Diviiii: “Even though I was already confident in the team, I feel more confident now”

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Coming into the EPIC.LAN 42, Verdant were the outright favourites, however, they did not come out the gates swinging. Entering playoffs they were able to upgrade their PCs because knocked-out players lent them their PCs for the remaining games. With the players no longer suffering from PC performance issues, their in-game performances skyrocketed – especially the new French AWPer Remi “Diviiii” Alexandre

After a dominant Grand Final victory over Invictum, UKCSGO spoke to UKCSGO EPIC.LAN 42 MVP Diviiii about how the event went, their slow start, and what it is like coming to a UK LAN.

Firstly, congratulations on winning EPIC.LAN 42 and also winning MVP. How does it feel to be an EPIC.LAN winner and MVP?

Good. When we came to the LAN we were favourites and were confident we would win it – that we did. Some games were quite close though and I expected it because it is on LAN and people are always good on LAN.

We finally did it, and the final wasn’t even close. We had difficulty in the group stage but in the final we completely smashed them. Feels amazing and for the MVP it is a big bonus. When I play though I just play, I don’t think about being the best player on the server.

You mentioned your slow start, you guys struggled in the group stage and early in playoffs. How come it was so slow and how did you overcome it?

I don’t want to find excuses but the PCs were not good. We rented PCs and were a bit late, I didn’t quite understand how it happened but since we were a bit late we didn’t have the best PCs. Therefore, we were playing on 150 FPS PC three of us, arTisT, Extinct, and me. It was weird. We were missing duals because of it and it was so weird.

I don’t think the opponents were bad, they were playing very well, but the PCs just didn’t help us.

When you started using other people’s PCs did that solve everything?

It was crazy, we played the whole Friday with the rentals so it was awful. But the next day people were so nice and gave us PCs so nice by the way, insane, so generous. In France I don’t think this would ever happen, people were so nice. When we switched PCs it was like day and night, completely changed, it felt like my sensitivity was too fast. We then just rolled.

t was crazy, we played the whole Friday with the rentals so it was awful. But the next day people were so nice and gave us PCs so nice by the way, insane, so generous. In France I don’t think this would ever happen, people were so nice.

What was it like meeting everyone on Verdant for the first time?

It was the first time I met them and, as a person, I like talking to people and making jokes, but at the beginning it was intimidating kinda. I was taking a plane to England to meet people, of course, I played with them for three months but I had never seen them, especially because they had all known each other for so long. Vacancy is newer but the four of them with biscu have known each other for a long time. But it is so easy to get on with these guys, everyone is so nice, and even though I was a bit nervous they made me feel comfortable.

Do you think, when you go back online, it will be better for the team because you had this weekend?

Yeah for sure. For me personally, the fact we just saw each other is a boost. We have a stronger connection now. They are used to seeing each other because there are a lot of UK LANs, but for me the fact we saw each other is very good – creating that stronger connection. Even though I was already confident in the team, I feel more confident now, it is a bonus. Only positives from this weekend.

Talk to me about joining Verdant. You have played with French teams like LDLC, how did you come and join a UK CS team?

It was unexpected [laughs]. I was playing with French and got kicked from LDLC. It was unlucky, I can’t do much about that [laughs]. After my kick from LDLC, I was in the French scene for six months but people were all staying at the same level. They are good but it is tough, there are not many players, there is no tier one player that goes down to help the others below, and everyone just stays between each other. The French scene is kinda meh.

So I thought I had to go International. My English was decent; when you do pug you get used to it. So I joined eHawks – not the best reputation as one of them got banned for cheating, I don’t know, Wonderful [Wonderful_Y] poor guy. Then I played Lausanne an international team.

Then out of nowhere – it is kind of awkward – Zax1e was in Verdant and I knew him because I played with NOM for a season – the Israeli team. I was still in contact with Zax1e, but not talking much. He asked me if I could stand in for Verdant one day because arTisT was not there and we need an AWP in some United21 matches. I stood in for them that one game and we won 2-0, so I had to stand in for them a few more matches. Afterward, biscu was like ‘This guy is pretty good, why not ask him to join’. So they asked me instead of Zax1e.

What is it like playing with an IGL like arTisT who has been an AWPer for years as an AWPer yourself? 

To be honest, it is nice. We talk about a lot of situations like AWP wise, how to react, what to do, and how to be better. We are talking about stuff, exchanging about stuff and talking overall. Tom [arTisT] doesn’t really have the same playstyle as me – we are playing different, but an AWPer is an AWPer. I learn from him and it is very good.

You have been to French LANs and have won a La Coupe, but what are the differences between French LANs and UK LANs?

The biggest difference is this EPIC.LAN is a small one yeah, the smallest EPIC.LAN is 4x or 5x bigger than a typical French LAN. They are very small. The French scene is not the greatest right now. Currently, the only decent one is Le Coupe, organised by KRL. The biggest advantage to the LAN is that it is not BYOC so you don’t have to bring your own computer. What is crazy is that he is doing it in the middle of Paris – it is 80 Euros for a ticket, only 80 to go in. In France, they are saying it is too expensive and nobody is going. There are people coming but not a lot, around 16 teams.

The people in France are nice, sure, but the fact we had PC issues and everyone was offering us PCs, it was so nice. In France, it is not the same mentality. I feel like in the UK scene it is more of a community.

For me, the biggest difference between a French LAN and a UK LAN is that it is 10x bigger here. The people in France are nice, sure, but the fact we had PC issues and everyone was offering us PCs, it was so nice. In France, it is not the same mentality. I feel like in the UK scene it is more of a community.

Which is better: La Coupe or EPIC.LAN?

EPIC.LAN!!!!