wfn: “I think, genuinely, the only way to beat them [NXT] is I have to kill arTisT”

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For any normal EPIC.LAN, 8Sins would be coming in with the expectations of playing NXT in the finals and challenging for their first win. However, this time around, the competition was much fiercer.

Coming out of the gates with a bang, 8Sins beat NXT in the group stage, winning 10 rounds in a row after being 3-9 down. In the playoffs, they had a slightly more relaxed first game in the upper bracket against bezos bois. They then played AaB on the Saturday, where they, again, started strong with an 11-6 lead on map one. Unfortunately, they threw away this lead, losing the map 11-13. This then bled into map two, as AaB dropped them into the lower bracket.

There, they met their arch-nemesis NXT, whom they had played and lost in two UK finals this year already. Even though they beat them in the group stage, experience rose above as NXT knocked them in a close 0-2 series. This meant 8Sins placed 5th-6th at EPIC.LAN 45, the second-highest UK team.

After 8Sins got knocked out, UKCSGO spoke to AWPer William “wfn” Maskrey about their EPIC.LAN 45 performance, their games against NXT, the positive outcomes European teams bring to UK CS, and their two new signings.

I know you sometimes take these losses personally. How are you feeling after being knocked out by NXT again?

Obviously, I am gutted because we wanted to go further. After playing so many EPICs, it feels so cut short that we are done by Saturday afternoon. We definitely could have won on both maps.

They have more experience, and we have only played four days total with Cher1on before this event. It is just sad, now Tom [arTisT] is gonna bully me till I play him again. I think, genuinely, the only way to beat them is I have to kill Tom.

Can’t be too disappointed, we had a great Friday and played some tough opponents. It is very personal because they have been our rivals and the only team stopping us from taking it further. It does suck, especially to lose to them. It is a very stacked EPIC.LAN, so can’t really complain with a top six finish.

On Friday, you guys had a crazy comeback against NXT in the group stage. Does it make you at least proud to walk away and have that one really solid result?

That game was probably the most fun I have had playing CS in a long time. We were sitting right opposite them with no barrier. When they were winning and smashing us, they were on top of the world and shouting, you could hear everything they were saying.

Being our rivals, even though we never beat them, it is quite personal with shit talking. It is all fun and games, of course. I will never forget one round, I killed Matas [Extinct], and I could see him through the gap in the monitor. Seeing his reaction, I just started smiling mid-round.

It is always super fun playing them, and it is always a close game. We know we can beat them; we just need to find the consistency.

We are serial slow starters, though. We never go into a game hot. We have played two BO3s today [Saturday] and won two out of eight pistols. And that is pretty standard. We looked at our pistol win rate, and it is like 25%-30%. It is something we are going to work on, but all of our games are so close and we have to come back in them. We suck at pistols [laughs]. The strats aren’t the problem; we are doing something wrong. We just can’t aim in pistol rounds, like, I’m watching Andrew [Wolfie], he just headshots everyone normally. But when it comes to pistol rounds, he misses everything.

We have played two BO3s today [Saturday] and won two out of eight pistols. And that is pretty standard. We looked at our pistol win rate, and it is like 25%-30%. It is something we are going to work on, but all of our games are so close and we have to come back in them.

What were your expectations for such a stacked EPIC.LAN?

We started with our expectations to make HLTV, but when we got here, that barrier got lowered. Once we found out that, we adjusted it to just having a good showing against European competition here.

It is slightly disappointing that we only got to play one European team because our group was full of UK teams, and we got knocked out by NXT. It was a little disappointing, but I’m still glad we had a decent showing against AaB.

The first map, we lost 13-11 but were 11-6 up, a little bit of a repeat from the UKIC finals, something we have to look at there. We did get whitewashed on Nuke because we didn’t stick to what we had planned going into the game. Just a bit of mental headloss after map one.

Those guys are incredibly crisp, proven by them making the finals. I don’t think anyone expected to beat Iberian Soul. They smashed Iberian Soul on Ancient, and we only lost 13-11.

Does that make you feel better to lose 13-11 but then watch them demolish a much better team?

Yeah, I think everyone thought Iberian Soul and Alliance would just run through the event. Playing them close makes me feel a bit better.

Yeah, so AaB have played insane and are all really lovely people, from speaking to them. Even the guys behind the scenes are putting in a lot of effort. Their IGL and manager drove 16 or 18 hours from Denmark to be here with the PCs. They are super friendly, fair play to them.

The way it was before it was capped, there were limitations. Very limited high-level UK teams, and the past few finals have all been the same two or three teams. It was a bit repetitive, and there was no progress.

It would have been much better, though, to play more European teams. As a litmus test. You can play them online, but in my head, at EPIC.LAN, it is our home, and we have been here so many times. It is like a home game against good European opposition; it’s exciting. It gives me more hope for the future of the scene.

There are only five European teams here at EPIC.LAN 45. It is fair to assume that in October, there will be a lot more. The scene currently has a slightly polarising view on them attending. What is your perspective on it all?

I can see that for some of the more casual players, it is annoying. You come to EPIC.LAN for a laugh with friends, maybe you make it out of groups.

Compared to the rest of Europe, however, the UK scene is underdeveloped. Alongside NXT, I am sure they are buzzing about this. They might not win, but it brings attention and exposure to the UK scene. Normally, for our EPIC.LAN finals, I see on HLTV comments, “UK bots versus UK trash.” This gives us a chance now. We have the chance to watch them and see them talk to each other. It is the little things like that.

I was talking to someone before, and we can now come to these sorts of events and talk to the people we look up to. I would say JACKZ is the biggest example at this event. This guy, not long ago, was playing on Major stages with kennyS and m0NESY, now he is here at EPIC.LAN.  It is exciting, it is a step in the right direction. The way it was before it was capped, there were limitations. Very limited high-level UK teams, and the past few finals have all been the same two or three teams. It was a bit repetitive, and there was no progress.

For the future, when you get to play these European teams and do well, people see we are not jokes, and it gives more exposure to individuals. It gives people who take the game seriously more reason to come.

I understand that some of the casuals might think it has become different. It is not the same atmosphere for the tournaments, but at the end of the day, it is a tournament. These European teams bring higher exposure that could lead to more for our scene. I have been super buzzing to talk to people. You commit so much time to this game, most people at this level check HLTV here and there, and watch a few games. Everyone knows these players and has watched countless games of these guys, and now you get to talk to them and ask them questions.

I was talking to Vegi about his time in Virtus.pro with TaZ and pashaBiceps, to understand what that is even like, as we are so detached from the top. You can see what it is all about. You come here now to win, play good and learn. The fact that you can play against the best opposition in Europe is amazing.

I am more upset about this LAN than losing the finals last LAN, because to us, playing NXT in the lower bracket was our finals. Before this event, you would imagine this was the finals before all the European teams. Sure, we haven’t lost anything, but it would have been nicer to beat NXT and play against more European teams.

8Sins is a very different roster from last LAN. You have replaced Prime with Cher1on and also have a new coach. Talk us through these roster changes.

It was just time for a change. Things just got a bit stagnant, and there were a few personality clashes. We just needed a change, bringing in new life, energy and ideas.

Cher1on is a very sick player. He has played for his national team in IESF, which is not easy; you have to be one of the best five players in your country. He is young, grinding the game; it is a very good pickup for us. Bringing all of us back up to speed, as he can teach us some things, and we teach him some things.

Rupert Hoop: “The skill of coaching is a psychological thing, how to coach people”

When you combine that with our new coach, Rupert, that is the best thing that has happened to this team in a long time. You have already done an article on him, but I cannot sing his praises enough. He is extremely professional, very calm, which is what our team needed.

Especially at LANs when things get heated, and coms get messy. He is a really nice, calm voice to have in the team. His experience speaks for itself, working with Metizport and ALTERNATE aTTaX. And the reason why he is with us is because he is transitioning to a coach role rather than a behind-the-scenes guy.

So far, he has been unreal and very diligent. Looking at strats and vetos alongside the mental things. He is a super good guy to have on the team. Having him and Cher1on is going to propel us forward for what will come next.

Our new coach, Rupert, that is the best thing that has happened to this team in a long time… I cannot sing his praises enough.

To beat NXT?

UKIC finals, we will see them there.