In conversation with Oriental Phoenix, Champions of Arena of Valor Bangladesh 2021
In a casual conversation, team Oriental Phoenix, winners of this year's Arena of Valor Bangladesh Championship 2021, shares with us the behind-the-scenes journey and future aspirations. Here are key snippets from the conversation.
Toggle: Please share the names of your team members, as well as your player names.
Oriental Phoenix: Our team name is Oriental Phoenix. We are Ashadullah Al Galib a.k.a. Sugarkid, the Team Manager; Abdullah Al Mashud a.k.a. Deathly, the Team Leader; Fahraz Zamin Sparsha a.k.a. Beast; Nafees Ahmed a.k.a. MrCharming; Abrar Shahriar Subat a.k.a. Worthless; Fardin Hasan a.k.a. Pika Pika and Sheikh Matiur Rahman a.k.a. Sycen.
T: Tell us about your journey. How did you get into gaming? What made you interested in playing mobile multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games?
OP: This journey wasn't easy for us. We have been playing MOBA games for the last 4 years. But with the same roster, we are playing for 2 years. We play MOBA games because it is our passion. We used to play different MOBA games like League of Legends, wild rift, and many more. We feel comfortable playing 5v5 MOBA games like Arena of Valor. It is sometimes too difficult to continue to play MOBA games but as competitive players, we are always hungry for big tournaments. In the past, we didn't play in any tournaments like this one before. Bigger opportunities and tournaments in other countries always inspired us to continue. We are hopeful that one day we will play at an international level.
T: Were there any challenges in your personal life that got in the way of you participating in tournaments like this or starting a career in gaming?
OP: Yes, we had to face a lot of difficulties but Alhamdulillah, we had passed it. Sycen had some physical difficulties but still, the power and the love for the game made him stronger and he joined the tournament. The sacrifices that we made through our journey in this tournament allowed us to come out with a championship. We did it even without having a sponsor or coach for our team. As we have mentioned, we didn't play that many tournaments and LAN events like this before in our competitive career, so we had lost motivation many times. But the ultimate bonding power that our team has with each other, made us become the champions of Bangladesh.
T: How do you think esports changed your career?
OP: We play MOBA games because it is our passion. However, right now we can't dedicate ourselves to it and focus on it as our careers, as we don't have that many opportunities yet. We'd rather say, this esports journey gave me a family and empowered me to pursue my passion. But now we can proudly say that we are esports players and we are going to represent Bangladesh globally.
T: What encourages you to continue playing MOBA games and Arena of Valor?
OP: We never feel bored when we play together. We can spend our time in our own way and it helps with our overall mental health. MOBA games need many strategies, tactics, perfect planning etc. We make our own plans by ourselves. When we see a MOBA game like Arena of Valor giving opportunities to players like us so that we can start our own gaming careers, it gives us inspiration.
T: How does it feel to be the winner of the biggest esports tournament in Bangladesh to date?
OP: Our team is really happy because all of our hard work paid off. The Arena of Valor Bangladesh Championship was the first and biggest official LAN tournament in our country. It was a great experience and after being announced the champions of the tournament, all of our members are feeling really happy.
T: What were the team's biggest strengths in the tournament?
OP: Our greatest strengths in the tournament were; respecting our team leader's words, our maturity and our ultimate team bonding.
T: There were many big names and old teams like Yorozuya, WE Esports, MARTYRS etc. How did it feel to deal with such teams?
OP: We all were a bit nervous as the games could have gone to either of the teams. Defeating Yorozuya was probably our best moment; they played like champions themselves. Nonetheless, we kept our calm in every game and made fewer mistakes which led to us winning against big names such as Yorozuya, WE Esports and MARTYRS. We respect the top 8 teams in Bangladesh and they are our equals.
T: Tell us a bit of history about you and your teammates. How did you set up your team? Where did you meet?
OP: It's a big story. We have changed our roster many times before. But for the last 2 years, we have been playing together with the same team. There were many ups and downs but those times made us stronger.
T: How did it feel to start the first match of the Grand Finale against Yorozuya, arguably the most dominating team in Bangladesh?
OP: Playing against Yorozuya was totally new for us. We had to face them to start the final journey. There were two sides to this. First, we knew that if we win our matches, we are not going to go back home without the trophy. But if we lose, we will lose our mental strength a little bit. But perfect calculation and proper strategic gameplay made it possible. Yorozuya dominated the whole game but in the end, they made a mistake and we took advantage of that opening and we won the match.
T: WE Esports Armada defeated your team during the Chittagong City Qualifiers Final, this time, you defeated them 2-0. What changed and how did it feel?
Answer: We always believe that a comeback is stronger. We have to admit, that due to some game issues and bugs we couldn't give our 100% in the Chittagong LAN final. That was unexpected, but we took it positively. We also don't lose to the same opponent twice!
T: Walk us through the final moments of the grand finals. Did you have a specific strategy in mind to win? What tactics or moves were you focused on?
OP: In the end, we faced WE Esports Armada. Luckily since we already faced them, we knew their strategy and focused on their weak points. We worked on that, executed our plan properly and won the final. Our one and only tactic are believing in your teammates.
T: Are there any fun facts you can share with us about your gaming experience overall or playing Arena of Valor?
OP: Arena of Valor is one of the most balanced games. We have played many MOBA games, so sometimes we mix up certain terms, like saying "lord" instead of "dragon."
T: Are there any memorable moments from your life and gaming life that you can share with us?
OP: It was nice to spend time with our teammates during this tournament. We met Sycen for the first time, and as a team, we enjoyed our time playing together. We have arranged a get-together to celebrate as a team at the end of January.
T: What does this victory mean to your team? What is your plan next?
OP: This victory gives us inspiration, confidence and responsibility to represent Bangladesh. Now, our next plan is to win the Asian Olympics' trophy and other notable tournaments. We will work hard to represent Bangladesh
T: The Asian Olympics will host Arena of Valor, will your team participate in the grand event?
OP: Participating in the Asian Olympics is our dream. Our journey is only just beginning since we won this tournament. We want to represent our nation through this game. This is our very first step to helping esports grow in our country.
T: Any messages that you would like to give to Arena of Valor fans or amateur esports teams?
OP: Participate in esports games and tournaments competitively. Make your own team and fight for your nation so you can represent your country to the whole world. Thanks to everyone for supporting us. Stay safe, stay health
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