Meet the team - NCTDK

• • Do you have a nickname among your friends or your CS community, and why do they call you by that nickname?

Pr0digy: In Vietnam, people often call me YoungTalent or Pr0digy because at the moment, I've just turned 19, yet I'm fully confident in my gaming skills and mindset. Given these reasons, I think the praise I receive for this isn't overly exaggerated. Hehe.

MrRaiJin: People usually refer to me as MrRaiJin because that's my Faceit nickname, so that's how everyone tends to address me.

FrostLy: Almost everyone calls me FrostLy because that's been my nickname for a while now.

Talent: People often call me Karrigan Vietnam because I play the support role for my team, and sometimes I make calls similar to Karrigan's style.

• • Talk about your gaming background, when did you start playing CS, and what drew you to competitive gaming.

Pr0digy: I started playing CSGO at the beginning of 2020. Back in my hometown, there were only small internet cafes, and I mostly played PUBG. Then one day, there’s a guy who returned from a university in Saigon installed CS and invited me to play. I found the game extremely enjoyable and engaging, so that's how I began playing CS.

MrRaiJin: I started playing CSGO in 2018 but switched to PUBG. Then, towards the end of 2019 and into 2020, I returned to CS because I found it more intense and competitive, providing a different level of challenge.

FrostLi: It's been quite a while, but I've been playing for a long time. I even went pro in CSGO before, and now I'm into CS2. The game is incredibly immersive, highly competitive, and especially requires a lot of strategic knowledge and skills.

Different & Talent: We've been playing CSGO for about 5 years.

• • Tell us about your experiences traveling to tournaments, favorite events, and memorable moments from competitions.

Pr0digy: It feels really joyful and exciting, along with a bit of anxiety and anticipation. The memorable moments are probably those instances of shouting out loud, "GOOOOD," after winning matches or pulling off clutch plays.

MrRaiJin: The feeling I truly enjoy is when our group of 5 friends competes in LAN tournaments. There are many memorable moments, but the most unforgettable for me is when I and four other brothers swept aside Hyper5 in the Vikings x DSS CS:GO Tournament, being touted as the championship contenders according to everyone.

FrostLy: It's an immense joy to participate in tournaments and events alongside my teammates. I'd say my most memorable moment was winning a tournament to represent Vietnam in a competition in Romania in August. There were so many emotions and intense feelings during that match.

Different: This is my first time participating in an international tournament. I'm very excited and nervous at the same time.

Talent: One memorable experience for us was participating in a tournament in Doha, Qatar. The weather there was scorching hot, both day and night, averaging around 40 degrees Celsius. It was an aspect that fascinated us and left a lasting impression.

• • What’s your favorite CS map and preferred in-game role. How do you adapt their playstyle based on the map or their role?

Pr0digy: It seems that my favorite map is Mirage because it's the default map and the easiest to play. My role is as an Entry Fragger/Awper, and our in-game leader, Tal3nt, adjusts positions for us, considering both desired spots and where each of us performs best.

MrRaiJin: My favorite map is Mirage because it's a classic map, and I feel confident playing at any position on it. I take on the support role, which means I often assist my teammates during the game.

FrostLy: My position is usually holding the site and supporting the team, and my favorite map is Mirage.

Different: I particularly enjoy Anubis and Ancient maps. I usually take on the role of the entry fragger for the team.

Talent: Anubis and Ancient are my top two favorite maps because I find them incredibly engaging, offering numerous opportunities to explore strategies for both T-side and CT-side.

• • What’s your training routine? How do the team coordinate with each other, and what strategies do they use to improve teamwork?

Coach: We practice around 3-5 sessions per week, each lasting roughly 3-5 hours. We've collectively agreed that winning isn't our primary focus. What we aim for is participating in international tournaments to gain exposure and learn from valuable experiences. Afterwards, we'll analyze and prepare better for upcoming tournaments together. We believe that excessive pressure can affect both individual and team performance negatively. In challenging situations, we often utilize pauses to refresh everyone's mindset and discuss tactics.

• • Share a message with your fans or offer advice to aspiring esports players.

Coach: For our team's fans, we want to express the deepest and most sincere gratitude for your unwavering support. Your dedication means everything to us, no matter what happens. It serves as a tremendous motivation for us to strive even harder in the future. And to those aspiring players out there, we believe that if you have the skill and the passion, confidently pursue your own dreams. Someday, you'll realize that you're entirely capable of achieving them. We've done it, and so can you.