Oil King talks Evo, Taiwan’s FGC, and more: “Evo is like a big arcade for me. There are so many different countries here.”

Evo Las Vegas 2024 was where competitors in the fighting game community (FGC) gathered for a chance at glory. Legends collided between July 19 and July 21, and among them was none other than Li-Wei "Oil King" Lin. He sat down with esports.gg for an interview about what it takes to be a Street Fighter 6 competitor, how the FGC has changed over the years, and who inspired him to become a player! He also shared some special words with his fans and supporters. Read on for the full interview!

What exactly does it mean to be a professional Street Fighter 6 player? To Oil King, it's all about practice and striving to be the best. For example, in Taiwan, he trains for six to eight hours daily. He also dedicates time for gym workouts whenever long competitions like Evo come up. These workout sessions help clear his mind.

His routine is not just about playing ranked matches, either. Instead, it involves training with top players and watching videos from international tournaments. Even with family commitments on Sundays, he still manages to train for at least two to three hours.

"My family understands because they know that playing is my job," Oil King continued, adding that he's very thankful about this. "My team, my sponsor pays me, so I need to do well in competitions, right? But it's not only that. I work hard, I do interviews with Red Bull, I represent my team."

Oil King then shared his experience of being a Red Bull player in Taiwan, noting that people are often confused when they learn that he's a competitor for a living. However, whenever he mentions being part of Red Bull eSports, they recognize the brand and become more accepting. To him, being associated with Red Bull makes it easier for him to pursue his career and access more resources.

For example, he has access to a facility and folks who help him be at his best physically and mentally. This means getting to work with a strength and conditioning coach, psychological couch, and even a nutritionist who says no to pizza during long competitions like Evo.

"My gym routine is like training a traditional sports player," Oil King continued, adding that esports is now similar to traditional athletes in Taiwan who join international competitions like the Olympics.

Before big events like Evo, folks played fighting games at local arcades. Oil King revealed to esports.gg that he got into fighting games after watching Bruce "GamerBee" Hsiang's streams. GamerBee's success in Taiwan's Street Fighter 4 scene inspired Oil King to try the game as well. He started as a casual player, and his consistent wins at weekly offline events motivated him to attend Evo 2016.

"I knew I [would] win every week, so I decided to join the 2016 Evo. It was my first [high-tier] international event," he said.

When asked about the difference between the past and present FGC, Oil King shared that before everyone had access to the internet, fighting games were more localized, and skills varied a lot between regions. Then, with the internet, sharing information became easier. This resulted in everyone's rapid improvement.

"Because of the internet, it's easy to improve, easy to grow, and you can join an international event easier," Oil King explained. "Evo is like a big arcade for me. There are so many different countries here."

He then observed that the older generation seems to prefer offline events more than the younger generation. However, both offline and online preferences are equally valid.

As for parting words, Oil King encouraged his supporters and fans to approach him. Despite the serious expression on his face, he's actually a welcoming person.

"In Taiwan, so many fans tell me my face looks very angry. So when it's an offline event, if I'm not talking, they are afraid to say 'hi' to me," he said. "I'm really kind. So if you have a chance to meet me at an offline event, sit down with me, take a picture, and let's talk. It will be fun."

That's all for now. Stick around on esports.gg for more interviews, news, and updates across the FGC!