Fnatic’s Hollywood script run through this year’s VALORANT Champions meant that their spot in the tournament’s grand final seemed inevitable. But NRG, a team on their own fairytale journey, had other ideas, swatting the EMEA side down to the lower bracket final in a 2-0 sweep. After the series, Hotspawn spoke to Fnatic’s Austin “crashies” Roberts for an interview.
Hotspawn: Let’s start with map two, which was the more one-sided of the losses.
Why do you think it played out the way it did?
Crashies: Honestly, I don’t know until we watch it back. I think they just came out pretty explosive. We made a pretty crucial mistake on one of the gun rounds, I forget which one, but it was so early in the half and especially in a game like Valorant, when you lose crucial rounds, snowballing happens with ultimates and all types of things.
And skuba was like 15/1 at one point. Like it just couldn’t be stopped. So I think it was just a lot of things, a lot of learnings that we can take out of that game and yeah, that’s it.
Hotspawn: The first map was a lot closer, but ultimately went NRG’s way in overtime.
Do more drawn-out defeats like that take the energy out a little bit? It must be gutting to lose maps that drag on in that way.
Crashies: Yeah, it definitely sucks to lose, especially when the game’s really close like that. You have to reset very fast and then go into your next map. But I think since we’re a team of veterans, it’s very easy for us to reset and that sort of thing. But yeah, it does suck, but at the end of the day you just have to reset.
Hotspawn: You’re still in the tournament, of course, against DRX tomorrow.
What’s the messaging for you guys now ahead of that matchup?
Crashies: I think we go back, just review what we did wrong today, talk about it. Like I said, we’re a team of veterans so it’s very easy for us to learn and discuss things without getting too heated.
I said it before, but we haven’t really lost in this tournament yet. Sure, we’ve been tested and came back, but you really learn when you lose. So I think going into tomorrow, the best-of-five, whoever we play, it’s going to be a good game. We’re going to be showing a way better Fnatic and yeah, I’m excited.
Hotspawn: You were playing against NRG for the first time after leaving, with a couple of your former teammates still on the roster.
How was that experience?
Crashies: It was definitely fun. [I] felt some anxiousness just because I know them, Sam (s0m) and Ethan especially. And then me and Sam have just been talking a lot this event. It was fun to play them and see him sitting across from the stage for me because I’ve never really seen that before; past teammates just playing. But yeah, it was fun. Fortunately for them, they won. Unfortunately, I lost. So props to them.
Hotspawn: When you joined Fnatic, it seemed like it was intended to be a stopgap for the team as they waited for Leo’s return. But since then, you’ve grown with them and formed these really strong bonds. That said, currently your contract is up at the end of this year.
How do you reflect on your time with Fnatic, especially if it does end up being just this experience in 2025?
Crashies: Honestly, I can’t stop to reflect about it now — we still have a mission to accomplish. But if I give it a short answer, looking back when I first joined this team, I think it was December: we played in Riot Games ONE as a show match. And it was just so crazy to me to fast-forward all the way here, potentially competing for grand finals.
And I’ve played a million grand finals in my career. I’ve lost so many. But this team is something special for me. We have such a special bond with every player, and it’s just so nice for me to play here.
Hotspawn: Thinking that this journey could end soon, does that make you want to go all the way even more? A way to cap off your time here in the best way possible?
Crashies: Yeah, definitely. I definitely agree with that. I think everyone on this team deserves the finals, especially a Champs one. Everyone here has won a tournament. I guess aside from kaajak — he’s won Ascension, but he doesn’t have a Masters.
But everyone, my teammates, they all have Masters trophies, and we’re all kind of missing that Champs trophy. So to win with this team, it would just be special.
Hotspawn: What would you say to the fans that will be supporting you tomorrow?
Crashies: Sorry, we lost today. Definitely not our best performance. But keep supporting us. You guys know how good we can be. And we play tomorrow. Fast turnaround. So keep supporting us.
