Our next interview ahead of ESL One

Our next interview ahead of ESL One Cologne is with Freddy "KRIMZ" Johansson, who discusses fnatic's preparations for the major.

As Katowice champions and the only team to have won two major titles, fnatic are without a doubt the biggest favourites heading into the event in Cologne. Still, Freddy "KRIMZ" Johansson reckons that the gap between the top teams is so small that anyone can lift the trophy on a good day.

The Swedish giants' first match in Cologne will see them take on Team eBettle - the surprise package of the offline qualifier. Read on to find out how fnatic have prepared for the tournament, what Johansson makes of de_train and why he thinks Luminosity can cause an upset or two in Germany.

How have you prepared for ESL One Cologne? Are you going to or did you bootcamp beforehand or have you only been preparing online? Have you focused on anything in particular? (e.g. teams, specific problems at recent events)

After DreamHack Valencia we had a small break, so we started to practice again in early August. We have been working really hard, and we feel it is starting to pay off. We have improved a lot of our old stuff and we have come up with new stuff, such as tactics. We have not bootcamped as we feel we train more efficiently from home. There has been no special focus on anything other than improving and remaining a top contender for every trophy.

Is there anyone who you think is underrated and could surprise in Cologne?

We have been practicing a lot against Luminosity, and they have been playing really well. Amongst the underdog teams, they can surely surprise and come a long way.

What are your team’s goals and expectations for the event? Where do you draw the line of what you’d be satisfied or happy with?

Our goal is always to win. I would lie if I said we would settle for less.


KRIMZ says fnatic will show some new moves in Cologne

The level of teams has been levelling out recently, a number different names have been in the grand final at events in the recent months (EnVyUs, TSM, fnatic, Na`Vi, Virtus.pro, Cloud9), who will be the favourites to make it to top four in your mind?

It is really hard to name a top four. Those six teams can definitely break into the top four, and it will all come down to the bracket draw.

What do you make of the change in the group stage format? Is it better to have a chance to play against more than three set teams before the playoffs? Is it going to be harder to prepare for such groups?

I guess some teams like the opportunity to play against the same team twice in the group stage, while others prefer playing against another team. But it feels hard for the less favoured teams, who might be happy by just advancing from the group stage. They now need to prepare to take on almost every team to advance from groups.

Train has been in the pool for quite some time, but ESL One Cologne will be the first major to feature it, how has it developed over the recent months? Was it figured out in terms of playstyle, strategy, etc.? Is the current map pool diverse enough?

Train is a great map that differs a lot from every other map on the pool. It is a lot faster and has a lot of more chaotic choke points. It brings something new to the tactical play and something new for viewers to see. We like every map on the pool and feel comfortable playing any team on any map.

What are your thoughts on your group? Can you go through each match-up and say how it is likely to play out?

Before the group draw we knew that there were no easy groups to get. As stated above, we feel comfortable playing against any team, but of course that Na`Vi will be the team to beat to win the group.

Yet again this major has not seen a prizepool change, even though the sticker money is likely to get bigger, would you like to see it get increased?

Of course that bigger prize pools are nice for the players and for the prestige of the tournament in question. Sticker money is somewhat hidden from the community, and it could be an improvement to include them in the prize pool and show the community how big the tournament actually is. This would bring more prestige to the event, also in comparison with other big tournaments in other games.

Lately the outrage against certain weapons has decreased (e.g. CZ-75 at the beginning of the year, Tec-9 during the second quarter of 2015), are you satisfied with the way Valve balanced them out? Are there any weapons you’d like to see nerfed or buffed?

I think the game is fine as it is. We are not the team that focus too much on negativity after every change. We simply try to adapt to whatever happens in the game and make the best out of every scenario.

Do you think the new anti-doping measures being taken by the ESL are going to change anything from past events, has this been blown out of proportion since Semphis’ statements, or is it necessary?

I did not see it as a big problem before, but obviously it is a bigger thing that anyone could have imagined, I guess. All competitions should be played on equal conditions, so I guess this is necessary.


Will fnatic win their third major title?

With the proliferation of both online and offline events, and having had at least one big event every weekend or every other weekend for the past few months, and with many teams travelling around Europe and North America—or both—, how do you think it will affect teams’ performances?

We’ve made a decision as a team to try to limit our event attendance to a maximum of two tournaments per month to and play as few online tournaments as possible. This is simply because we need time off and time to practice. Too many matches is never good, also because it affects the performance of the team and brings little entertainment value to viewers.

In our pre-interview before the last major, ESL One Katowice, you mentioned you had something special in store for the viewers, is that the case for ESL One Cologne as well?

We constantly improve and change how we play, there will always be new stuff to show!

You are widely considered as the favourites to win the tournament, do you think that makes you the target for the other big teams? If so, is it going to affect your preparation?

I guess every team is considered a target for all the other teams. I do not see us as the red-hot favourites. It will all come down to form, that is how close all the tier one teams are to each other.

Almost all other top teams have changed their lineup at some point over the last twelve months, but your has team stuck together ever since the big change, do you feel like that’s what puts you at an advantage over the other top teams?

Both continuity and renewal can be good for a team. We still have a lot of fun together and like playing together, whilst other teams need to renew the lineup to keep motivation up.

Being the only team to have won a major twice, are there going to be any psychological hurdles along the way? Do you think we’ll see old rivalries (with NiP and EnVyUs, especially) resurface in Cologne?

Of course that every match up will be tense and emotional. We do not feel any pressure going into this major after winning two titles. We will simply focus on one game at a time and take it from there.

Here's a list of all pre-interviews we have conducted so far prior to

結果 (中文) 1:

我们下一次面试前 ESL 一科隆是与弗雷迪"KRIMZ"约翰逊，讨论了主要的战的准备。卡托维兹冠军并唯一一支球队赢得了两个大满贯，战是毫无疑问走向在科隆事件的最大热门。不过，弗雷迪"KRIMZ"约翰逊估计的顶尖球队之间的差距是如此之小，任何人都可以举起奖杯上美好的一天。瑞典巨人的第一场比赛在科隆会看到他们在团队 eBettle-脱机限定符惊喜包。阅读找出如何为比赛准备的战，约翰逊对 de_train 和为什么他认为光度会导致心烦或两个在德国。ESL 一科隆准备如何了?是你去做你事先训练营或只有你，一直在网上做准备吗?你特别着重在任何事情上吗?(例如队，在最近发生的事件的具体问题)DreamHack Valencia 后我们有小休息一下，所以我们再次在 8 月初开始到实践。我们一直很努力，和我们觉得它开始得到回报。我们改进了我们旧的东西很多，我们有新的东西，如战术上来。我们有不 bootcamped，我们觉得我们更有效地从家里乘火车。都在改善和剩余夺冠热门每个奖杯上一直没有特别的关注。有谁你认为被低估了，可以在科隆惊喜吗?我们已经练习了很多针对亮度，和他们已经玩得很好。在弱者团队，他们肯定可以惊喜，来长的方式。您的团队目标和期望的事件是什么?你在哪里画线的满意或满意，你会是什么?我们的目标是要赢。如果我说我们会解决的少，我会说谎。KRIMZ 说的战会显示一些新的动作在科隆最近一直平了球队的水平，数字的不同名字在最近几个月一直在事件的总决赛 (EnVyUs，TSM，战 na'vi 人、 Virtus.pro、 Cloud9)，谁将向在你的头脑中排名前四的最大热门?前四名的名字真的很难。这些六队肯定会闯入前四，和它最终都归结到支架平局。你如何更改组阶段格式?是要对三个以上设置球队在季后赛之前上场的机会更好一些?要难准备这类群体吗?我猜有些团队这样一个机会，同一队对垒两次在小组赛阶段，而其他人则喜欢对阵另一支球队。但感觉难的特权较少的球队，可能会很高兴，只是从小组赛阶段推进。他们现在需要采取几乎每个团队由团体提前做准备。火车已经在池中相当一些时间，但 ESL 一科隆将是第一所专业特色，有它如何开发近几个月?它计算出的比赛风格、 策略等。?是当前地图池多样化不够吗?火车是有很大不同池上的每个其他地图大地图。它是快得多，大量的瓶颈，更大的混乱。它带来了一些新战术发挥和新的观众看到的东西。我们喜欢在池中每个地图和感觉舒服玩任何一支球队在任何地图上。您对您的组的想法是什么?你能通过每一场比赛和我们说如何就容易发挥出来吗?分组抽签之前我们知道有没有容易的组去。如上文所述，我们感到舒服对阵任何一支球队，但当然，纳威人将团队打赢集团。又一次这个专业一直没有改变，prizepool 尽管贴钱是有可能变得更大，你想看看它会增加吗?当然，更大的奖池是好对于球员和比赛有关的声望。贴钱有些隐藏的社区，和它可能进行了改进，将它们包括在奖池和社会展示比赛实际上有多大。这会给这一事件，也与其他大赛在其他游戏中带来更多的声望。最近某些武器暴行有所下降 (例如 CZ-75 年，Tec-9 在 2015 年第二季度初)，你对阀平衡他们的方式感到满意吗?是否有任何你想要看到削弱或磨光的武器?我认为这场比赛是好的因为它是。我们不是每次更改后集中太多关于消极的团队。我们只是努力适应无论发生在游戏中，能充分利用每个场景。你认为新的反兴奋剂措施被采取的 ESL 要改变任何东西从过去的事件，这被风吹不成比例自 Semphis 的声明，是否有必要?我不认为作为一个大的问题，但显然是更大的事，任何人的想象，我猜。所有比赛应都发挥在平等的条件，所以我猜这是必要的。将战赢得他们第三个主要标题吗?与扩散的在线和离线事件，已至少一个大的事件，每个周末或过去几个月，每隔一个周末和畅游欧洲和北美的很多团队 — — 或两者 — —，你如何认为它会影响团队的表演?我们做了一个决定，作为一个团队，试图限制我们活动的参与情况，最大限度地每月的两场比赛，并尽可能发挥尽可能少的在线比赛。这只是因为我们需要时间和实践的时间。太多的比赛也永远不会好，因为它会影响团队的绩效，并给观众带来小小的娱乐价值。在我们之前的最后的主要，ESL 一卡托维兹，你所提到的前采访你有一些特别的东西在等待着观众，以及 ESL 一科隆的情况是这样吗?我们不断提高和改变我们怎么玩，总是会有新的东西来炫耀!你被广泛认为一样看好会赢得比赛，你觉得这对你其他的强队的目标吗?如果是这样，它会影响你的准备吗?我猜每个团队被认为是所有其他球队的目标。我看不到我们最炽热的受宠爱。它将所有来下来，形成，那是一层团队如何密切都彼此。几乎所有其他顶尖球队已更改他们的阵容，在一些点过去十二个月，但你拥有团队自从大改变粘在一起，你觉得像那样是什么使你比其他的强队有优势吗?连续性和重建可以很好的团队。我们仍然有很多的乐趣在一起，像玩在一起，虽然其他团队需要更新阵容赶上动机。作为唯一一支专业赢得了两次，会那里被沿途任何心理障碍吗?你认为我们可以看到老对手 (NiP 和 EnVyUs，尤其是) 在科隆浮出水面?当然，每一场比赛将是紧张和情绪。我们不要感到有任何压力，走进这个专业后赢得两个冠军头衔。我们将只集中于一个一次游戏，把它从那里。这里是我们之前进行了到目前为止的所有前期采访的列表

結果 (中文) 3:

我们的下一个面试之前，ESL一科隆与弗莱迪“krimz”约翰松，他讨论了fnatic的制剂为主要。

卡托维兹冠军，赢得了两大冠军队只有fnatic，无疑是最大的热门，进入事件在科隆。静止，弗莱迪“krimz”约翰松认为，强队之间的差距是如此之小，任何人都可以解除一天的奖杯。

瑞典巨人队的第一场比赛在科隆会看到他们对团队ebettle -离线预选赛黑马。阅读以了解如何打有准备比赛，约翰松所作的de_train为什么他认为亮度会导致德国一生气或两。

你如何准备ESL一科隆？你要和你的训练营之前，或者你只准备在线？你专注于什么特别？（如团队，具体问题在最近发生的事件）后

Dreamhack瓦伦西亚我们有一个小休息，所以我们在8月初开始练习。我们一直在努力工作，我们觉得这已经开始了。我们已经改进了很多旧的东西，我们已经提出了一些新的东西，如战术。我们没有bootcamped我们感觉我们训练更有效地从家里。除了改善和保持每一个奖杯的顶级竞争者之外，没有什么特别关注任何事情。

有人你认为是被低估的，惊喜在科隆？我们已经练习了很多反对的亮度，他们一直玩真的很好。在处于劣势的球队，他们肯定会惊喜，走了很长的路。

你团队的目标和活动的期望是什么？你会在哪里画出你满意或满意的路线？

我们的目标是永远赢。如果我说我们会解决更少的问题，我会说谎。


krimz说fnatic会表现出一些新的动作，在科隆

水平的团队已经趋于稳定，近年来，许多不同的名字已经在总决赛在最近几个月的事件（envyus，TSM，Fnatic，Na ` VI，virtus.pro，Cloud9），谁会去四你心目中的最爱？

它真的很难命名一个前四名。这六支队伍绝对可以突破前四，这一切都会归结为牛腿。”在季后赛之前，有一个机会和三多组的球队比赛是最好的吗？要为这样的群体做准备会不会很难？

我想，有些队喜欢在小组赛中两次对阵同一队的机会，而其他球队则更喜欢与另一队比赛。但是，对于那些不太喜欢的球队来说，他们会感到很难，因为从小组赛开始，他们可能会很高兴。现在，他们需要准备几乎每个团队都从组中提前前进，但ESL一科隆将是第一个主要特征是，它是如何在最近几个月了？它是在玩法，策略，等想通了吗？目前的地图池多种多样吗？乘火车是一个伟大的地图，不同的地图上的游泳池从每一个其他地图。它是一个非常快，有很多更混乱的瓶颈。它带来了一些新的战术游戏和一些新的观众看到。我们喜欢在游泳池中的每一张地图，在地图上任何一个团队都会感到很舒服。你能通过每一场比赛，并说它有可能发挥出来？在小组抽签前，我们知道有没有容易的团体可以得到。如上所述，我们感到舒适在任何一支球队，当然，那` VI将打败的球队赢得小组。

再次这个专业已经不见prizepool变化，即使贴纸的钱可能变大，你想看到它得到提高吗？当然，更大的奖金池对球员们很好，对比赛的威望有疑问。贴纸钱是有点隐藏的社会，它可以是一个改进，包括他们在奖金池和显示社区如何大的比赛其实是。这会带来更多的声望的事件，也和其他游戏的其他大型赛事的比较。

最近对某些武器的愤怒已经减少（例如CZ-75年初，在2015第二季度tec-9），你满意的单向阀平衡它们？有什么武器你想看到削弱或加强？我认为这场比赛很好。每一次改变后，我们都不会把焦点放在消极的队伍中。我们只是尝试适应游戏中的任何事情，并使每一个场景中的每一个场景都是最好的。你认为新的反兴奋剂措施被采取的ESL要改变什么从过去的事件，这是吹出来的比例自semphis的陈述，或有必要吗？我没有把它当作一个大问题，但很显然，这是一个更大的事情，任何人都可以想象，我猜。所有比赛都应该在同等条件下进行，所以我想这是必要的。


将fnatic赢得他们的第三大标题？与网上和线下活动的扩散，并有至少一个大事件，每个周末或每隔一个周末，在过去的几个月里，并与许多团队在欧洲和北美国或两者，你认为它会影响球队的表现？

我们已经做了一个决定，作为一个团队，以尽量限制我们的活动出席最多的两场比赛，每个月和尽可能少的在线比赛。这很简单，因为我们需要时间和时间来练习。太多的比赛是不好的，也因为它会影响球队的表现，给观众带来小的娱乐价值。在我面试前的前的最后一个主要的，一个卡托维兹的英语，你说你有东西在商店的特殊观众，是英语一个科隆也如此吗？我们不断改进和改变我们的游戏方式，总有新的东西可以展示！你被广泛认为是最有希望赢得比赛的，你认为这会让你成为其他大球队的目标吗？如果是这样，它会影响你的准备吗？我想，每一个团队都被认为是所有其他团队的目标。我不认为我们是红色的热门。这一切都会归结为一种形式，即如何关闭所有的一线队是彼此的，几乎所有其他顶级球队在过去十二个月的某个时候改变了他们的阵容，但你的团队一直在一起，自从大变革，你觉得这是什么让你在一个优势比其他顶级球队？对于一个团队，连续性和更新都是好的。我们仍然有很多乐趣在一起，喜欢一起玩，而其他球队需要更新的阵容，以保持动力。作为唯一一个获得过两次比赛的球队，会不会有什么心理障碍？你认为我们会看到老对手（NIP和envyus，尤其在科隆）复出？当然，每一场比赛都会变得紧张和激动。我们不会感到任何压力，进入这个专业后，赢得了2个冠军。我们将只专注于一个游戏的时间，并把它从那里。