HNTR
@HNTR• yesterday at 15:30
HNTR@HNTR• yesterday at 15:30
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M1xer@M1xer• today at 18:00
Loading...@fEARcs2
@Samme
Thank you so much for answering the questions! I sincerely wish for you to finally feel the taste of a big victory after such a long and difficult journey — to lift a major trophy. I watch every single one of your games without exception (even those crazy grind days when you had 3–4 matches a day with Burmilov), and I truly want to see you win at last. Good luck and stay strong! I love you guys!
Samme
@Samme• today at 18:06
@Samme• today at 18:06Loading...@M1xer Thank you for the kind words mate!
We will do evertyhing to play as good as possible for the upcoming tournaments!
M1xer@M1xer• today at 17:18
Loading...@fEARcs2 I also wanted to ask you, Rodion — do you ever feel like grinding in tier 2 is actually even harder than competing in tier 1? Because the teams are more unpredictable, and some have rather questionable reputations. The schedule is much tighter, and it’s harder to prepare for each specific opponent. I watch every one of your matches, and honestly, sometimes I think that even a top team like FaZe would really struggle to climb out of tier 2.
Snappi from NIP also mentioned something similar — that the grind from tier 3 feels even tougher for him than playing at big events in the past. But you guys have almost made it out of that heavy, dragging swamp. I really wish you to finally establish yourselves at the big tournaments — and, of course, to take good placements (preferably first!).
fEARcs2
@fEARcs2• today at 17:55
@fEARcs2• today at 17:55Loading...@M1xer Thank you very much for these kind words! ^^
This is my second roster with which we’re going through such a tough journey. In my personal opinion, the gap between tier 1 and tier 2 isn’t that big.
Also, we need to keep in mind that this is CS2, and I think it’s easier for less experienced teams to cause upsets.
There are so many tools available now to help improve your game.
kuropatkalosadka@gmail.com@kuropatkalosadka@gmail.com• today at 17:05
Loading...@samme I also have a question that really interests me, and I truly hope you’ll answer it! Throughout the team’s roster changes, have there been any decisions or missed opportunities that you regret? For example, do you regret letting someone go (more recently — any regrets about the talented Matys?) Or maybe not signing a promising player before another team did (there are rumors that you were interested in picking up Molodoy, who’s now performing great). And also, looking back, could you clarify the situation with Smooya — is there any regret about his removal from the roster? Despite his controversial personality, he had strong individual skill and was arguably the best AWPer until Jambo joined.
Samme@Samme• today at 17:44
@Samme• today at 17:44Loading...@kuropatkalosadka@gmail.com Hello!
It’s always easy to look back and regret stuff in life, but my philosophy is that if it felt correct in the moment, then it was the right decision at that time. It’s always easy to bet on a game that’s already been played. The most important thing for me is to do everything possible to make the right decision. Turn every stone possible!
Of course, I wanted to keep Matys but a lot of things were outside of my control. Then it becomes my job to do everything I can to make the best out of the situation. It was rough losing Matys since he’s a very good player and a great friend.
Yes, we showed interest in Molodoy, but it ended up being a very good outcome either way, bringing Jambo in together with Fear!
No, I have no regrets about removing Owen. He was a very good player, but it would never have worked out in the long run, so it was the right decision.
I hope I answered all of your questions!
M1xer@M1xer• today at 16:31
Loading...@samme As a huge fan of Fnatic since 2015 and a fan of the veteran Krimz, I'd like to know how much longer you think Krimz will play on the roster. Of course, I'd like him to win at least a tier-one title before retiring, and that he'll be able to play at a high level for a long time to come, finally cementing his longevity record. I really hope you can achieve this with him and maintain this important continuity.
@fEARcs2 Have you gotten used to communicating in English on your team? Do misunderstandings arise? Now that you have three Ukrainians on your team, do you often communicate in Russian (or Ukrainian) during games? Does this ever cause problems?
I'd also like to know if, in addition to team training, you have individual training programs with a coach? So that each player in their position can correct their mistakes, refine their gameplay, and align themselves with the best in their role.
Samme@Samme• today at 16:56
@Samme• today at 16:56Loading...@M1xer Hello M1xer!
Great to hear! I’ve seen some rumors that KRIMZ has a 10-year contract, but he actually has a normal player contract, and we treat him like any other player. His contribution to the Fnatic CS team is unmatched, and he deserves the utmost respect! I also hope we’ll win a big tournament before Mr. KRIMZ retires as well!
Yes we have individual traning for all players, both inside and outside of the server. I have the ones outside, and the coach have them inside of the server but they are usually connected in some ways. All players works towards their own individual goals to always improve!
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:47
@fEARcs2• today at 17:47Loading...@M1xer Hi! Thanks for the question.
We are improving every hour when it comes to comms. When it’s just three of us, we speak English most of the time. We rarely switch to our native language (usually I start it to help with some details).
Yes, of course! We work a lot on our individual skills, and our coaching staff helps us a lot with that
odinson@odinson• today at 16:28
Loading...Is working out in the gym and being in great physical shape part of the contract?🙃
Samme@Samme• today at 16:58
@Samme• today at 16:58Loading...@odinson Hello odinson!
Unfortunetly not but it should be 😁 I would say that our team is in great physical shape tbh!
We are trying to have a good balance when it comes this, but its important when we live a very stressful and hectic lifestyle.
vvileokin@vvileokin• today at 16:25
Loading...Hello,
How’s the team feeling ahead of the Major?
What are your expectations for the performance?
Have you already decided on the final roster for the event?
What aspects of your game have you been focusing on the most during practice?
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:42
@fEARcs2• today at 17:42Loading...@vvileokin Hello!
The team is ready for battle. Some of the guys and I got sick after China, so we’re not feeling our best.
We don’t have high expectations. Of course, we understand how important this tournament is, but first, we need to focus on improving our game. The results will come later.
Yes, the roster is finalized.
We are trying to find synergy on CT sides for all maps, but our schedule is very tight and we don’t have many practice days. It’s important to get through the group stage so we can spend more time practicing together on the server — that’s really important for me right now!
torg@torg• today at 15:11
Loading...@fEARcs2
Hello,
In traditional sports, professional athletes on the highest level have their own agents that helps them with a lot of things inside and outside of the competition. How it looks in esports ?
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:36
@fEARcs2• today at 17:36Loading...@torg I can speak for myself — my agency helps me feel comfortable and focus only on the game.
Right now, the situation in my home country is hard, and I live in Poland. My agency and org help me with any problems, and I’m very thankful for their support.
This is the same kind of support you see in regular professional sports, but of course, there are some differences
RossR@RossR• today at 14:47
@RossR• today at 14:47Loading...@Samme
Is it hard work keeping the team fed during international events?
KOLIN@KO7LIN• today at 16:09
Loading...@RossR yo who's coming boss, when can see your new vlog
Samme@Samme• today at 17:37
@Samme• today at 17:37Loading...@RossR My 5 year Master of Science degree is nowhere near enough for that task....Some players are more hungry than others -.-
verox@veroxgod• today at 14:09
Loading...hey guys! was just wondering what the thought process was behind the benching of cypher? mustve been a hard choice considering its any players dream to play a major and most might argue that it was his hard earned spot to play in the team. just wanted to know why you guys couldnt bench him after the major? why was it so important for the team to do it before?
Samme@Samme• today at 16:37
@Samme• today at 16:37Loading...@veroxgod Hello verox!
Yes, indeed it was one of the toughest decisions in my 10 years at Fnatic.
We haven’t performed very well this year, both on the server and financially, so this decision was extremely important for the 2026 Major, especially with the key deadline coming up in early January. We need to perform as good as we can the last tournaments of the year.
When you get a good opportunity, it’s crucial to capitalize on it in our position. We had the chance to play with Jackasmo and after our time together in the US, we all agreed that this is the right direction moving forward for the Major.
That left us in a really difficult spot, having to choose between Cai and Freddy. We spent days discussing and weighing the pros and cons with both players in the lineup.
This was purely a sporting decision what we believe what's best for now, and I want to emphasize that we all loved working with Cai. He contributed a lot, both inside and outside the game which made this close decision even tougher. Time will tell if we made the right one, but it has been looking promising in practice and in China with this current roster.
Oboe
@Oboe• today at 12:54
@Oboe• today at 12:54Loading...@fEARcs2
What is the most giant water jugs you have drank in one day?
This question was sponsored by the Chug Jug Gang
Lars89@Lars89• today at 15:21
Loading...@Oboe Important question 👍
Samme@Samme• today at 16:51
@Samme• today at 16:51Loading...@Oboe Fear usally talks a lot about drinking a lot of water, so I hope he has a great answer here 😂
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:31
@fEARcs2• today at 17:31Loading...@Oboe It’s important to drink plenty of water! But i don’t have any records or anything like that haha
Veemon@Veemon• today at 11:32
Loading...Hey @Samme @fEARcs2
I just wanna know what roles is everyone taking after Jack inclution on the team, and if u guys are bringging more staff.
Thank you and good luck for PGL and majot boyyss.
Samme@Samme• today at 16:42
@Samme• today at 16:42Loading...@Veemon Hello Veemon!
I can answer the staff question, and Rodion will answer the role question!
We’re carefully evaluating where additional resources could truly make an impact — not adding people just for the sake of it, but looking for genuine value-add. We’re absolutely open to the idea if the right person or people come along.
Our team environment is in a really healthy place right now, and any addition naturally carries the risk of disrupting that chemistry ahead of the Major. That said, the right addition could also bring real benefits, which is why we’re open to it if we find the right person for the job.
Thank you!
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:28
@fEARcs2• today at 17:28Loading...@Veemon Hello, Veemon!
T side we split Cypher's aggressive roles between all us, we should attack more as a team now
CT side we tried to give for everyone (except me) their best roles
During these days, I don't feel any problems in T sides atlest
citrus@citrusthegoat• today at 07:08
Loading...@fEARcs2
What are your hopes of the major and how far do you think we will get?
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:22
@fEARcs2• today at 17:22Loading...@citrusthegoat Hi, Citrus!
Its important for that we always only focus on the next game, and dont focus too far ahead. Our first goal is to qualify to stage 2, and then we will take it from there!
KOLIN@KO7LIN• today at 04:01
Loading...@fEARcs2
Hi Rodion, we have seen your success in full Ukrainian players team. In one of your CAC interviews with a Chinese journalist, you mentioned that your goal now is to bring more young Ukrainian players into international teams and help them grow. And the addition of Jackasmo really caught my eye in that regard.
Do you think fnatic provides a suitable environment for you to achieve that goal?
Lastly, if you can make fnatic great again, we really don't mind fnatic UA. >
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:16
@fEARcs2• today at 17:16Loading...@KO7LIN Haha,
I remember that interview! To be honest, at the time I didn’t fully understand the question.
What I wanted to say was that back in the days in NAVI academy and when I was streaming on Twitch and playing some ESEA matches - I was always ready to help and share my experience with all the young players from my region.
Now I also have the opportunity to share that experience with younger players who understand English! Unfortunately, our schedule is really packed, so I’m not very active on my social media right now.
Regarding FNATIC UA — I’ll do everything in my power to bring this legendary organization back to where it truly belongs.
Whether that will be in EU, UA, or NA — time will tell
KOLIN@KO7LIN• today at 03:41
Loading...@samme
Hi Samme, since you guys will probably attend more LAN tournaments in the future, as a fan I was wondering — will we have a chance to see more behind the scenes content or vlogs from your team?
BUT I noticed that the CS division doesn’t seem to have much related staff working on that field. (
Samme@Samme• today at 16:43
@Samme• today at 16:43Loading...@KO7LIN
Hello KOLIN!
Not really my department, but we're working with the wider marketing team in order to increase the content output and give you guys more opportunities to see what's going on behind the scenes - including stuff like this AMA and Ross interview. Is it any particular content you want to see?
KOLIN@KO7LIN• today at 16:51
Loading...@KO7LIN @Samme
really want to see the LAN tournaments vlog, ty alot first. >
Ezra@franzacq• today at 00:22
@franzacq• today at 00:22Loading...How do you feel about your performance at CAC? Any specific areas you'd like to improve on with this new roster with jackasmo in light of this tournament and with the major upcoming?
Samme@Samme• today at 16:50
@Samme• today at 16:50Loading...@franzacq Hello Ezra!
I think we did pretty good tbh with only 2 practice days with this lineup. We could have won both games we lost as well. We had 3 rounds to make it the semi final...We need to play a lot of practice to get to know each other more. Our inexperience as a group definetly showed in some rounds in CAC, that unfortunetly costs us some important rounds. Grind is the only way forward!
Sextiz@Sextiz• yesterday at 21:33
Loading...@Samme i would like to know how you guys aproached everything that happened these past weeks. We were with 2% chance of making the major, and then everything went our way and managed to qualify.
Do you guys started planning for post major changes?
Making the major changed those plans?? Cypher benching for example, was something that would happen regardless of making the major?
And do you think by qualifying for the major, playing these 2 t1.5 events, we have a better position to attract players in the future?
And lastly, id like to know about our strategy, do we keep with this current roster until the major, or we are still looking for players bc jackasmo is only until end of year?
There is a little uncertainty about jackasmo loan, cypher benching but saying he might still play... Some clarity about roster and the direction we will take would be nice
Lastly, are we planning on adding more staff to the team to help independent and the boys? Like assistant coach, performance coach, analyst, etc
And if not, why do you think having a tight and small group is better than adding minds and hands to help the team??
Thanks for answering and have a nice day!
Samme@Samme• today at 17:31
@Samme• today at 17:31Loading...@Sextiz Hello Sextiz!
Great questions. I will try to answer all of them, but please poke me if I missed something !
-The management and I monitored the standings closely to decide which tournaments to accept and which to skip, but we don’t discuss this with the players. They just need to focus on the next game and try to win it.
-In my opinion, we were the most consistent Tier 2 team. We played six LANs, reached the finals five times, and won three of them. We definitely deserved the Major spot.
-The decision regarding Cypher was made after the US trip. I wrote a longer message explaining the reasoning behind it.
-Yes for sure — every player in the world wants to compete in Tier 1 tournaments and at Majors; that’s why they play the game! A strong core is also very important to attract other players.
-We haven’t decided anything for this current roster after the Major. We’ll do a deeper evaluation afterward and see what opportunities are available on the market.
- We’re carefully evaluating where additional resources could truly make an impact — not adding people just for the sake of it, but looking for genuine value-add. We’re absolutely open to the idea if the right person or people come along.
Our team environment is in a really healthy place right now, and any addition naturally carries the risk of disrupting that chemistry ahead of the Major. That said, the right addition could also bring real benefits, which is why we’re open to it if we find the right person for the job.
I hope that answered everything!
Lars89@Lars89• yesterday at 20:53
Loading...@samme Hi Samme, I’m curious to hear what your job’s like day to day looks like. what are your main responsibilities for the team?
Also, from what i hear, Fnatic still seems set on keeping an international roster. What’s the reasoning behind that? Wouldn’t going for a national lineup make more sense in terms of communication, costs, and support from the specific country? Especially that a bigger-budget teams can easily outbid fnatic for top international players, leaving a smaller pool for fnatic to choose from.
@fEARcs2 Some time ago, you mentioned in an interview that you had to adapt when going from a full UA team to an international one and mainly speaking English. Looking at things now, how do you feel it’s going at the moment? And do you still speak Ukrainian when you’re clutching with Jambo and/or Jackasmo?
I also want take the opportunity to say that I really like the energy you bring to the team! Freal💪
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:07
@fEARcs2• today at 17:07Loading...@Lars89 Thank you very much! I'm glad to read this ^^
We try to always communicate in English so everyone in the team can bounce and help
Sometimes we can switch to our native language, mostly its me who start.. so i can focus with details after action situations (post plants for example)
Samme@Samme• today at 17:22
@Samme• today at 17:22Loading...@Lars89 Hello Lars!
My day-to-day work looks very different from week to week, but some of the things I do;
- 1v1 sessions with players and the coach
- Team sessions
- Team meetings
- Organizing everything around the team (travel, food, scheduling). Scheduling actually takes a ton of time since there’s been an insane amount of tournaments over lapping— but we haven’t had to forfeit any games yet, so I’m happy about that 😅
- Overseeing all daily operations and issues that comes up daily
- Scouting, finances and planning is also part of my job
- Handling VISAs
- Supporting the leadership group with Rodion and Miks, both with in-game and player-related matters.
- Setting goals for players
Sextiz@Sextiz• yesterday at 19:50
Loading...@fEARcs2 Hi Rodion, some questions for you
How do you feel after some time IGLing an international team? Are comms still an issue?
Feels like there are some moments of miscomunication that cost us very important rounds, specially when there is almost no time left on the round
Do you prefer a one country team instead of international rosters?
And how would you rate your evolution as IGL, do you think you and fnatic can perform against t1 teams?? Do you think that having a young and inexperienced team/head coach can be an issue breaking into t1?
Regarding roles, we used jackasmo instead of krimz mostly anchoring. Now cypher is not on the roster, and krimz is back in, so how are you balancing jackasmo and krimz roles?
Thanks and happy to have you on the team, hoping for a good end of 2025!!
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 17:02
@fEARcs2• today at 17:02Loading...@Sextiz Hello! Thanks for the question.
I feel that we’ve made significant progress compared to the beginning of the year.
However, we also have to understand that communication issues in international teams will always come up — even at the highest level.
To put it briefly, I feel much more confident than before.
Our style is based on slower, more calculated rounds. What we’re missing right now is synergy and a cold head — we need to understand that the timer puts pressure not only on us, and learn to play more calm.
We also need to improve our playmaking ability; that’s what will allow us to overcome any “on-paper” teams in the long run.
Hard question, both options have their pros and cons! For example, a big plus in an international team is different views on the game, here it is my responsibility to find this balance and show bright gameplay
Yes, of course we can compete in Tier-1! We currently have everything we need for this
We split Cypher's aggressive roles between us, we should attack more as a team now rather than as an individual player. Everyone should be ready to go out to battle. During these days, I don't feel any problems in T sides with occupying space
KimpaVita@KimpaVita• yesterday at 16:53
Loading...What are your long-term goals for the current roster?
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 16:48
@fEARcs2• today at 16:48Loading...@KimpaVita Hey!
At the beginning of the year when I joined, we had very bad VRS ranking which made it very hard to compete in tier 1 tournaments. We set a goal to become one of the best tier-2 teams, and I think we’ve achieved that, which makes me really happy. Now we have a chance to take a step forward towards our real goals.
My personal goal is for us now is to be a team that consistently plays in tier-1 events and always fights for a spot in the playoffs. I want a feeling that we can win vs all teams on a good day to be a real contender ^^
pontus767@pontus767• yesterday at 16:27
Loading...@Samme You've been in fnatic for a very long time... How has your role changed / developed since being promoted from the academy? And who is your favourite athlete outside of esports?
@fEARcs2 what is your style / philosophy in leading a team?
fEARcs2@fEARcs2• today at 16:39
@fEARcs2• today at 16:39Loading...@pontus767 Hello Pontus!
I hope you are doing great!
Basically, I like to give players freedom but they should show the quality of their actions and understand that responsibility lies in their hands. This shouldn’t limit them in any way, but they must also be accountable for what they do. Its all about having a good balance between freedom and structure.
Samme@Samme• today at 17:10
@Samme• today at 17:10Loading...@pontus767 Hello Pontus!
Very good question!
I’ve done all the roles by now, head coach, assistant coach, performance coach, team manager and team director. Things have changed a lot with the experience I’ve gained over the years.
I always maintain certain standards (be on time, be a good teammate, and so on), but it’s important to shape the team around the individuals. I don’t believe in having a fixed blueprint from the start, since every player is unique and needs different kinds of support to improve. Every single team is unique!
I try to contribute with my experience every day in different ways — whether it’s one-on-one sessions with players, reviewing our own strats, or finding new ways to help the team grow.
My favourite athlete outside of esports would be David Beckham, Sir Alex Ferguson and Henrik Lundqvist! In esports, it would be f0rest (Fnatic f0rest of course ;)).
Whats your favourite athletes?