KingJ: 'We (Rstars) could no longer work as a team'

The interview was conducted by Raphael 'Phase' Yee on December 5.



KingJ (far right) with the former RisingStars roster before Sylar's departure. Photo by WPC-ACE.

Hi KingJ, thank you for doing this interview with us. Can you summarize what happened to RisingStars and why the disbandment?

It was due to the discord in the team that led to changes in the players, plus later on there were no more competitive matches to play. This upset and dismayed the boss, hence the disbandment.





When was the point when the squad decided to call it quits? Was there a crucial moment where the team realized that it would not work?

From what I observed, XDD became no different than a robot, he didn’t have his own opinions anymore. During trainings and competitions, interaction and communication within the team decreased. This is when I felt we could no longer work together as a team. As for the point in which we decided to disband, I’m not too sure.





Okay. Did you think that the team had done the right thing to change their roster multiple times?

I think we made the right decision since all we wanted was to improve in our results. As for the players, I feel that if the people working together can get along, results will show. For instance, meek and docile people should work together, while the more cunning and sly ones work together.



Sylar left the team in quite a dramatic fashion prior to the addition of Meracle. Can you tell us what exactly happened between him and the team?

Perhaps it was due to the pressure and stress he felt to achieve results that led to his slightly excessive use of [coarse] language. Or maybe he had other considerations right from the beginning, after all LGD had initially planned to sell him for 300k. This, we are not too sure.



Are those in-game conflicts or do they have argument in real life as well?

They are in-game conflicts. While we train, several conflicts can arise in-game because there tends to be a repeated mistake that causes us to lose matches. We are still young, so we don’t have much conflicts in real life.



Many of the English viewers seem to think Cty is the cause of all problem in Rstars. I believe it's mostly the lack of communication skills. Is this true? Give us an example.

A team’s problems can never be solely because of one player, let me give you an example. The carry and solo mid of the team are in charge of farming, but if the offlane player does not farm as well, he will also set the team back. This becomes a vicious cycle since it is hard to get back from a deficit. Nobody will dare to lead the fight. Therefore, we can only say that the team does not work well together, and not push the blame all onto CTY. Of course, if he does change his style it might be an improvement for him in the future. His 1v1 abilities are quite outstanding.



Let’s talk about Meracle. Why did the team decide on acquiring him, knowing clearly that it would have cost quite a fair amount to fly him to China and get him all the necessary allowances, accommodation and food?

I did not know Meracle very well initially, I only heard about him from a friend. Also, in the China WPC competition, players who had participated before were not allowed to represent and play for another team. Hence in such circumstances, transfer and signing fees were not part of our worries and considerations. Foreign talent was the best choice we had. Only later did I realize that this guy is so much more excellent than I imagined him to be.



Do you think he will become a real superstar one day?

If he adopted a slightly more cheerful and outgoing personality, he would definitely be a leader of the South East Asia players. Of course, we are talking about 2 or 3 years down the road. Right now, he’s still young, and is required to serve the military.



Did he tell you when he have to leave for the army?

Management mentioned it before, but I’m not sure of the specifics, as it was once discussed he would return to postpone his military service time.



Have you guys thought about some Chinese players instead if not for Meracle?

I don’t think so, due to the involvement of whether or not transfer fees would get in the way of being able to participate in the WPC competition. Additionally, we were only given 5 days.





Rstars getting ready to face iG in Shanghai Esports Stadium. Photo by SCNTV.

What exactly was the problem in the team after acquiring Meracle?

We did not have much time to train and we never really played together before as well. However, he gave me the impression of someone who can withstand pressure and will go out of his way to protect his teammates.



Are you disappointed that such a star-studded Rstars team did not make it in the pro scene?

Yes I am. Sometimes I think about taking a break from Dota again. But obviously I won’t give up.



Some believe a team full of superstars do not work - after all, star players generally have bigger egos. Do you think that's the case?

No, I believe it has got to do with personalities in the team. If there are one or two members who are more withdrawn, there is bound to be interaction and communication breakdowns, leading to an absence of a trust between the team members.



Now that the team has disbanded, what are your plans for the future?

I’ll continue to watch games and matches to try my best not to lose touch. At the same time, I will compare myself with other players of the same skill level to determine how I should improve.



Will any of the players stick together to form a new team?

Nobody is certain of this. When it’s time to take a break, we will take a break.



Alright, thank you for your time. Any shoutouts?

Thank you to those who still keep me in mind- even to those who flame me - I will be back.