TL wayne: “Hopefully we win for MiniBoo” – VCT EMEA Kickoff Interview

Team Liquid kept their VCT EMEA Kickoff run alive with a hard-fought win over GIANTX, pushing the series all the way to map three overtime. After the match, Hotspawn spoke with Team Liquid’s Wayne “wayne” Chang about the emotional victory, his journey from the SEA region to EMEA, adapting to a new playstyle, and what still lies ahead in the lower bracket.

Hotspawn: That was a very exciting game, going all the way to map three overtime.

So firstly, wayne, how are you feeling after that win?”

Wayne: “I’m so relieved. The game was tough, and we expected it to be a tough game. Winning this game, I just had a sigh of relief after the game ended. I’m quite happy with the performance today.”

Hotspawn: How did you keep your mental during such a back-and-forth series?

Wayne: “I don’t do anything specific. I don’t get affected easily by losing a map. I know our team’s potential. With the two losses we had, we didn’t really lose to the enemy — we lost to ourselves. We made some changes, and now we’re just playing our game.”

Hotspawn: What needs to change to beat Team Heretics next?

Wayne: “Listening to each other more, trusting each other, and playing together. Basic fundamentals.”

Hotspawn: I know that you’ve played in Ascension before, in Pacific twice, and you’ve been a mainstay of the SEA Valorant scene for a while. So tell us a little bit about yourself.

How did you get into esports? Was it always your dream?

Wayne: “I think at the start, it wasn’t really a dream of mine. I had a childhood friend who introduced me to games in general, and that’s when I started playing games. At the start, I was just playing for fun. I didn’t think I had any potential in whatever game.

“My first game was Rainbow Six. I started putting a lot of hours into that game, and after that I saw the potential I had in playing games in general. When Valorant came out, it was really hyped at the beginning, so I played Valorant and grinded. Not really the top, but one of the top few in Singapore. I started playing Challengers with a group of friends, and then teams started scouting me. It just went up from there.”

Hotspawn: Tell us a little bit about your move to EMEA.

How did that happen?

Wayne: “I received a text saying that LohaN wanted to get on a call with me. At the start, I didn’t believe it. I didn’t believe it until it actually happened. When I had the call with him, he was just getting to know me as a person. Literally a month later, I was in a boot camp with nAts and everyone else. Everything just happened so quickly. The process was really smooth, and the transition to another region was very smooth for me.”

Hotspawn: Were you a Team Liquid fan before joining?

Wayne: “I wouldn’t say I was a Liquid fan, but they were qualifying for a lot of internationals, so I watched them. NAts is the star and the GOAT of the team. When I found out I was going to play with him, it was a shock, but it’s an honor. He’s a role model to me.”

Vintage @nAts__ss pic.twitter.com/wxKzbdWlQr

— VALORANT Esports EMEA (@vct_emea) February 6, 2026

Hotspawn: How does playing in EMEA compare to playing in SEA?

Wayne: “The level is completely different. I didn’t play Tier 1 in APAC; I was in Tier 2. The competition is way harder here. The skill ceiling is really high, and there are a lot of great teams. It was a bit hard at the start, but now I’m used to it. We’re finding our footing, especially with our team identity.”

Hotspawn: How has the move from Singapore to Berlin been?

Wayne: “It’s pretty cold. I’ve gotten used to the weather, but I miss home food a lot. The food here doesn’t suit my taste. I’ve tried ordering Asian food, but it doesn’t taste the same. I just have to adapt.”

Hotspawn: How did your family react when you told them you were moving to Berlin to play esports?

Wayne: “At first they thought it was a scam. It sounded too good to be true. After the boot camp, they realized it was really happening.”

Hotspawn: What’s your biggest career goal?

Wayne: “Winning internationals. Champs is the obvious one, but even winning a Masters would be huge for me.”