10.22.26 - 11:48 PM10.22.2026 - 11:48 PM·4m4 minute(s) read·
By Rabia Sayal
"It (crowd) got a little bit loud today [...] But I want it to get even louder": Sk Nebula fluxxy at Game Changers Championship 2026
SK Nebula began their VALORANT Game Changers Championship 2026 campaign with a 2-0 win over Nova Esports GC. During the post-match press conference, both teams discussed their performances, challenges, expectations, and preparations for upcoming matches.
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SK Nebula will face Shopify Rebellion Gold next on October 24
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SK Nebula kicked off their 2026 VALORANT Game Changers Championship campaign with a 2-0 victory over China’s representative, Nova Esports GC. As a result, the EMEA side have set up a matchup against two-time world champions Shopify Rebellion Gold on October 24. Nova Esports GC, on the other hand, have dropped to the lower bracket.
Being China’s only hope, they will need to win multiple high-pressure series to stay alive in the tournament. After the match, both teams attended the post-match press conference to discuss the results, their expectations moving forward, their journeys so far, and more.
Questions for Nova Esports GC
You competed at Game Changers Championship last year with Xipto GC. How does it feel to have another opportunity to compete on this stage? How determined are you to win Champions this time around?
Loraine "Kon" Pagente: To be honest, I was very confident coming into this year. But today, I played badly and I feel like I've lost my will because I think I failed again. I feel like I don't have any will left. I'm sorry.
You competed in the Pacific region last year and are now playing in China. What has been the biggest challenge in transitioning between the two regions and how has the experience been so far?
Kon: The biggest challenges have been the language barrier and the difference in playstyles. In Pacific, I could do everything I wanted and communicate well with my team. But here, it's difficult because the language barrier is so significant.
What adjustments will the team make to prepare for the upcoming lower-bracket matches?
Piao “WJpang” Wenjie: In China, we don't have many online Game Changers competitions, so competing at a LAN event can initially affect our mentality. We'll work on that and train more to prepare for the next match. The main issues are our mentality, communication and adapting to our opponents' playstyles. We've encountered similar situations in scrims, so we'll try to address them in practice. Today, our mentality and communication issues held us back and we'll work on improving them.
Questions for SK Nebula
Most of your teammates are competing at Champions for the first time. Do you have any advice for them or other players experiencing this stage for the first time?
Tina "Joliinaa" Agélii: For me, playing at Champs has been the most fun I've had, so I'd tell them to enjoy the moment. We're here to have fun and I think we managed to do that today.
Eda "rezq" Akçocuk: I think they're doing just fine and don't need anything extra. They handled the pressure very well and we didn't even need to talk to them about it. Our coach is already helping us prepare mentally.
You looked confident against Nova today. How comfortable are you playing your aggressive style against international opponents?
rezq: I struggled with that back in 2024 when I was playing for G2. I wasn't playing like myself and I had a lot of regrets. I've mentioned that in almost every interview. This year, I'm trying my best to play my own game, even when I make mistakes and I feel much more comfortable doing that.
You've spent most of your career competing in Europe, where you're familiar with the crowds. Now you're playing in Brazil, which is known for its passionate fans. What are your expectations for the crowd and the tournament as a whole?
Lola "fluxxy" Ainslie: It got a little bit loud today and we could hear some of the stuff through our headphones. But I want it to get even louder. I want to feel the full atmosphere and energy of the crowd behind us.
What was the key to controlling the pace of today's match against Nova?
fluxxy: Honestly, there wasn't a specific key. I just let my players have the freedom to do what they want. If they want to run it down, they can run it down. If they want to push through a smoke, they can do that too, just grab someone to do it with you.
You've played at several LAN events in France. Did those experiences help prepare you for your first international stage? Also, which crowd was louder, the Brazilian or the French one?
Ngoc-Thuy "Thuy" Duong: Playing at LAN events in France helped me a lot because I already knew what to expect and I felt the same way when I played on the Brazilian stage. I think the Brazilian crowd was just as loud, if not louder, despite there being fewer people. The French crowd had more people, but the Brazilian fans were even louder. I can't wait to see an even bigger crowd. I think it's going to be amazing.
After today's victory, how would you assess your team's performance compared to your expectations coming into GCC?
Charles "CREA" Beauvois: I'm really happy with how we approached the game. It's never easy to start a tournament like this, especially with the pressure involved and three players who are inexperienced at this event. I didn't come in with many expectations because I'm taking it game by game. We're not focused on the end goal. Instead, we want to live in the moment, enjoy the experience, perform to the best of our abilities and leave the tournament with no regrets. That's the approach we're taking.
