G2 babybay on competing in his 30s: “I can still play against anybody”

When momentum swings in their favor, Andrej “babybay” Francisty knows just how difficult G2 Esports can be to stop. Against FURIA, however, G2 didn’t look like their usual selves. Still, babybay remains confident that the team will bounce back and secure qualification for their fans.

In an interview with esports.gg, G2 babybay reflected on the team’s performance, playing Yoru, second calling alongside Valyn, competing at the age of 30 in the esports scene, and much more.

We’ve never seen FURIA this fierce. With an unprecedented level of gameplay, the new roster has delivered some of the best performances of the VCT Americas Kickoff stage. When a team enters its momentum, it is hard to stop them.

For G2 babybay, FURIA is doing a lot of things right. “They might not be the most experienced or look much stronger on paper, but when they build momentum, they can overtake you, and that’s the beauty of VALORANT,” he said. While many didn’t expect FURIA to perform at this level, babybay noted that similar doubts surrounded teams like MIBR and even NRG in the past. “It’s just so cool to be a fan of VALORANT right now,” he added.

In his view, FURIA wasn’t playing with anti-strats. They were simply executing their game at an exceptionally high level. Their coordination was impressive. After their performance, babybay is excited to see them play against MIBR in the Upper Bracket Grand Final.

Seeing babybay playing Yoru was also a surprise in that series. According to the player, the double duelist composition on Abyss is currently very strong, leading the team in that direction. Alongside jawgemo, the duo has been experimenting with new ideas, but Yoru made the most sense given babybay’s strengths as an AWPer. "I think I did a good game with Yoru. I believe he is an agent who suits me, actually. Even though the game didn't go our way, I think I did a good job with it."

But on Chamber, G2 babybay is a new kind of monster. "If I play Chamber at my level, the game will be easier for everybody," he laughed. For him, he can take the best out of the agent, especially with the operator, since the weapon is in a good spot now due to the limited amount of utility. With the Chamber's teleport, he can easily get the kill and still run away from the enemy team.

As for Viper, babybay is confident with the agent, but the game against FURIA wasn’t one of his best performances. “Those first four rounds were tough. I got first-blooded a lot, and I might have overestimated my life a bit. I could have done more for the team and played more carefully,” he said.

G2 babybay spent a year working as a VALORANT caster, but he began his career as a pro player, competing for FaZe Clan from 2020 to 2023. He is also a former Overwatch and Crossfire player.

He believes that experience helped him overcome hesitation in certain fights, since sometimes it’s obvious how teams play. “A lot of teams try to make you afraid of an area, but having been outside the game, I know when it’s just a fake,” he explained. After working as a talent, he became less hesitant and does not overthink certain high-pressure situations.

Since joining G2 Esports as a sub for Nathan “leaf” Orf in 2025, babybay has often been praised for his second-calling. While there’s no doubt about valyn’s talent as an IGL, babybay likes to provide input in certain situations, helping the team, especially when he has a lot of space on the map.

"I know the enemy is not in this spot, so I can help the team paint the general picture," he stated. "It doesn't feel weird for me because I've watched countless hours of footage when I was a caster, so I have a pretty good idea of how these teams play."

Recently, amid rumors that Demon1 didn’t make G2’s roster, the player clarified on a segment with PlatChat: “Yes, I tried out for G2, but I didn’t lose the spot to babybay because he’s better. He’s not. I didn’t get it due to contractual issues with LEV.”

However, babybay was not bothered by the comments. “He was talking about me, that’s incredible. I honestly don't care about any of that stuff. He said that I'm not even 50% of his skill, and I was like, you know what, that's pretty good because he's pretty skilled."

We always see babybay happy playing VALORANT and having the time of his life. He was just so happy that he could be playing against Demon1. "I was casting all these players and watching Demon1 go on that Champions run, I was a fan. Being able to play against these guys is an amazing experience for me."

At the end of the day, babybay is just happy to be part of it all. But don’t confuse his enthusiasm with a lack of competitiveness. “I’m still extremely competitive, and I want to win, but I’m at a point where I can truly enjoy the moment, no matter what happens. I’m having a blast. Losing sucks, that will never change, but I’m confident we can bounce back and have fun matchups,” he said.

While many expected Demon1 to face G2 Esports with Cloud9, fans were excited to see OXY return to the stage. The Samurais proved stronger, defeating Cloud9 2‑0.

In esports, age is always a topic of discussion, as players grow older and their skills and capabilities come under scrutiny. For players like Boaster, the only thing that stops them from playing is you. G2 babybay agrees and feels he has already done enough to prove his value.

“The thing is, now that I’m on G2, there are a lot of eyes on me. We’re a prestigious team, competing in international events and winning three domestic titles. But if you had watched my gameplay when I was 18, I don’t think you’d even notice,” babybay said. "I think I've already proven that. I feel fine, and I can still compete against anybody."

While watching G2’s match, pro player Gustavo “Sacy” Ross joked that babybay’s aim was getting a boost from his anime girl mousepad. The player laughed and explained he had actually tried other mousepads, even the plain color version of that mousepad, but none worked as well for him.

“It’s not that deep,” he laughed. “I don’t even know what character this is, but this mousepad just works really well for me. It’s weird, I know, but I’m just comfortable with it.” If you are curious about the model, it's the Gamesense Radar Asuka mousepad.

G2 fans are hoping the “anime girl mousepad buff” will be enough to help the team reach the international stage. Babybay, confident in their firepower, is more than ready to lift a trophy in the 2026 season, and maybe even eat some cereal from it again.