I chatted with Jos "ViolentPanda" van Meurs on what he personally thinks is the best way to get noticed and to increase your play to make it to the top. As one of the winningest players in Rocket League history, the path he has taken clearly worked for him and there are no signs of slowing down. If you're looking for some tips to get noticed this coming season or increase your play, ViolentPanda shares some tips below.

When you first picked up Rocket League, did you have the intention and/or the goal of reaching the level of play that you are currently at?

ViolentPanda: No, I was just playing the game for fun as anyone does at the start with my friends.





What was the initial appeal of RL to you? What was it that kept you coming back every day trying to improve your skill?

ViolentPanda: To be honest, at first I was just playing for fun with friends and without knowing I just kept getting better and eventually I started playing with the top players, which made me think I could also be a top player. So, that’s the point where I really started going for it and trying to improve myself.





At what point in your career would you say was there takeoff point where you knew you had “made it”?

ViolentPanda: In Season 2 of RLCS, I got second at Worlds. This was really the point where I thought I really could make a living out of it and be a pro player.





For teams of Champions/Grand Champion’s out there wanting to eventually make it to RLRS/RLCS, what advice would you give to them?

ViolentPanda: Play 6-mans - this is a good way to start playing with more people of your level and a good way to get noticed in the scene to pro players.





For those that maybe just recently picked up Rocket League for the first time and strive to make it to the top, what tips would you give them to pick up the game more quickly?

ViolentPanda: To be honest, in the start like everyone does just play the game for fun and see where it takes you. But if you want to learn how the game works you should watch a pro player who is streaming on Twitch. It is a great way to learn how the game works and what to do while playing.





What do you think sets apart a good player from a great player?

ViolentPanda: Being smart and fast. Being smart in rotations and passing is probably the most important to me but being fast is also important because you want to beat your opponent to the ball when it’s needed.





As a streamer yourself, do you think it’s necessary to be a streamer to be noticed by an organization that might potentially be looking for RL players?

ViolentPanda: Not really. Try to make it to the top first. Like I said playing 6-mans will help you because you have the chance to eventually be playing against better players and with better players that can notice you there.





Aside from yourself, are there any streamers you personally enjoy watching or would recommend to others looking to pick up some tips to improve their gameplay?

ViolentPanda: Any pro player works. It’s even better to watch several pro players so you can see what the difference is between them and then you can decide yourself what works best or not.





What amount of time dedication would you say is required to reach and maintain your level of play? How many hours per day are you putting in when you’re really grinding?

ViolentPanda: If it is during RLCS league play or something, we are putting in around 3-5 hours a day into the game. You don’t want to overplay yourself, so when you are getting tired of playing and you don’t feel like playing anymore, just stop. If you keep playing while you’re not focused anymore, you’re not going to improve.





Do you think that the current state of RL esports provides enough opportunity to new teams looking to qualify and hopefully make it to the top?

ViolentPanda: Yes. The new RLRS league that has been going for the past 2-3 seasons really helps with new teams trying to get to the top and into RLCS.





Would you do it all over again if you could?

ViolentPanda: Yes. It is totally worth it - making a living while playing games is the best job you could have in my eyes, and the path leading towards it was a lot of fun.





Thanks so much for taking the time to answer some questions! Is there anyone you would like to give a shoutout to?

ViolentPanda: I’d like to thank our fans for supporting us, and shoutout to Dignitas and our sponsors for everything.





Be sure and follow ViolentPanda below for all things Rocket League and Dignitas!

Twitter

Twitch