Seated at the press table in Atlanta’s Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, Andreas “Logix” Berghmans smiled slightly when asked about how he was enjoying his time there. “Atlanta is a really lovely city,” he began. “I’m not the biggest fan of the humidity, though. After being in Florida, this is a little bit better, but I’m still not used to it.”

The interview began shortly after the Toronto Defiant fell to the Atlanta Reign in the latter’s first home game. Despite the 1-3 loss and the crowd enthusiastically rooting against them, Logix appeared to be in a good mood. “I’ve really enjoyed my time here,” he remarked. “Even with the crowd booing against us today, we’re just here with smiles, trying to play our best.”

Back on the Stage

Logix had an equally optimistic view on his time with the Defiant so far. “Having the chance to show my DPS skills again in the Overwatch League is really great. And it’s really fun to be back in L.A. as well,” he explained. Since joining Toronto’s roster in late June, he’s spent time catching up with old and new friends alike, as well as getting to know his new teammates.

Logix’s return to the league marks a transition highly anticipated by fans and fellow players alike. After being dropped from the Florida Mayhem at the end of season 1, the DPS star moved into North American Contenders, starting off on XL2 Academy before moving to Montreal Rebellion. “Being in Contenders for the past few months has been a little lackluster, honestly,” he admitted. “So it’s been a great transition back.”

A Time for Change

His move fits right in with all the changes Toronto has made over the past few weeks. With the recent additions of Logix, Liam “Mangachu” Campbell, Daniel “Gods” Graeser and Normunds “sharyk” Faterins, the Defiant have fully committed to the mixed-roster route. When asked about the most significant differences between the Defiant and the Mayhem, Logix brought up the language barrier. “Obviously, the team started off with a full Korean roster, so transitioning to an English-language roster has not been the easiest step to take for the team. It’s definitely the thing we struggle with the most right now.”

Still, he’s fully supportive of the shift towards a mixed roster. “It’s the biggest challenge with the biggest reward, I think,” he said. “Once you get an international roster to work, it’s the greatest thing ever. Because you have all these different languages and you make them work together.” The Defiant follow in the footsteps of the Philadelphia Fusion, whose season one success with a mixed roster earned them plenty of attention, and the Atlanta Reign, who committed early on to working with a similarly-structured team.

Looking Ahead

Big changes come with unique challenges, and the Defiant look to meet them head on. After finishing out Stage 3 with an 0-7 record, Logix knows that it’s the perfect time to regroup. “As far as the team goes, our goal is to try and sync better together,” he explained. According to him, Toronto would take the break between stages as an opportunity to talk things out as a team and ensure that everybody is on the same page in terms of how they view the game. “If we can mix-match those things together, we can make the best of both worlds happen,” he said.

Taking part in the league’s second set of road games provided a chance to discuss the future beyond season two. By the time the Defiant headed to Atlanta, they had already taken to Twitter to tease their first home game. Though the league itself waited until the break to officially announce 2020’s structure, Logix had already started looking ahead. “I’m super excited for Toronto next year,” he said. “The home crowd here is not cheering for us, but off in Toronto they’re going to cheer absolutely for us. So I just can’t wait for the home crowd to be super excited.” Defiant CEO Chris Overholt confirmed in an interview that the team will host two homestand events over the course of next season, giving the local fanbase opportunities to show up in full.

The Fans Along the Way

Logix’s Overwatch League journey so far has taken him to many places, and plenty of his fans have followed him the entire way. “I’ve actually got a lot of support from Mayhem fans, still,” he remarked. “It’s like, the absolute greatest feeling. Obviously, I cheer for the Mayhem to do well in this season, too. But it’s cool to see how the fans from season one still support the players. Not even just me – I see them cheer for everyone from the old team, and it’s just a super great feeling to see.”

As for the Toronto fans who have welcomed him in, he’s equally thankful, and hopes to provide them with the results they’d like in Stage 4. “Thank you so much for supporting me,” he emphasized when asked if he had anything to say to both Defiant fans and Mayhem fans. “It’s been an absolute honor, and I’m glad to be back.”

Thank you very much to Logix for talking to us at the Atlanta Homestand! Be sure to keep up with him on Twitch and Twitter. Best of luck to the Toronto Defiant in Stage 4!

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Follow Darby on Twitter @soundchecck! She is happy to talk about anything she’s written! You can also get in touch with her on Discord (soundchecck#7242).



Featured image courtesy of Stewart Volland for Blizzard Entertainment.

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