EPT
Having won two of the three previous Gold League Seasons, eStar was one of the favorites to win the Gold League Grand Finals. The Chinese powerhouse did not disappoint as eStar cruised through the group stage with a 6-1 record, dropping only one close match to TNL.
Zero Gaming was their first opponent in the playoffs. After a relatively close first game on Garden of Terror, eStar turned up their intensity and dominated the next two games to close out the series before meeting their longtime rival EDG in the finals. The two teams’ familiarity with each other ensured that, while the drafts would contain no surprises, the games would be a display of mechanical and tactical brilliance. The first four games saw momentum swing back and forth. eStar took the first game on a risky boss capture. EDG responded with a close Game 2 victory on Garden of Terror. Game 3 saw eStar make some aggressive shotcalling mistakes early on but still win the game through a decisive late game fight. Game Four was another nail biter with EDG winning the game due to poor positioning of eStar on the last tribute fight on Cursed Hollow. With the series tied 2-2, eStar were able to regain their focus and close out the next two games. Game 5 on Dragonshire was another close match with eStar showing off their team fighting superiority when it mattered and wiping EDG 22 minutes into the game through a key Falstad Gust from Tumi. Game 6 was more of the same as NccCc took full advantage of Diablo’s Soulstone Trait and helped by utilizing a full retreat and re-engage for a team fight victory that sealed the game.
With the GHL Championship rings at hand, eStar can lay claim as the best Chinese team once again. We had the fortunate opportunity to speak with eStar Gaming’s captain Xia0t and asked him a few questions.
Can you give us a brief introduction to the team?
Hi everyone, we are eStar Gaming.
I am Xia0t, team captain. I was a professional Warcraft III player prior to forming this team.
NccCc is our Warrior player. He has never played professional video games before but is very talented. We found him because he was the highest ranked player on the Battle.Net ladder at that particular time. He thrives under pressure and was the MVP of Gold League Season 2.
XingC and Tumi are good friends that grew up together. XingC likes to dive into new things while Tumi is a bit more reserved and calculating. They complement each other perfectly and are able to cover for each other’s weaknesses.
Tiger is a talented young player. He is known as the most aggressive Support player in the Chinese scene. He can be somewhat of a showboat in game but he is really a kind hearted guy.
I am Xia0t, team captain. I was a professional Warcraft III player prior to forming this team.
NccCc is our Warrior player. He has never played professional video games before but is very talented. We found him because he was the highest ranked player on the Battle.Net ladder at that particular time. He thrives under pressure and was the MVP of Gold League Season 2.
XingC and Tumi are good friends that grew up together. XingC likes to dive into new things while Tumi is a bit more reserved and calculating. They complement each other perfectly and are able to cover for each other’s weaknesses.
Tiger is a talented young player. He is known as the most aggressive Support player in the Chinese scene. He can be somewhat of a showboat in game but he is really a kind hearted guy.
Congratulations on the being the GHL champion! You guys have been one of strongest teams in China for a while now, how have you been able to maintain your success?
The key to success is to have five motivated players who want to continue to be the best they can be. This means maintaining a very grueling practice schedule and making sacrifices outside of the game. This means always trying to find weaknesses in our game. We go into each series very confident because we have rehearsed and practiced for every possible scenario and outcome.
The final series vs. EDG was particularly intense. The score was tied 2-2, how were you guys able to pull out the series win?
To be honest, we were very confident that we could beat EDG. We were just tired because we had been at the venue all day and had to play a Bo5 series prior to the series vs EDG. For us it was a matter of cutting down on mistakes that we don’t usually make and sticking to the game plan.
You guys had some visa issues that prohibited you guys from playing at MSI and Blizzcon, how do you think you guys would have done if you had participated in those tournaments?
It was unfortunate that we could not attend. We believe that we had a 50% chance of winning either tournaments had we participated. 75% chance of making the finals.
How do you think the Chinese playstyle/meta differs from other regions?
I like to think that our playstyle has influenced the majority of Chinese teams. As for general region playstyle differences: Chinese are aggressive, Koreans are good at everything, Americans like to stall for late game, Europeans have the best strategies and understanding of the game.
Do you guys watch any American or European teams? If so, are there any teams or players that standout in particular?
We haven’t been caught up with the scenes entirely. We used to like Tempo Storm and Cloud9. Cloud9’s captain is friendly and very nice to us. Our favorite teams in Europe are Na`Vi and Team Liquid, and we would watch their games.
Who do you guys think are some of the strongest teams in the world?
Us and MVP Black.
What does your team do for fun outside of Heroes of the Storm? What are some of the hobbies that you guys have?
As a team, we go out to eat and KTV (Karaoke TV) often after a long day of practice. Xia0t and XingC enjoy playing Hearthstone. NcCcc plays WoW. Tumi likes listening to music and playing Hero League.
How do you think Blizzard could do to improve the game or the esports scene?
As for the game, Blizzard needs to add Grandmaster League and a better chat and social system. Blizzard also needs to add Heroes at a faster pace so that there are more variable drafts. In terms of esports, we would like see more international tournaments.
What are your goals for 2016?
We want to stay hungry and continue to maintain the same focus, commitment, and hard work that have allowed us to get 17 tournament wins so far. We want to be the first Chinese team to conquer the elite teams of Korea, Europe, and America and be known as the best team in the world.
How will you guys celebrate this victory?
Dinner, KTV, and a few days off from practice.
Anything you guys want to say to your fans in America and Europe?
We didn’t know we had fans outside of China! But thank you for supporting us, we love you, and will continue to do our best.
![[image loading]](http://i.imgur.com/NRrMFwF.jpg)
eStar's captain Xia0t preparing for the next match
Thanks again to Xia0t for taking the time to speak with us! Also, congratulations to eStar on their win at the GHL Finals! As the top two Chinese teams of the tournament, eStar and EDG will be going to Seoul at the beginning of April to compete in the Spring Global Championship, so be sure to tune in and show your support!
English VoDs for GHL Finals can be found at Gillyweed's and Zoia's Twitch channels.
English VoDs for GHL Finals can be found at Gillyweed's and Zoia's Twitch channels.
