Cloud9 tries to salvage their season at the Shanghai Major RMR

"I chose Cloud9 because I believe in the process," HeavyGod shared.

Cloud9 were forced to rebuild their roster in the summer after their super roster fell apart with the departure of Denis "⁠electroNic⁠" Sharipov to Virtus.pro.

The organization only retained Sergey "⁠Ax1Le⁠" Rykhtorov and Kirill "⁠Boombl4⁠" Mikhailov, and signed Kaisar "⁠ICY⁠" Faiznurov, Timofey "⁠interz⁠" Yakushin and Nikita "⁠HeavyGod⁠" Martynenko. Among them, Israeli player HeavyGod received the most attention.

HeavyGod spent the first half of the year playing for OG, where he showed his potential despite the team's struggles. He became the focus of many transfer rumors and eventually joined Cloud9.

The team's start has not been ideal, as they are currently ranked 66th in the world rankings heading into RMR, where they hope to salvage their season by qualifying for the Major.

Ahead of the tournament in Shanghai, HeavyGod spoke to HLTV about the slow start to the season, adapting to the new language, new role in the game, and expectations for the tournament.

How do you feel about attending RMR with Cloud9?

I think the team feels pretty good, the atmosphere in the team is very good. We have prepared well and want to show everyone what we can do. We will try our best.

You return to a Russian-speaking team after previously playing for OG and Endpoint. How was that for you? Do you prefer speaking Russian or English?

For me, because I come from an English-speaking environment, re-adapting to Russian took a bit of time. Maybe English is a little easier for me, but Russian is fine too.

What is the biggest difference between Russian and English speaking teams? Not just in terms of language but also communication and play style?

The biggest difference lies in culture. European and CIS cultures are a bit different. Maybe they work a little harder, but I think both the Europeans and the Russians are very good.

Why did you choose Cloud9 as your next destination after OG?

I chose Cloud9 because I believe in the team-building process, and I believe we can achieve greater achievements. Playing with experienced players and coaches will help me develop both skills and people.

However, the team has not yet met expectations. In your opinion, what is the reason?

We started off very slow, and I hope we can fix it at RMR to get a ticket to the Major. The main problem is that we need time to connect and learn from each other. Each person has a different personality and way of expressing themselves, so a connection is needed.

Has the Major been the team's biggest goal since its inception?

That's right, the biggest goal of any player who has never been to a Major is to try their best to achieve it.

What do you think your chances are at RMR this time, especially when facing FaZe in the first round?

Cloud9 and FaZe have always had a long history of confrontation. We played FaZe at BLAST when the team first formed and only had two weeks of practice. I believe this time we will be much better and can beat them.

You moved from a support role at OG to a star role at Cloud9. How has that adjustment been for you?

I don't care too much about the role I take on, as long as the team and the coach need something, I will try to do my best. I always try to learn and improve myself to fit the team.