Dota 2: A Chat With EG’s iceiceice

EG's iceiceice talks about his team, regions in Dota 2 & shares his perspectives on the game.

Evil Geniuses have been an interesting team to watch in the recent competitions. ESTNN had the pleasure of speaking with Daryl Koh “iceiceice” Pei Xiang, offlaner for EG.

EG’s run in both Singapore and Kiev Major were testaments of their solid performances. Not only did the North American side do well in the Majors but their position in the Dota Pro Circuit was also consistent.

Playing with EG

While most teams seem to fall victim to multiple roster shuffles, EG's stuck with most of their current squad for a significant amount of time. Did you feel the squad had a certain degree of stability when you first joined? Do you think of it as a bonus when competing against teams who have had recent squad changes?

Yes, there was stability in the team, but I don’t think of it as a bonus now, because good players will always find a way to mesh together as long as you have a leader/coach figure that leads the team towards that direction.

Pro players are incredibly talented and often know what they've done wrong in a game. Can you explain what other dimensions does a coach like BuLba add to EG?

Bulba helps us straighten our views on the game, as well as matching it so that everyone views the game the same way. He also does the normal coach stuff of making sure chemistry is good within the team, or mediating issues if something were to happen.

EG performed well in both DPC Seasons and competed in the Grand Finals of the Singapore and Kyiv Major. What do you make of your team’s recent performances?

Decent I guess, could always be better.

Despite iceiceice's humble review, EG was the first team to qualify for TI this year. No doubt the team could use some extra luck when it comes to taking home trophies. But all in all, they've put in a solid performance this year.

Regional differences

We also spoke with iceiceice about the differences he's experienced playing across different regions and in different roles throughout his DPC career.

You have been part of multiple teams in your career. How would you explain EG differing from them?

China teams are more hardcore in practice, whereas NA teams are more chill? SEA teams would be in the middle.

You have played as a mid player in Dota 2. How is the offlane suiting you and what is the best thing about it? Do you think you will change to other roles in the future?

Offlane is ok, the best thing about it used to be how there are lots of different ways to play it in the lane, nowadays it's kinda boring though. I normally just play the role that the team wants me to play so if the team needs me to switch I'll do my best to switch. Playing as support was fun.

Some of the biggest differences you found in the NA and SEA Dota scene?

NA games tend to end faster because if people think it's over, they’ll go afk or run down mid. SEA games tend to drag even when the game is over(1 player abandoned, or someone sold their items and they’ll still play on), so it can be a waste of time.

Outside Dota

What do you think you'd do if you didn't play Dota 2 professionally?

Probably play another game competitively.

How do you balance enjoying Dota with the pressure of performing well in competitions?

There’s no pressure in performing well in the tournament.

It seems like iceiceice is as chill as his namesake, despite playing one of the world's most competitive esports for a living.