, pulled off the Evil Geniuses comeback from 6–11 to 13–11, qualified to Toronto, and then won the whole thing. That was my favorite, and probably the hardest.
With Champions bringing map changes, how will that affect your level and adaptations?
valyn: We’ve always been strong on Icebox, though I never preferred playing it. Bringing in Abyss helps our pool. We were one of the best on it early. I prefer it to a 5v5 retake simulator. Our Abyss is excellent.
After the Champions draw show, your group seems ripe for revenge. Are you eager to address those storylines early, or would you prefer higher-stakes playoff matches?
valyn: I wanted Dragon Ranger Gaming out of the Chinese teams, and we got them. Revenge is fine, Team Heretics in Shanghai wasn’t our best for specific reasons, and we’re looking forward to playing them. T1 makes it feel a bit poetic. We’ll see who we face between DRG and T1, either could win.
Many view you as a “super team”. With the core from The Guard and Josh "JoshRT" Lee as coach, plus two additions, how did that foundation build the team we see today?
valyn: It goes back to The Guard. We built a strong system. With a core of three and a great coach, you can integrate the right players. We also played with , neT (Michael Bernet) last year, so we had experience. Scouting matters, we knew we wanted leaf (Nathan Orf) and jawgemo (Alexander Mor). Some teams make changes and then discover the fit is wrong; we try to know beforehand. Credit to Josh and management. We’ve lost more grand finals than we’ve won, that’s not shameful, it’s part of the process. You go through hardship to reach the top. We’re not satisfied with regional trophies; we want Masters and Champions. When that day come, and it’s coming we’ll feel we completed the project.
Photo by Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
Questions for jawgemo:
You won Champions 2023 but not the stage. What does dominating domestically and qualifying as the No. 1 seed with another team mean to you?
Alexander "jawgemo" Mor: I always envisioned dominating the Americas, and these guys let me achieve that dream. The three-peat is remarkable. At Champs, that’s my playground. Get me to the grand final and I’ll thrive, especially internationally. Think Bangkok, but with a better result.
You’ve said you want your teammates to feel the thrill of winning a Champs title. What techniques help you convert emotion into performance under pressure, and what routines help manage stress?
jawgemo: It’s a learned fearlessness. Confidence in your voice makes teammates follow. I’m working on that, learning from Josh. In 2023 I’d say “I’m doing this,” not “Can we do this?” Those small, decisive cues build success. Showing confidence makes others play more confidently; our closers finish the big rounds.
Question for leaf:
Your journey and return to the main stage in Stage 2 have been well documented. As you lifted the trophy, what did you feel?
Nathan "leaf" Orf: This year has been crazy for me personally. Any trophy feels good, at least something’s going right. I didn’t play individually “insane” today and didn’t expect to, but I did my job and we’re strong as a five. The return itself didn’t feel “special” in the moment; it’s just nice to have a bright spot.
Question for Jonah "JonahP" Pulice:
Where do you think this team stands relative to the other teams at Champions? What’s the confidence level?
Jonah "JonahP" Pulice: When Tejo was nerfed, many said we’d fall off, instead it showed we have the best coaching staff and can adapt. That’s our confidence versus the field. On paper, this year’s Champions field may be less imposing than in past years, and we’re very confident. We trust our group’s intelligence and problem-solving. Even at 3–9 on Bind, we believe we’ll come back. The trust in each other drives our confidence."
Header Photo Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
