G2 have made the blockbuster signings to put their superstar NiKo at the top of CS. Will 2022 be the year they finally win the coveted Major?
G2's signing of NiKo back in 2020 was a seismic shift of power. With the superstar rifler on the roster, the team's target was set: Win the Major. But the rise of CIS and NaVi meant that even though G2 made the finals of the event, they weren't able to lift the trophy.
Now as the echoes of NiKo's missed Deagle fade away, G2 has assembled the roster that they think will finally take them to the top of CS:GO.
Will IEM Katowice be the first of many trophies for the roster? We talked to G2 to find out their thoughts and expectations coming into the event.
"I'm just looking forward to giving everything that I can in order to win some trophies" - G2 NiKo
Q: NiKo, you haven't slowed down coming into 2022 so far. Do you think this is the year where you finally end the s1mple-ZywOo top 2?
G2 NiKo: I will try to stay consistent and try to display what I did the last year as well. But, I'm just looking forward to giving everything that I can in order to win some trophies. I don't really care if I play well, but I think it's about time that we start winning trophies.
Q: How is m0NESY's introduction going so far?
G2 huNter-: It's going great. Honestly. We were all surprised, positively, of course, for m0NESY because he didn't have a chance to play tier one earlier and we are his first tier-one team, and he will play a lot of tier one events this year, and we are looking forward to playing more and see what we can expect from him. But so far he's doing really good and hopefully, he will continue.
Q: Having a true AWPer on your team. How much does that help you?
G2 huNter-: It helps a lot, honestly. We were searching for that almost since I joined G2 and especially after we changed KennyS. Like last year, it was really tough to not have a real AWPer. We tried everything. We did our best, I would say. But now when we have an AWPer, it is easier, life is easier and that's good.
Q: What are your expectations for IEM Katowice?
G2 huNter-: I don't have any expectations when I come to the event, I'm just focused on the next game and I'm waiting for the next opponent and this is something that I'm looking forward to. I'm just looking for the next game and we'll see. If we reach playoffs, maybe I'll tell you if I'd be happy with finals or winning the trophy.
"We brought in an IGL, a coach, and a new AWPer. The team is literally new, so we don't have the big expectations to start with."-G2 NiKo
Q: The expectations from G2 are very high now. Does that add pressure on you guys? And if so, how do you guys keep the cool head through the competition?
G2 NiKo: Even though we have high expectations from the community and everything we're taking it very I wouldn't say easy, but we don't want to expect too much because we almost like remade the whole team. We brought in an IGL, a coach, and a new AWPer. The team is literally new, so we don't have the big expectations to start with.
Obviously, for this event, I think it would be disappointing to not go to the playoffs, but it's our first LAN together and we have no idea how we will fit together playing on LAN, how we'll communicate on LAN. It's many factors that are going in, but the pressure should not affect us, at least for this event, because it's the first one. Even though it's a big event, we're still very aware that it can go wrong or it can go also really good for us.
Q: How is it playing on your first English-speaking roster?
G2 m0NESY: It's a bit different. I spoke English in FPL, but it's a bit different when you need to always communicate in the game. It wasn't easy for me when I played the first practice on boot camp, but I continued and I'm trying to improve.
"Even on teams where you speak the native language, communication is something you can always improve."-G2 Aleksib
Q: Do you think that right now communication is in the spot that you guys want it to be, or do you guys think that it can improve?
G2 Aleksib: I feel like it can improve tremendously, and I feel like that's the case for every English-speaking team. But I also think that even on teams where you speak the native language, communication is something you can always improve even though you're speaking a native language because sometimes people might be stressed when they communicate or they're screaming a lot or someone is just not picking up communication because he's focused on his own game. So it's a thing you try to continuously improve. And I think we've already improved a lot during this one or two months. All right.
Q: An International team hasn't won the Major so far. Do you guys think that the language is something that really affects or that's just a coincidence?
G2 Aleksib: No, I think it's obvious it affects a lot, but it's also true that there is being a lot more native teams than EU teams. And the fact that the EU teams that have been formed, many of them are outside of the top five, even top ten. And International teams have made the finals as well.
So it's been close. It's been close. But I think in the future you will see more English-speaking teams. And yeah, I think it's a possibility, but yeah, for sure, like native-speaking teams maybe have the edge because there's a lot of teams to choose from.
"We made these roster changes in order to win against NaVi and to become the best team in the world." - G2 NiKo
Q: Have the roles changed a lot in the new lineup? Can you take revenge on NaVi this year?
G2 NiKo: Well, for me personally, like role didn't change too much. I'm still doing almost everything that I was doing. And obviously, we made these roster changes in order to win against NaVi and to become the best team in the world. So it's our goal to take revenge at some point.
They haven't been playing the best since the season started, but it was online. They're probably going to do better on LAN. But yeah, it's our goal definitely to be the best team in the world. Basically. Maybe we will not show it at this immediate event, but in the near future, we're definitely aiming to become one of the best teams in the world.
Q: Aleksi, so far it looks like you are trying to fit into the old G2 playbook. What is the plan for the team's style and system long term?
G2 Aleksib: It's not been a long time since the last event. I think in the first month it's only smart to know how the core likes to play and to try to involve m0NESY in the team as well just to get things rolling. I don't think things will necessarily change too much.
The style yeah, sure it might change a bit. And also XTQZZZ the coach will have some influence as well but I feel like I'll just try to fit in the sweet spot and obviously have my own stuff here and there, but as long as everyone is comfortable and things are working I think we're just going to continue working how it is.
Q: How would you describe your chemistry with your coach XTQZZZ?
G2 Aleksib: I think it's good. It takes a long time to know each other, especially if you don't see each other face to face that often but we already spent a good time at the boot camp. Now we're seeing each other again so I think by the time, let's say six months I already think we will have a good relationship with everyone in the team but me and the coach especially.
G2 may be a new lineup, but anything less than playoffs will be a disappointment. Will the unstoppable rifler NiKo prevail? Or will G0-2 lose once more? Stay tuned to esports.gg for continued coverage and more interviews with the IEM Katowice 2022 teams and players.