“I feel like a rookie again” – PCF cNed on mentality, meta changes, and what comes next after VCT EMEA Kickoff elimination

After PCIFIC’s elimination from VCT EMEA Kickoff following their loss to ULF, Hotspawn spoke with Mehmet “cNed” Yağız İpek about the team’s early exit, adapting to the current meta, roster chemistry, and maintaining perspective through highs and lows in professional Valorant.

Hotspawn: It’s been a bit of a rough tournament for you guys, but I think there were a couple of games that we saw, where, despite it being an early exit, there is a lot of promise shown by this team.

What do you think are the biggest problems that you need to work on before you head into Stage 1?

CNed: “I think what we need to work on is that we didn’t have too much time to prepare everything for the maps. I think we were focusing too much on micro rather than macro.

“I feel like maybe we need to focus more on macro. I think we need to work on it. Of course, playing at home during practice and scrims, everything is good. But when it’s official, I think we’re sometimes missing these things. So yeah, basically I think that’s it.”

Hotspawn: I think that in a couple of rounds we did see that even when you guys had an advantage, you weren’t able to convert it sometimes.

So what do you think the biggest cause of that is?

CNed: “When we have an advantage and we can’t finish the round… to be honest, I don’t know right now. It’s hard to say something without rewatching it. But I think it’s probably micro issues, like I mentioned before. We miss some micro things when we are playing officials. We’re less aware of it sometimes.”

Following the loss against ULF, @PCIFICespor are eliminated from #VCTEMEA Kickoff. pic.twitter.com/Rhl1O0PmfA

— VALORANT Esports EMEA (@vct_emea) February 3, 2026

Hotspawn: How do you feel about your individual performance so far?

CNed: “I’m not happy with it. It should be better. I feel like a rookie again because I took almost a year break and came back into a completely different meta. But learning never stops. I know I’ll be better. I’ve been through bad starts before and managed to come back.”

Hotspawn: How do you stay so positive, and what advice would you give other players?

CNed: “I’ve been playing Valorant professionally for almost six years. It’s a process. Bad times and good times will happen.

“I won Champions, then couldn’t qualify for internationals. I changed teams, played in different languages, took a break. Everything changes. You learn to never give up. If it doesn’t happen, it doesn’t happen. You shape your own life. That’s it for me.”

Hotspawn: You have people from many different countries on this team, and the roster came together fairly recently.

How has that been?

CNed: “I was the last player who came to the team. I think the leader and Qpert built the roster. I didn’t ask him directly, but I assume that’s how it went.

“We are a really energetic and fun team. We enjoy being together. We have good vision in the game, and we understand each other well, both in and outside the game. It’s hard to find a team like this, especially when everyone comes from different cultures.”

Hotspawn: How does it feel having Qpert on the team with his strategic background?

CNed: “He’s a good IGL. He’s young and needs to improve, but mechanically he’s good. Before joining, I wasn’t expecting him to be as good as he is now. He’s hardworking and has good ideas and vision for the game.”

Hotspawn: How do you feel about playing Waylay, especially coming from Jett and Chamber?

CNed: “Right now it’s more like half duelist, half initiator. I’m trying to adapt. You can’t just dash anymore. The meta is more about slowing players, creating space, and letting teammates follow up. We’re trying to find the best way to work around this, and I’m getting used to it.”

Hotspawn: What do you think about the current meta overall?

CNed: “Even if you don’t like the meta, you have to adapt. For me, double duelist or flex duelist-initiator setups are favorable on most maps. We’re trying new things. Of course, losing at Kickoff sucks, but there’s nothing else to do but improve.”

Hotspawn: Which teams in EMEA look strongest right now?

CNed: “BBL is very good, both individually and as a team. Gentle Mates also look strong.

Hotspawn: You’ve been playing Valorant for many years now.

What’s the biggest difference you see in the game compared to earlier years?

CNed: “Of course, the game is evolving with new agents and new maps. There are always new tactics you can do. Right now, for me, it’s more about micro things. Before, it was more individual. Now it’s more team-wise. You need to prepare things very well, and as a team you need to be on the same page.”

Hotspawn: What does a typical day look like for you?

CNed: “We wake up around 11 at the latest. Sometimes we go for team walks. I usually go to the gym in the morning. Then we do theory or VOD review, take a break, eat, and then scrim for four or five hours. After that, we have a team talk and everyone does their own thing: gym, table tennis, or ranked.”