Crystallis on Team Secret: "It felt like shit because you can't win. It just became a cycle"

Crystallis opens up about his time at Team Secret, his brief tenure at Parivision and his ongoing stint at Tundra Esports ahead of BLAST Slam III. Let's find out what he has to say.

• Read Insania interview: "Retirement is on my mind"

Crystallis Dota 2 interview at BLAST Slam III

How are you blending in with Tundra Esports?

I’m blending in fine with Tundra. People are really chill over here, and it’s the same as with every other team.

What is the difference between playing for Tundra and your previous teams?

The big difference at Parivision was that I got to talk to my teammates a lot because we spoke the same language. As for Secret, we were doing well at tournaments, so things were good. As for Tundra, it’s still a work in progress, but things are turning out to be good.

The last years at Team Secret were difficult for you and the team – the constant roster shuffle, lacklustre results, etc. What was your mindset then?

It’s nothing specific but you feel like shit because you can’t win, and eventually that became a cycle. It just kept repeating, and we weren’t able to break out of that loop, thus ending up performing badly throughout that particular phase.

You were on the receiving end of immense backlash. How did it affect you?

It felt pretty shitty. I don’t really know how else to put it across. To a certain extent, it did affect me, but then again, it did not pile up insanely on me because at the end of the day, it was still a bunch of random people from the internet trying to stir the pot.

Tell us about your transition from Team Secret to Parivision, and finally finding a home at Tundra Esports.

After leaving Team Secret, I was teamless for six months. The only team I could join around that time was Parivision, which is until they decided to kick me, especially after we won a major, for seemingly no reason.

As for Tundra, the transition has been quite smooth, but we are still a work in progress.

What is lacking for Tundra to break through the barrier and win a title with the current set of players?

I don’t think something is missing in particular. We are trying to identify our playstyles, figuring out things together, and being sure everyone can share their ideas, etc. It’s just the basics we're trying to fine-tune and set things in motion from there.

We need to get on the same page and push forward from that point onwards.

How do you fancy your chances at BLAST Slam III?

Our chances are good. Despite all the difficulties we had to endure, we made it to the top three in both ESL One Raleigh and PGL Wallachia Season 4.

Alright, that makes sense. Before we clock out, I’d like to ask how you came to join Tundra?

Dryrachyo left. I had just won a major and was the best available option. So, why wouldn’t I join? They invited me and I accepted.

You can also read other interviews with Yatoro, Noone and Quinn on our website. Stay tuned for more interviews in the upcoming days.