In the vast world of mobile gaming, PUBG Mobile is one of the few titles to have secured one of the top spots in the global esports scene. Even if the game is banned in many countries, its popularity knows no bounds.
Kauan “Federal” Goncalves, a Brazilian PUBG Mobile player, recently won the Snapdragon Conquest Masters Series and has also won the PUBG Mobile Pro League Americas three times (season 1, 2, and 5). Speaking to Debolina Banerjee of Sportskeeda Esports, Federal spoke about his journey into the world of gaming, his experience as an esports player and more.
Federal’s Journey in the Competitive World of PUBG Mobile
Q. Why did you choose gaming as a career? When did you first realize you have the potential to become a professional player?
federal: I was very passionate about sports and played football in my spare time. I later moved to Barretos in 2016, where I started to play games because I initially didn’t have a group of friends to play outdoor games with to pass the time. However, online games came to the rescue and became an important part of my daily routine.
In 2017 I learned about the rules and regulations of survival games and after that I gained more knowledge about these games by watching videos on YouTube. Slowly my interest started to build up and I realized that choosing gaming as a professional career could be a good option to choose in the future.
In early 2018 I got my very first iPad and then I started to consider professional gaming as one of the career options. Later, after developing more skills and considering the growth of the industry, I started my journey as a professional gamer.
Q. Tell us more about the esports scene in Brazil. Aside from PUBG Mobile, what other games have a thriving gaming scenario in your country?
federal: Brazil is considered one of the largest markets in the Latin American (LATAM) region and is home to some of the most die-hard esports fans in the world. There are many reasons behind the increasing popularity of esports such as the accessibility of smartphones as the mobile games market outpaces the PC and console markets.
More and more Gen Z and millennial players are watching and interested in esports. Gaming here is also an escape from poverty, resulting in a thriving ecosystem that is increasingly attractive to teams and sponsors alike. From now on, I follow PUBG Mobile and CS:GO esports.
Q. You have won PUBG Mobile Pro League Americas three times. If you had to pick one highlight from these tournaments, what would it be and why?
federal: If I had to pick one, I would definitely pick PUBG Mobile Pro League – Americas Championship Season 5 because we really wanted to win the league to showcase our caliber and gaming skills to the US gaming community.
Q. When a professional tournament approaches, how much time do you spend playing the game? What are your weapons of choice when it comes to PUBG Mobile?
federal: When a professional tournament approaches, I prefer to go with the flow. Right now I’m not training and I’m just warming up a bit for the PUBG Mobile tournament. Sometimes I just open PUBG Mobile to play the championship and focus more on that instead of investing time and effort in training for that.
I choose the M416 for medium to long range combat and the AKM for close range combat. These are my favorite picks when it comes to PUBG Mobile.
Q. You’ve been on teams like Loops and Rise Esports before. What are a few takeaways from your previous rosters?
federal: Being part of teams like Loops on my professional gaming journey has been a mixed experience. But in the end I also learned a lot from it and improved my playing skills. Without a doubt, it was certainly regarded as one of the best teams to ever exist in the esports community.
Q. You are currently playing for Influence Chemin Esports. How was your experience on your current roster so far? What is the one aspect you like the most?
federal: My experience with Chemin Esports has been great so far. I consider it one of the best experiences possible because there is a lot to learn, which helps me hone my current skills. I believe we are at the best stage today and there is still a long way to go. There is a lot of potential to tap and explore within both the team and the industry. We hope to do our best to seize every possible opportunity in the esports industry on a global level and make the most of it.
Q. In the current scenario, do you have a specific PUBG Mobile player/team that you look up to? Why?
federal: Right now, there’s no one on my ideal list to look up to. I believe in learning and always take things from my team’s players after seeing them perform in PUBG Mobile tournaments. It’s all about dedication, teamwork and team spirit.
Q. Many amateur gamers want to play PUBG Mobile professionally. What is your advice to them as a professional player?
federal: In my opinion it all depends on the player how much he or she is committed to the game. There are certainly many factors such as investments, financial conditions, etc. that play an important role, but players must know their talent and be confident in their skills.
I want to say to every player: “Do the best with what you have”. If you can’t get sponsorship from any of the teams, just go with the flow. Save some money and buy a good phone to play with and do your best until the right moment comes.
Q. You recently reached 100,000 subscribers on your YouTube channel. How did you celebrate your milestone achievement? How do you plan to expand your channel?
federal: I am very happy. It is a small milestone that has been reached, but there is still a long way to go. I am so overwhelmed after receiving so much love, support and trust from my fans who help me always do better.
There isn’t much to celebrate right now, but in the future I plan to bring new content to my YouTube channel for my subscribers. I will come up with more exciting esports content, live videos, other games and much more.
Q. What is your message to the fans who have supported you on your journey thus far?
federal: I really want to thank all my supporters who believe in me, accompany me and cheer for me during every PUBG Mobile tournament. I am very grateful for the support of my friends and family, because without their support and trust none of this would have been possible.
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