Boaster: “I don’t know how much longer I’ve got left… I’m hoping I can do whatever I can with the boys and win another one”
Lee Jones
|
Share:
It’s now been more than two years since Fnatic saw global success, failing to win in their three subsequent attempts at international events. But now at Masters Toronto, they’re into the final four, their first time doing so on the global stage since Champs 2023. Fnatic booked their lower bracket semi-final place with a 2-1 win against Sentinels, coming back from a 1-0 map deficit to win the series and eliminate their Americas opponents. Once the victory was complete, we spoke to Fnatic’s superstar IGL Jake “Boaster” Howlett for an interview.
Hotspawn: Alfajer was on fire today.
What on earth did he have for breakfast?
Boaster: Trying to think, I don’t even know what he had for breakfast. Probably ownage breakfast.
What were your general thoughts on the series?
I think it was a slow start from us on Sunset. It’s a map that we have to get good at quick if we want to get to the grand finals because both teams, Wolves and Paper Rex, like a Sunset. So we need to get it to a level that’s competent.
But other than that, I think Ascent is looking really good for us, and Icebox was actually looking pretty good. We got unlucky with some rounds, but then we also got quite lucky with other rounds. So a big fix up. I think Chron’s slow timing, as well, on Sage defence needs to be on point, and then it should be cleaned up. Should be Gucci after that.
We always do a percentage check. At the start of the day, he was at 60%. I think today after the second map, he was feeling really hungry, so his energy was a bit low. But he soldiered through. We gave him a little sandwich and he managed to carry us through with Alfajer on the Icebox. I’m really proud of him.
Image credit: Riot Games
We’ve seen from the arena setup, where the fans are so close to the stage, that some players — yourself included — have enjoyed interacting with them between rounds.
How have you found that dynamic?
It’s quite funny. I don’t know if they can even see the production — I think they can see our screens, maybe. But it is a vibe in there. It’s like a mosh pit of excitement and cheering. So it’s funny when we win a round, we give them a little show and stuff. It’s a cool format. It’s a cool system.
It’s hot — day one was really hot. But we bought fans, I’m wearing shorts, stuff like that.
Chopped the hair off as well.
Cut the hair off as well. It was a Spoozy buff. Spoozy’s one of the make-up artists here from EMEA, so she helped me out.
On the broadcast, they were saying that Sentinels’ mental looked like it’d gone at the end of Icebox.
Did you get that impression too?
I think so. They got 7 rounds on attack-side Icebox, which is decent. But as soon as we won the pistol we were back to 7-7, and I know defence Icebox 7-7 feels very uncomfortable because it’s a hard side to even get rounds on. As you saw, we only got 5.
But we worked the map so well. People were getting their picks. Alfajer was abusing them as well. We got really lucky at that time where we faked the B, but then they knifed us A, and then we had to go under B split. So we got quite fortunate with that round, like Alfajer once again going beast mode.
So it’s just really happy to have players that can do that, when sometimes my IGLing might not be the best call of the round or the perfect call.
I can’t really give excuses, but it is hard going onto a stage for the first time, not knowing really how hot it is, not fully getting warmed up. And it’s so unlucky that both times we’ve not been able to have a choice of who we want to play. So we instantly instalock Gen.G. I think you can just randomise it at this point and we’d have more chance of getting some luck it seems for EMEA.
But, you know, that’s the nature of competition. You can’t be complaining about it. You have to adapt, and if that’s us grinding through the lower bracket, then so be it. It means we’re going to be playing Pearl this event, so look out for that.
Image credit: Riot Games
Who do you see as the favourites of the final four?
Obviously Paper Rex vs Wolves is a banger series. I think it’s very aggression versus aggression, aim versus aim, and a little bit of strategy versus strategy as well. So I’m interested to see how their game goes. And then down in the lower bracket, you got G2 and Fnatic — teams that have won their league. And obviously, G2’s fielded consistent results. Valyn’s a great IGL.
And Fnatic, we’ve won stuff before, we can win again. We’re the exact type of team that can really grind out these lower brackets and gain momentum because we just believe and trust and enjoy each other’s gameplay and company.
SiuFatBB has become a superstar at this tournament, and he feels similar to you in the sense that he’s an IGL that leads through good vibes and having fun.
How have you found it seeing his rise through this tournament?
I think he’s such a nice character in the scene, but also in the hotel when I’ve seen him. I went and spoke to him when I arrived because he’s a big fan of me, actually, because he’s IGL. But this IGL is fragging. He is at least.
And I remember his story from like four years ago, five years ago. So at the start he was grinding, similarly to ZmjjKK, and I was in the Chinese Twitch chat typing, like: “Nice try there” in the chat about him. And he was a Jett Op at the time, similar to me, which is quite funny, and he remembers it to this day. So when he got here, he was like: “Please can I get a jersey swap?”
So he’s a big he’s a big fan of me and I always respect IGLs that are a big fan of me, because I appreciate it and I know how it feels to look up to other IGLs — my CS:GO times especially. And he’s a good vibe.
It seems like Fnatic are, to an extent, always playing in the shadow of the 2023 global-winning era.
How important would it be for you, this roster, and the org, to win another global event now?
Yeah, it’s funny. 2023, we won Tokyo, and Alfajer said he’s bored, and then we lost Champs. And in 2024 we were in the bloomin’ trenches trying to get through lower brackets and stuff. So I’m definitely more appreciative of even just qualifying for events again. It really humbles you when you’re not able to win a trophy and you’re watching other teams win it. Because I always stay and watch the finals for inspiration.
As long as I still have that hunger when I’m watching them win it, then I’ll keep grinding, keep going. And I think for me, I don’t know how much longer I’ve got left in the scene, and I’m just hoping I can do whatever I can with the boys that I have and win another one. And then we’ll see from there as well.
I just focus on game-by-game. But it would be really nice to win again because that would really show that I’m capable of doing it without mini, I’m capable of doing it without other players as well. And that would be a really big achievement for me.
By day, Lee is a self-taught esports journalist who has written for a number of publications covering some of esports’ biggest events. By night, Lee is a world record holder as the fastest player ever to be fired on Football Manager.
