Despite failing to secure a single victory at the start of the new season, Brazilian in-game leader lux has not panicked. Luminosity was eliminated in last place at the Esports World Cup after consecutive losses to GamerLegion and Spirit; following a 0-3 defeat in the XSE Pro League, the team's winless streak has now extended to five matches.
In an interview with HLTV after this elimination match, lux admitted that it was not easy for him and his teammates to reach a consensus on their playstyle.
Since lux joined Luminosity, the team's ranking has dropped 10 places. He stated that the team will revert to the tournament strategy from their time at Monte, traveling to Europe to compete in several Tier 2 LAN events to earn VRS points and return to the Major qualification zone.
Q: lux, the team lost 0-2 and was eliminated from the tournament. You knew before the match that facing one of the best teams in the world would be a very tough series. What are your thoughts on this series, and are you satisfied with the team's performance on Dust2?
lux: I think what happened on the first map was the same as yesterday's match. We had some good opportunities, but unfortunately, we couldn't capitalize on them. We ended up losing a 3v1 clutch. In yesterday's match, we also missed a few trades, which threw off our coordination. We talked after the match to get everyone back on the same page. Dust2 was much better. I feel like we didn't give the opponents many chances on that map, so the credit really goes to them. We certainly still have room for improvement, like understanding the map better, but the team performed much better on Dust2, so at least it left us with a more positive impression of our own performance.
Q: What have been your main takeaways from your first month working with this team? You've lost all five matches so far. How do you assess this first month, and what has been the biggest positive?
lux: There were quite a few Bo1s, right? Since we're still familiarizing ourselves with our map pool, it's a bit tricky. Sometimes we only get to play a single map, so I think the team still lacks enough match experience to truly understand each other better. In terms of overall results, as I mentioned yesterday, I see the XSE Pro League more as a tournament I joined as a substitute rather than one that truly represents this team. Obviously, my overall evaluation is negative. Now is the time for us to come together, focus on a shared goal, and keep pushing forward. After all, we're a new roster and a club making a comeback to the competitive scene. We will continue to work hard, practice, and compete, and I expect we'll also take part in some smaller tournaments to help us climb the rankings, rebuild our confidence, and establish a solid team structure.
Q: Was it more difficult than you expected to get everyone to reach a consensus? What were the main challenges you encountered?
lux: I think some aspects were harder than expected, but others weren't. I originally thought communication would be more difficult, but it turned out not to be that hard. I think the hardest part was the playstyle. Sometimes I had very clear ideas about what to do, but they had different ideas. It's not about who's right or wrong; what's more important is getting everyone to truly reach a consensus. We come from different countries. Overall, I really enjoyed everything we built here. Being eliminated without a single win is certainly disappointing, but that's just how it is, and there's nothing we can do about it. You have to go through losses to learn, and that's part of the process; you just have to stay positive.
Q: Tell us how this team was formed. After you were benched by Legacy, what kind of project did Luminosity pitch to you when they reached out?
lux: The plan was to build a team. I would be the first piece of the puzzle, with the idea of building from scratch. We would start by competing in open LAN tournaments. Later, an opportunity arose to take over a core roster, and we knew acquiring this core would benefit our rankings. Taking over this core also made sense because the players were all excellent; we had previously considered signing them individually, especially since we anticipated costs like buyout fees. With this in mind, we decided to seize the opportunity. As I've said recently, I'm very satisfied with my decision and highly look forward to delivering better results for myself, the team, and the club. I truly believe this club deserves it.
Q: What is your first impression of your new teammate?
lux: They are really great, and they've also given me more confidence. I really enjoy the way we work together, and I love the team atmosphere. I feel we can have good, open communication, and we can also speak frankly to each other. This is also one of the reasons why I'm very confident about this project.
Q: With these losses, the team's ranking has been dropping. Will you participate in smaller LAN tournaments to earn points?
lux: Yes, that's definitely our plan: to return to the approach we took before the mid-year Major. We will participate in LAN tournaments across Europe, see which ones suit us best, and then solidify our position in the rankings. I think that's the main goal.
Q: Looking ahead to the rest of the season, what are your goals moving forward?
lux: I think the goal is to win our next match first (laughs). That's the first objective. Then, it's to secure tournament invitations. Obviously, we still have a very real chance to compete for a Major spot, and that's our overall goal. But right now, we're focused on the next tournament; we place a lot of emphasis on short-term goals, as well as on becoming a better team. So whatever tournaments come up next and whatever opportunities arise, we'll seize them.