dupreeh: "I strongly believe role clashes are one of the worst things that can happen for a team"

When Heroic was in their hour of need, there was no better man for them to turn to than a legend of their national scene, dupreeh.

Now at the end of his stand-in period with Heroic, dupreeh has opted to stay within Danish CS as he has been announced as the newest member of Preasy, a Danish squad featuring the likes of roeJ, refrezh, and former Astralis player, Altekz.

Back at BLAST Premier World Final 2023, we spoke with dupreeh about his time in Heroic, his thoughts on the new Astralis team, and where he ranks himself amongst the greatest Counter-Strike players of all-time.

Interview with dupreeh

World Final is your final event with Heroic, how has it been on other side of the Danish derby?

It's been different, but it's been nice. I've enjoyed my time a lot. I think I'm easy to be around and I connect with people easily, so it's not like I felt like I had joined the enemy or had to tag along with anyone I don't like, I've made friends with anyone I've been in a team with and it's been a good time.

Obviously, it's been different and weird because when I was playing in the Danish derby against Astralis at Fall Final, it was weird being on that side but I came out on top so I'm happy.

It's been different, but a good different. I've enjoyed my time and I'm happy that I've just had the opportunity to compete. If I didn't then I wouldn't be here, I wouldn't have been in Copenhagen, and that would've been 3-4 months taken out of my calendar where I didn't compete in CS2, so it's much-needed time as well for me as an individual.

In terms of the Danish CS community, there's been issues in the past with them not appreciating figures like karrigan or even Heroic because Astralis have always been the bigger team, but do you think that has shifted now since Heroic has been the best Danish team?

One thing you should look at is the results of the teams, but the other thing is the commercial part. I still think that Astralis is by far the biggest company you have in terms of esports in Denmark, but that's also where they put in a lot of effort to becoming the best so they deserve to have that.

However, results-wise, they have definitely been on the Heroic side for the last two, maybe two and a half years where Heroic has clearly been the favourite at home and with the new roster changes that have happened, you can probably say Astralis has the better roster right now because Heroic doesn't actually have an active lineup, but when you look at it like that you always, depending on what kind of business you're running, you always want to become the best sports team and in that sense, Heroic has won the battle.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

You were signed to replace cadiaN, but a lot more happened with the roster following everything that happened with stavn and jabbi; at the time, did you know there was a chance that everything else was going to happen?

I think for everyone it came as a surprise that it was cadiaN that was initially benched, and when Heroic reached out to me to see if I was up for coming to help them, I felt like it was a good opportunity as an individual to show what I can offer, but obviously things took a different turn that I wasn't part of.

I hadn't signed anything when all these things started to happen, so it was obvious that after stavn and jabbi decided to part ways, Heroic needed even more help so I felt like I was in a position to help them for maybe more than one or two tournaments, because I'm not an AWPer or IGL, and that's what they needed in the long run, but I couldn't fulfil that, so when things escalated it became more of a long-term thing which has been almost three months.

It came as a surprise to everyone, I didn't know of anything, but when I signed my deal with Heroic I was aware of things going on so it didn't change my mind.

Just to satisfy those that remember the late-2017 dupreeh AWP era, would you ever consider becoming an AWPer?

No, I don't think I would do it again. I think my standout performance at BLAST was a one-time thing, everything was working out for me and it gave me the idea that I could potentially continue AWPing, but I quite quickly figured out it wasn't as easy as I thought it was. It was way more difficult, way more complicated.

When I started they had no idea how I would approach the game, they couldn't prepare for me, didn't use as much utility, it was easy to get kills, but when they start to figure you out and counter-strat you, it's so much more complicated.

That's where I think the good AWP players need to be really good at being unpredictable and doing other things, hitting the crazy shots in high-pressure situations, and I don't think I excelled at that, and it goes against my natural instincts and how I play the game. I'm a rifler and I've always been an entry, I thrive in chaos and I need to go and brute force and I don't think that's what the AWP does anymore.

Photo: Stephanie Lindgren

To go back to the recent Danish shuffle, what are your thoughts on the new Astralis team? Can it be successful, or will role clashes get in the way?

Of course, as I've said in a previous interview I think there are a few role clashes in the team, and I strongly believe role clashes are one of the worst things that can happen for a team, because it always means someone has to play in a way they aren't naturally comfortable. It doesn't have to be on all six or seven maps you play, it can be just two or three of them, but it still limits you into positions where someone has to do something they're not comfortable doing to make space for everyone. Obviously it goes in turns, so there'll always be someone when you play that doesn't feel 100% comfortable.

I think if you can eliminate role clashes, that's your best bet. Sometimes I even believe that eliminating role clashes to get a lesser skilled or prominent player could maybe even be better, but that's how I see Counter-Strike, of course it's also sometimes about getting the right players and personalities and I believe Astralis have done their scouting and they believe it will work for them. We'll see what happens for them, they've only played two official games and lost both, but they had limited practice from what they say, so the tournament itself is kinda irrelevant, we don't know anything about them anymore.

They now have a lot of time to practice coming into the Christmas break and after, so it's going to be very interesting to see how things go for them in 2024. It's definitely an upgrade in terms of experience and raw talent, but there's still a part of me that believes they will need to make a few adjustments to make it work the way they want, but I'm not in a position to do anything or say anything.

No matter what I will always have a special place for the Astralis brand and for device, who is the only player that remains from the team I played in, so I hope the best for him and the rest of the team.

You won five Majors in CS:GO, do you think you'll add a sixth in CS2?

Maybe, maybe not. I don't want to say no, but I also don't want to say yes, I think it comes down to whatever team I end up in and I think it's only going to get harder. At the same time, if I don't end up winning one in CS2 it's not going to be the end of the world, I've achieved more than I could've hoped for in my career and now I'm jus tin a position where I just want to continue because I love the industry, and I love competing, and I love everything about playing in a team and working with a team.

Of course, I'm also getting older, but I don't want my age to be a limitation in terms of how I see myself and how others see me as a player, I think that's very important. I hope for it, of course, but it's going to be very difficult, and I think right now the Major in Copenhagen is up for grabs for anyone, I don't think there's a specific favourite and for me, it's more important that I still feel relevant and still want to show what I've got.

Photo: Michal Konkol

In that regard, how long do you think you have left on your career?

Right now, I see myself going at least for 2-3 years. Obviously if I get the right offer and a team that functions and I still feel like I can keep up and everything is working in my personal life as well then I see myself competing for more years, but I think it's very up for debate right now.

Do you think someone may potentially surpass your record of five Majors in CS2? Donk is looking like a strong candidate with his performances at just 16.

I think there is a possibility, but I think it's hard to say. Donk is only 16 but he's already blowing the charts, but so did s1mple and he only won a single Major, same for ZywOo. I'm confident that they both have it and will win another, and Donk will probably also find one, but it takes more than just one good individual player to achieve that, it takes a team effort, a little bit of luck, and a lot of things to fit together. I think apart from having a really solid team, I've also been really lucky in terms of everything else. So in some sense I hope not, but I think winning five is very difficult and it takes a lot of things to get there. It's definitely doable, but it's a small chance.

So with that said, in terms of achievements, no one comes close to you, where does that mean you rank yourself in terms of all-time CS players?

Individually-wise, maybe somewhere in the top 20, top 15 maybe. But I think there's been so many good players individually when looking at the big chart, but then again, achievement-wise I think I'm probably on top. It depends how you rank, because s1mple, device, coldzera, NiKo, all these players, they have a million MVPs and have had crazy individual stats and are really exceptional stats, so it depends on how people see things.

Team achievements and winning, and all that kind of stuff, I definitely see myself on top, but of course, I wouldn't be in this position without my teammates throughout the years and the star players I have played alongside like ZywOo and device. I owe everyone something throughout my career, but I think it's also down to my own drive to do something greater, achieve something bigger, and never feel like I'm done, I think that's also helped.