Q: What are you looking forward to at your first Worlds?
Busio (before Swiss Day 1): Looking forward to facing GAM, it’s nice that we’re the first seed, because then our match is one of the weaker teams and we can build momentum. I know personally that helps me a lot, because if I already play a game on stage at the venue and get momentum going, I’ll play much better in the second match, even if it’s a really strong team. So, yeah. Pretty happy with the draw and just excited to start playing.
Q: How’s the worlds trip been for you so far? Any highlights?
Busio: We were at the VIT office, and we scrimmed a lot and had pretty good scrims. In terms of outside of game things, like two or three days in a row we went to a sushi place before scrims. We [would get] like a whole sushi boat. And the days where we have the sushi boat, we absolutely own in scrims. Like we were facing some eastern teams and we were lowkey owning, and must credit that to the boat. Sushi buff.
Q: Speaking of scrims, how confident are you feeling now?
Busio: I mean, pretty confident. For the first week or so, scrims were so-so, but recently — I guess in the second week [of the two week bootcamp] — we were doing really good. So feeling pretty confident.
Q: How have you improved your own play and map movement?
Busio: I mean, the main thing, personally, was just being more confident in my own plays. If I understand what’s going on on the map well, I feel that freedom to know what’s a good play, what’s a bad play, if it’s risky. But also we got Mithy, and Mithy — obviously, being a legendary support player — helped me a lot. So, I’d say a combo of those two things really leveled up my play. Many specific small things add up to make my level of play higher; just takes time.
Q: If you were to rank the best Western supports, what’s your order?
Busio: I mean, I have big respect for Mikyx, obviously, but in practice and such he’s not … as insane? It looks like he’s having some fun. But I have big respect for Miky, so I’d put him somewhere there. I also think Jun is pretty good, I played against him a lot in champs queue because him and Noah were perma queueing in champs queue. That’s the bot lane Massu and I would face the most, so I think he’s pretty good. And then Core is really good as well.
Q: Are you intentionally leaving yourself out?
Busio: It depends on how I play. I think when I’m on, I’m really, really good, but I’m not always the most consistent, so…
Q: How was the Champs Queue grind?
Busio: Playing Champs Queue is fun because it’s like scrims after scrims, you know? In scrims, you try really hard to be really serious, but in CQ me and Massu were just playing and I was focusing on one concept in lane that could completely ruin a scrim game if I’m just, like, flipping it in scrims. But in CQ I don’t feel bad doing it because you can limit test and it’s chill vibes. Even when we were five stacking, nobody was playing too serious. We were still practicing, but also having fun and playing new picks. So, it’s more useful than solo queue because […] I can play with Massu. I can’t really duo with Massu unless I’m playing in lowmasta, and that’s not really good practice.
Q: Any fun stories with the team?
Busio: There was a chess board at the Vitality office, and we’ve been perma grinding chess, especially Massu. Massu is on a complete chess grind right now, like chess.com-ing. And right now while we’re waiting in the LEC studio, there’s a chess board there as well, so we’re on a big chess grind.
Q: Who’s the chess GOAT on the team?
Busio: Tbh, I haven’t seen all the matchups, but Massu is up there, we’re all honestly similarly skilled. Like, we were playing with Damonte too, and he plays way, way too quick. He doesn’t think about his moves. Massu is like a five minutes per move guy. He’s pretty thoughtful.
We just saw Nukeduck play for the first time, and he was not bad. Kacper [Inspired] was talking up how good he is [at chess], but he hasn’t played yet, so that could be all talk.