Iroh: I always get called a cheater in every FPS game I played

Here's an interview take by Starladder staff from one of the players of Team Ready.

Right after PEL LAN Qualifiers we found Omer “Iroh” Develi, player from Team Ready, who qualified to the first phase of PEL. He shared his thoughts about upcoming phase and about rough path to the top competitive PUBG scene.

First question - was it difficult to advance through online qualifiers, group stage and to reach the final stage?

Of course, it's difficult, because every team has its ups and downs, but they’re all good teams. It was challenging, but we worked harder and everything went well for us.

Do you believe that your team was able to make it to PEL due to intense team trainings or due to high individual skill level?

Individual performance is important, but being a team is much more important. We worked hard as a team and analyzed the other teams as well. All these efforts helped us get to the top easily.

How do you analyze as a team?

We get together in Discord and have a video call together under our IGL. We share different situations and timelines to discuss about what we could have done better and then create a solution to that problem altogether. That's how it works for us.

Is it easier to play together at LAN or online?

It’s definitely easier to play together at a LAN environment. It’s easier to communicate and understand each other when you can see your teammate. For us, it's better to play at LAN.

Do you plan to start a bootcamp to practice?

We’ll set up a bootcamp if we get signed by an organisation. But as of now, we are still not very well-known so it is difficult for us to bootcamp.

You have 2 players from Turkey and 2 players from USA. How did you make a team together?

The two guys from the USA are Turkish and they have dual citizenship. They have played with two other Turkish players before, then they split up and picked us [mertgungor and Iroh] from Turkey. We made a team ten months ago and competed at all three seasons of GLL. We qualified to the GLL Grand Finals S3 and then we came here, to the PEL LAN Qualifiers.

Do you all speak the same language then?

Yes, all of us can speak both Turkish and English.

Now that you have reached PEL, what goals do you have for yourself and for your team?

First of all, we want to get into an organisation and play professionally, getting paid and training even harder. We want to make this a career for us. That's our goal - to improve individually and as a team.

Team Ready: Iroh, ABeautflDeath, SIX-MO, mertgungor

Were you playing PUBG as a hobby before PEL?

No, we did not take it as a hobby. We were trying to break through into the scene, prove our names, and become a top-tier team.

Do some of your players have daytime jobs?

No one from our team has a job at the moment. Two players were working before, but they quit their jobs to fully focus on PUBG as our team improved over time.

Is your team interested in making any roster change?

Although I am not thinking about big changes at the moment, it is a possibility for me to leave the team if I get a good offer. I’m not interested in joining a team that did not make it to PEL. However I may accept if I get an offer from a PEL team with good organization and solid roster.

Is your main goal to play at PEL?

Yes, it is. 96 LAN matches and huge prize pool are the top level for the PUBG esports as of now. Playing at PEL is the most important thing for me right now.

Some of the teams have already hired coaches and analysts. Will your team hire coach or analyst in preparation for PEL?

We are thinking about it. We’ll hire if we find the right person for our team.

How do you like the idea of creating a massive league, like PEL?

Creating a big league is a really good idea, because you gather up all players and give them a clear goal. The players have to dedicate themselves to make it to the League. I like the idea of having a league, because players have more time to improve themselves within the League and get new players from the qualifiers where a lot of new talents will be coming out, climbing to PEL.

I guess it will look like a real sport, like football and basketball. A League system is pretty good for the game and will provide extensive experiences to the players

Can you share your thoughts on pros and cons of having a league?

I guess the disadvantage would be having to stay in a different country for two months. It will be difficult to set up a gaming house without an organisation. Both options of weekly travelling or living in a gaming house in Germany are going to be difficult no matter what.

Do you think living together for a long time will affect your game style or teamplay? Would it bring more arguments and miscommunication within the team?

It’s possible. Living together makes you closer to your teammates but may bring some issues. You may not like your teammate’s personality, even if he’s a very talented player.

On the other hand, it’s a great opportunity to play in 96 LAN matches with high prize money so I’m fine with living with my teammates.

Do you think 96 matches is too many games?

I think it's a good number. One phase will be played out in 8 weeks. I’m also fond of having 4 games per day.

Have you tried the new winter map?

Yes, I did. When we were at the GLL LAN, I had the chance to download the test server and play couple of matches and I liked it.

The ambience noise is pretty good and I like the idea of the footsteps staying on ground after walking so you can track down enemies. I’m fond of the overall atmosphere of the map.

What is your opinion of having seasonal maps, such as snowy Erangel or springtime Miramar?

I like the idea, as long as it does not affect the gameplay and does not get played in competitive games. For esports, it has been difficult to see other characters in previously introduced weathers, like sunset. Seasonal maps can be interesting for the casual players.

Omer “Iroh” Develi at PEL LAN Qualifier

Does that mean you do not want to see Vikendi in the competitive games?

I’m not sure. Vikendi could be good for competition if the map is adjusted to better suit competitive play like Erangel and Miramar.

Do you expect Vikendi to be played competitively in the future?

That could be the case for some invitational tournaments and show matches in about half a year. I do not expect to see Vikendi in PEL because PEL is a very serious league.

What do you expect from PUBG in the upcoming year?

The game itself is really good and PUBG Corp. does not have to make a lot of new additions to the game. Polishing and stabilizing the current state of the game will be the best move for PUBG.

Some players have been accused of cheating before the PEL LAN Qualifiers, and they have proved themselves at the tournament. Can you share your thoughts about this incident?

It’s easy to be doubtful of people in the internet, and I understand this. I always get called a cheater in every FPS game that I have played since I was a child. I understand where people are coming from, but I have proved myself at a LAN.

Does it feel like a compliment when this happens?

Of course, it is a compliment. If professional players call you a cheater, that means you playing really well. This gives me confidence and demonstrates that I’m doing the right thing and I need to keep performing. Sometimes the comments do become too toxic though.

Does it boost your confidence to prove yourself at LAN?

Of course. I was really excited on GLL Finals because it was my first chance to prove myself as a player. Unfortunately, I played bad, and the whole team played bad, which was a bit stressful. But I became relaxed after the first stage at PEL LAN Qualifiers. In the end, I was not nervous at all and was just relaxed and focused, which was great for me.

Are there any last words you want to say to your fans, both old and new?

I have been getting a lot of positive messages from many people, so I do think I have some new fans. I want to thank all of them for the support.