"I am really happy that I waited" - KiiLSwitCh on sticking to CS:GO

Anshul "KiiLSwitCh" Adarkar, the IGL of Gods Reign, has been one of the most prominent names in the realm of Indian Counter-Strike. His journey from a 5-year-old who got captivated by a game his brother introduced him to, to proudly donning the Indian colors on international soil, has been nothing short of extraordinary. In a very insightful interview with Dust2 India, Anshul talks about his remarkable journey of how a child with an unwavering dream passed every challenge that came his way and transformed it into a resounding reality with the help of his family and friends.

What were the most significant challenges you faced while striving to become a professional player?

The major challenges were definitely, somewhere down the line, I had to convince my parents that I want to pursue gaming as a career. Because during my college days, it was all good. Because I used to balance everything. But after my college ended, they always wanted me to go abroad for my Masters. I had to sit down with my brother and my parents and tell them what I wanted to do. And my brother was really supportive because he knew the potential I had. And he was really acquainted with all the players in 1.6. I have played with them as well. And even they said that this guy has potential. So, I was very happy that people were noticing me. But then my brother was a very vital part in convincing my parents, and once I started playing ESL Masters, they saw me on Hotstar, they saw my face, they saw the analysts and casters take my name in the post-game analysis, they were happy. They didn’t understand the financial metrics of that back in the day, but when I started winning tournaments, when I started playing for teams, they understood that you can make decent money in esports. But they have always been concerned about the long run.

Was it difficult to find and bring together skilled players to create a team?

It was tough because when I was trying to get into LAN and stuff, let’s say from 2015 to 2018 I was grinding my way up. I tried my best to find the best players. But I was also learning the game and it was hard to get into teams who were in the top 10 back then. From 2015 to 2021, there used to be a lot of organizations as well in CS:GO. There were at least 5-6 organizations. So it was really hard to get in. You know those players were very old players who had come up from 1.6 and had shifted to CS:GO so they already had their team set. So initially it was very hard to find a good set of players to play with. But I feel like, you learn something new every day, right? So no matter who you play with, if it's a good player or bad player, you can always learn something new from them. Negative or positive, it doesn't matter. It's not like I know everything. It’s not like, for example, even s1mple doesn't know everything. Even he learns something new every day. But it was a good process because I learned what is making a team. I learned what is chemistry. I learned about people coming from different backgrounds and having different financial issues. People who can't play CS full-time, people who want to play CS full-time. So yeah, it was a good experience. But to answer your question, it wasn’t that hard. It was easy to find players, but it was really hard to find good players. Because all the good players wanted to get into really good teams and they didn't want to play with players who didn't have much experience.

What do you consider the pivotal moment or turning point in your career?

Sticking to the game was the changing point in my life. The decision of telling my parents that I really wanted to try and pursue this, I want to take a recap of one or two years and explore my options. My college ended in October of 2020 and Covid-19 was still going on. I knew for sure that I would miss the application dates. So, I told my parents that I don't want to work for an MNC. I am getting money here so I’d rather play CS. In 2020 itself I was making decent money so they were okay with it. They were still expecting me to go abroad for my education. But after that team, the 'Indian' thing happened (laughs). So yeah, the turning point was sticking to the game and not shifting to VALORANT. And trusting my guts. Because I always believed that CS would come back, it's an OG game, and everybody who has shifted to VALORANT, most of the good players have come from Counter-Strike. I knew that when the VALORANT bubble burst, which is happening right now, they will come back. And I am really happy that I waited. I am enjoying this moment right now.

How does the future of Indian CS look after Skyesports announced the Skyesports Masters?

Not only for Skyesports Masters, but the whole roadmap they put on Twitter. It's not only about the prize pool, it's about the opportunities. They are hosting the café qualifiers, it's such a great thing because they are not being partial to players who are playing well right now. Everyone is getting a chance. It's not like only the people who are signed with Organizations are getting a chance. It's not a completely franchised system. They have kept open slots for players who are coming up from the café qualifiers. I am not really sure but they have made some rules that orgs have to pick up players from the Café qualifiers. It’s amazing. Even if they don't get to play matches, they get to learn so much. LAN tournaments haven't been happening in India for so many years. They will get a good opportunity of experiencing LAN for that matter. They will get so many opportunities. The exposure will be great They can build up their social media when they sign orgs. They can start streaming. They can do so many things. Especially people who are young, they can do a lot of things right now. They have so many resources to work with. Irrespective of if they are in the active lineup.

How does the upcoming release of CS2 impact the gaming scene in India? Have you had the chance to try the game yourself?

No, I haven’t actually. I don't have the beta access, yet (laughs). But I feel like it will be amazing. CS:GO just peaked, as the most-played game on Steam. So I feel like, CS2 will be something even bigger. I feel like there will be more tournaments coming up, with a lot of organizations investing in CS2. And I feel like, they just need to work out the structure for the tournaments. I don’t want them to make the same mistakes they did with the franchised system in VALORANT. So I feel like any TO, should make a good infrastructure, that helps the orgs as well. And which interests players who stick to the game in the long term. I feel like they should make a system that lasts like 5 to six years. In India, the main problem is that people don’t stick together for a long time. If you lose, like a tournament or two, they are like - 'Change this player, Change that player', I don’t think teams work out that way. We have seen tier-3 teams making it to the quarter-finals of a Major by sticking together. So sticking together, grinding, and being patient is really important. Results don’t come immediately. I also feel like, the orgs should also support their players. They shouldn’t be hesitant to invest in the game. They shouldn't be hesitant about the results. So even if, let’s say a team ranks 5 or 6 in Skyesports Masters, they shouldn’t disband or something. They should maybe change their approach. Maybe they should get a better coach. Maybe they should get a better analyst. You have already accomplished something if you have come top 6. You are already on the right path.

What advice would you give to young individuals in India who aspire to become professional esports players?

I would say that try and be patient, first of all. Try to balance life. I am not saying directly go to your parents and tell them that I want to become an esports player. Don’t just sit in front of the PC every day, balance life. Go out, socialise, and work out as well. I think it’s very important. People who are new to the gaming industry, who are attracted to CS:GO or any other game, generally want things quickly. Things don’t happen quickly. You have to be patient. You have to grind your way up. Try to play with better players. Even if you have to play FACEIT or other platforms. Try to find players of the same caliber. Try to play in tournaments. It’s okay if you lose. Everyone loses in the beginning. But that’s the process of winning, right? You lose first and then you win. Try to make new connections as well. Try to ask players, how did they grow their way up and stuff. I would love to help anybody. I have helped people who have come up to me about PC setup and how to become better. I don’t have any ego, because I know how much it means to them. It was very hard for me to get in touch with players who played in the best teams in India. So I know how awkward and how hard it is to get in touch with them. So I’d say, don’t be hesitant, don’t be scared to walk up to anybody you idolize or you want to talk to, get to know what goes on in their mind, and learn from that.