“I want to be a legend of the game”: M8 starxo on leadership, pressure, and proving himself

After Gentle Mates’ 2–0 victory over NAVI in VCT EMEA Kickoff, Hotspawn sat down with starxo, the team’s in-game leader, to discuss the win, his journey across every tier of VCT, stepping fully into the IGL role, and what Gentlem8tes’ passionate fanbase means to him.

Hotspawn: A nice win today, starxo.

How are you feeling?

Starxo: “I’m feeling good, to be honest. It was worth feeling because there was a lot of stress. Coming into the game from my side, I felt like it was a really important game to win to secure the grand finals, and also a big game because we’re playing a team that had won two games as well.

“But after we won it, I didn’t really feel anything. I felt like it was… I mean, it can sound rude, but I felt like it was too easy. I didn’t feel like it was the game for a championship, for grand finals. But I guess it’s just how it is. I think I’m really happy and excited.”

Hotspawn: I’m glad you brought up the grand finals because you are one of the first-ever Champions of this game. It’s been a bit of an up-and-down journey the last few years. You’ve played in every single tier — Joblife, KOI, Sentinels — basically everywhere.

What do you think is the biggest difference between all of them, and what’s the biggest similarity?

Starxo: “It’s a good question, to be honest. I didn’t really focus that much on this. I think a lot of it comes down to experience and decision-making, because the aim is really sharp everywhere. We have a lot of strong individuals in the game.

“In the end, what matters is who stays calm more, who has more experience to not panic in tough scenarios. I think I’m the guy who experienced a lot of things in many situations. I can be the reason, the game changer, in terms of calming things down and making us play clean.”

Hotspawn: Have you seen that meme where the IGL has all their players on a leash?

Do you feel that responsibility with younger talent?”

Starxo: “Sometimes, yes, but not necessarily on this team. I feel like everyone here has some kind of experience, and their profiles really match well together.

“In VCT, I sometimes feel like the old father, old uncle, or older brother. But it’s natural. We also have marteen and Minny, who are very calm and experienced. GLYPH and bipo just need to go play and shoot. They’re not stressing much, and I’m really happy it’s been like this so far.”

🕺 @starxo5 pic.twitter.com/SLQnSh24Ny

— VALORANT Esports EMEA (@vct_emea) January 29, 2026

Hotspawn: You played the same roster during Project Blender, where NAVI beat you.

What’s changed since then?

Starxo: “First of all, we couldn’t play our compositions because of agent restrictions. That was frustrating. But the biggest change is stress management.

“In the offseason, we were still learning each other, fixing things, and it was chaotic at moments. We focused a lot on staying calm no matter what, and the offseason was great for fixing those issues. So far, so good.”

Hotspawn: Your next opponent could be BBL or Vitality.

Any preference?

Starxo: “No, honestly, I don’t care. I’ve never been scared of anyone. Strong teams, weak teams, everyone can surprise you. If you underestimate someone, you can lose. We’ll give our best and hopefully win.”

Hotspawn: You went from winning the biggest tournament in Valorant to having to prove yourself again and again.

How has that been?

Starxo: “It’s been nice to win, but after that I made some bad decisions — team choices, environments, chasing money. I was young. I won Champs at 20 without experience or guidance.

“I learned from my mistakes. I learned what’s important to me. Hopefully I’m on the right path now. I want to prove I’m still that guy. I play for myself. I want to be a legend of the game. That’s always been my dream.”

Hotspawn: How has it been joining Gentle Mates, especially with such a massive fanbase?

Starxo: “I’ve been everywhere — fully supported and fully hated. Over time, it doesn’t matter. When you’re young, it’s hard to understand the hate, but you learn to accept it. Gentle Mates have been amazing. It’s the first time I’ve had fans in the arena cheering for us. I feel like I have one more person to fight for: the fans are like our sixth player.”

Hotspawn: How has becoming an IGL changed you?

Starxo: “At first, it was forced. I always wanted to just shoot heads. But you can be a star and an IGL at the same time. After Joblife, I felt confident continuing as IGL. Gentle Mates was the only offer I had. I’ll be forever grateful for them giving me a chance, Even though there was a lot of bad rumours about me, a lot of negativity spread around my name and the history, which thankfully they didn’t trust and they just put all on me. It’s very emotional for me.”