Jonathan "Loda" Berg

First off, your team has been riding a hot streak recently, leading StarLadder and winning multiple EMS Cups (thus securing the top seed in the group stage). What can you attribute the team's recent play to?

Loda

I would say our recent success is a combination of hard work, great team spirit, and good ingame synergy. We have the perfect combination of personalities on our team. This is what I've always been striving for. We are a team of friends, we have fun when we play, we handle losses well and we don't flame each other when we make mistakes ^^. It is also a huge plus to be able to speak Swedish within the team.

You brought up being able to communicate in Swedish. What else has EGM been able to bring to your team? Also, how did you end up adding him to the mix?

Loda

Well, I've been playing with EGM for quite some time, I guess after niqua introduced him to me sometime last year. EGM is an awesome addition; he has high individual skill and he fits really well into the team, not only as a player but also as a person. He is confident in himself and the calls he makes and works well with me and Akke. I mean, what doesn't he add to the team? :D

Teams have been experimenting with lots of different heroes recently, including your recent dominating performance on Spectre. What do you think we can expect over the next couple months?

Loda

Well I'm not sure if I would call it experimenting. I mean, we pick heroes that we believe are the best in the situation. The Spectre pick was kinda my suggestion, and s4 asked me if I was confident in it and I am, so ^^. I honestly feel that most heroes are viable in the current meta. I feel teams are too afraid of practicing rarely picked heroes. Usually they try it once, fail and then give up on the hero. Most of the carries at the moment are very situational, but that doesn't mean they don't work.

Your team has recently been seeded into the second phase of the G-1 Champions League West Qualifiers. How do you feel about their outreach to Western teams? Do you think Western teams stand a good chance in the tournament?

Loda

I feel it's great of them. By reaching out to Europe and North America they help all the regions improve their play and make the competition more interesting. I think there should be more tournaments where the West can play vs China, so this is a great step in the right direction. I think it's up to every team individually ^^.



First of all we have the qualifier. After that, well then we can focus on analyzing China.

Fair enough, one step at a time. I have to ask this, as I know if I don't, many members of the community will: Is there anything you can reveal about your still mysterious sponsorship?

Loda

Haha, nothing much yet. We are close to announcing it though. Not even Blizzard soon, it's seriously soon. :D

I'm sure that will make everyone pretty excited. My last question is something a few of the staff have been wondering, and we need some of your expertise on. How did Gollum get out of Moria and continue to follow the Fellowship after Gandalf destroyed the Bridge of Khazad-Dum?

Loda

HAHA... Sigh... Well you should all know that Gollum is an expert wall/mountain climber, and most likely he just climbed on the ceiling :D



Seems like my past still haunts me...

It all makes sense now.



Thanks for the interview! See you again on Saturday to answer the community's questions!

Loda

Npnp.