SVIFT NA came into Rewind II as favorites, qualifying for the event in 2nd Place after beating Velocity eSports 2-0 in the Rewind II Closed Qualifier. Going straight into the Main Event, SVIFT NA proceeded to the Upper Bracket, after swift victories over King’s Crew and Velocity eSports, and a hard-handed loss to froyotech.
In the Upper Bracket, SVIFT NA faced off against the European titans of Se7en. SVIFT NA were able to take the first map of Sunshine into golden cap, but ultimately lost the map 3-2. Going into the second map, Badlands, Se7en took the early lead with a quick round win, followed up by a slower round win by Se7en. Down 0-2, SVIFT NA retaliated with a quick round win for themselves, but were unable to tie the game up, knocking them down to the lower bracket with a 2-0 series loss to Se7en.
In the Lower Round of 6, SVIFT NA met their fowl rivals black swan, whom they swiftly dealt with 2-0. But in the Lower Round of 4 laid SVIFT NA’s closest rival: Ascent. Process, the first map of the series, ran into golden cap, where SVIFT NA closed the first map out 3-2. Both teams stayed neck-and-neck in the second map, with Process going once again into golden cap and Ascent being barely able to pull through overtime and tie the series up 1-1. On the third map, SVIFT NA’s luck had run out and Ascent displayed their dominance, winning Snakewater 5-0 and sending SVIFT NA home in 4th Place.
SVIFT NA exited Rewind II with a fourth-place finish, but aim thinks they could’ve done better (picture by Ness "uberchain" Delacroix and Jasmine "Jasbutts" Ho)
With nearly one month passing since the international tournament ended in Santa Ana, we reached out to SVIFT NA’s Pocket Soldier, aim, to get his thoughts on his team’s performance at Rewind II, his team’s performance online, and his team as a whole.
How do you feel about your team's performance overall at Rewind II?
I think we played alright. We definitely could have played better. Or I could have at least.
What were your thoughts on the Rewind II event as a whole?
The event was great. Shouts out to production and the sponsors who got it all to happen. Really enjoyed the documentary!
How was it to attend your first international LAN?
It was pretty fun to meet the Europeans. Never really get to talk to them outside of some streams.
What was the goal for yourself at Rewind II?
For myself, it would probably be to have fun and get to meet some of the players I've played with for so long. Playing-wise... was to try to make it to grand finals, but that fell flat.
What was the goal for your team?
Try to make it as far as we could, we had a weaker roster and we were content with our placing.
Do you think your team reached that goal?
I like to hold my team to a high standard, so I don't think we did. Everyone else said we did fine so that's reassuring... I guess.
In ESEA Week 3, SVIFT NA lost to Velocity on Snakewater 4-3. In the Rewind II Closed Qualifer, SVIFT NA beat them in a brisk 2-0. Were you still confident going up against them in the Group Stage?
Yea, we were super confident playing against them. Our Snakewater game, in my opinion was a failure on assigning roles and felt more like a pug team rather than an actual team.
In the Upper Round of 6 in the playoffs, your team faced off against Se7en, with Se7en winning 2-0 by only one point. What was your team's mindset going into that series?
I believe we were timid in the first few minutes, but we got our footing, it was just failure to close out the game in regulation time.
In the Lower Round of 4, you faced off against Ascent. Ascent and SVIFT NA have had somewhat of a rivalry after (the then) SVIFT NA undercut Ascent's Grand Final appearance in Season 26. Was your team confident going up against Ascent?
We were feeling ourselves pretty well versus Ascent, since we are so used to play against them. Feel like it was just a choke situation on map 2 that just iced us for the rest of the series.
Moving over to your team, how do you feel about the current roster and their performance so far?
I enjoy playing the style of TF2 we play, there's still quirks and wrinkles we need to iron out. I am happy that laz is getting recognition that he deserved almost a year ago when I first played with him.
Botmode was mostly known, for the majority of his TF2 career, as a soldier main. How has he performed playing as a scout for SVIFT NA?
I think he's playin' scout great. Could die less but we're still winning. =P
How was it to see yight for the first time?
He looked pretty much like I envisioned him. Only thing that was terrible was that there is no local mute button in real life, so he would be memeing from sun up to sun down.
Speaking of yight, how has him on Demoman been faring for your team?
It could be better, but we don't want to make the game too easy for us…
So far, your team is 9-3 in the ESEA Invite standings. How do you feel about your team's performance online?
We are getting better and better as the season goes on. I had a stink as of late due to my mind worrying about midterms, but now that those are out the way I am back to having a focus on TF2.
Is your team confident going up against Ascent again in Week 8 of ESEA?
Yea, we're just trying to get through this Metalworks week, which is mostly my fault in my opinion, but we're feeling real good.
How has it been trying to balance TF2 and studies?
Studies come first, but if I wait too long before actually doing an assignment, it can actually fuck up my mental state and make me play worse.
In Season 25, you played for Gnomercy. In Season 26, you played for Faint Gaming, which eventually turned into woodpig quantum, which some considered to be the spiritual successor to Gnomercy. Now in Season 27, you play for SVIFT NA, which bears a heavy resembelence to woodpig quantum and Gnomercy. How different are these three rosters in your opinion?
I feel like they are extremely different every season. Season 25 was more of a "just for fun" that turned into "let's at least try to be serious". Season 26 was like a "let's try to save this roster" type of team, which we tried to save it going 4-2 when I joined, only losing to Ascent and Froyotech. It just was not in the heart of the cards for that team to make playoffs. Season 27 is a fresh start, kinda wanted to play for fun, but with people wanting to go to LAN I had to re-initiate my drive for the game.
Do you see yourself as an up-and-coming player?
No, I have been playing for a while. I guess you could say that my flame got reignited from Season 21. I was a person who was content with making playoffs or joining teams that were willing to cut other players mid-season.