Chuan's career in professional DotA began when he joined Malaysian amateur team 8mski. His major break came when he was recognized and invited to join Kingsurf, a SEA powerhouse featuring the likes of Ice and Yamateh. His first brush with Chinese teams came during Kingsurf’s loss to FTD (led by 2009) at SMM ‘09, and FTD subsequently went on to defeat Zhou’s cD in the Grand Finals.
His first stint in China was with teams ToT and Deity, and it was only after returning to Malaysia to join Nirvana.my was Chuan invited to join LGD.cn to replace Sharingan. Since then, he has led his teams, LGD and iG, to over seven championship titles from 2011 to 2013 along with a multitude of silver and bronze finishes in both DotA and Dota 2. Chuan has maintained his position at the pinnacle of Chinese Dota, and now, with his current team iG, looks to dominate the international Dota 2 scene for the rest of 2013. Catch the defending champions of The International as they prepare for the playoffs of the G-1 Champions League.
Alias: Chuan
Date of birth: July 28
Hometown:
Kuala Lumpur, MalaysiaCountry of Origin:
MalaysiaRole: Support
Previous Teams: LGD, Nirvana.my
Major Achievements:
SMM Grand National DotA Tournament (2011)
The International (2012)
Hi Chuan! How are you doing?
Hello, I’m doing good. I’ve been playing Dota 2 for 20 hours a day!
Besides Dota 2, is there anything interesting going on in your life lately?
Sometimes, I will play Counter Strike: Global Offensive when I feel bored from playing Dota 2. I also play basketball sometimes.
Right! Anyway, needless to say, we’re incredibly honored to have you with us today. To most of our readers, you’re wild, passionate and at times, goofy. What is something that would shock or interest our readers to know about you?
Actually, in real life, I don’t like talking to people. I don’t know why, but when I’m gaming, I like to talk a lot. Oh, and I like to make people laugh too. *laughs*
Yes, your streams are very entertaining. You’re actually one of the first few Chinese players to stream on an English platform. So why did you decide to stream on Twitch?
I enjoy people watching me play and it can also give me more income *grins*.
Why not on a Chinese platform?
That’s because YYF already streams there so I chose a English platform. A friend introduced me to Twitch and then I would sometimes watch some European players stream on Twitch too.
Ah, who do you watch?
Dendi and Merlini. I really envy their internet connection – it’s so suitable for streaming on Twitch! *laughs* The internet connection at our iG training house is not very stable unlike Dendi’s or Merlini’s. People watching my stream will experience lag and I cannot stream very successfully.
That’s unfortunate! I watch your stream too and I know you interact with chat a lot (plus who can resist those awesome sound effects). However, one thing some streamers - like Draskyl - do is host inhouses and play with Twitch followers. Let’s say this interview is released and you get 1,000 more followers – make your fans a promise should that happen.
Yea, I will host some inhouses with my viewers after I finish my tournament [G-1 Champions League] - I promise! *grins*
We’ll hold you to that . Anyway, sometimes on your stream I’ll see Zhou in the background just chilling and watching movies. What movies have you seen lately? Any kind that you enjoy in particular?
Ah, I’ll watch some movies that my friends or teammates find good. I like watching funny movies by Stephen Chow and Jackie Chan.
Nice. So what’s your favorite? I watch all their movies!
Chuan stars in his own video about his early beginnings as a Dota player
This video is really accurate except the doll and the girlfriend – those are fake! *laughs*
Okok, I won’t press you for a title then. You’ve been in a movie yourself (kinda), haven’t you? I’m, of course, referring to the cinematic masterpiece “Chuan: This is my story”. Believe me when I say I cried a little at the end. How did you end up agreeing to shoot that video?
It was iG’s arrangement for me to shoot that video. I also thought it would be good for me so I agreed to shoot it.
Good for you’ meaning?
It will make me more famous and also act as a ‘souvenir’.
Let’s be honest then – how accurate is it?
It’s really accurate except the doll and the girlfriend – those are fake! *laughs*
Oh really? Who would have guessed..
Yea, I was a basketball player before I played Dota, and I only stopped because of an injury.
Where did you grow up as a kid?
I grew up at Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
And your parents? What did they work as?
Well, I was raised in a single parent family, and my mum was a tailor.
I see. Was your mum strict with you as a kid or did she allow you to do anything you want?
She was often too busy making a living to raise me, but she always made sure I understood what I should and should not do.
Where did computer games stand then – in the ‘should’ or ‘should not do’ group?
She actually didn’t allow me to play computer games that much as a kid so I played basketball every day. But after my injury, I was resting at home for like a month and I only started playing computer games because it was too boring at home. My mum allowed me to play the computer then. *laughs*
What games did you play besides Dota?
Counter Strike and Starcraft 2.
Quick question – what is your fondest memory from your childhood? I have no childhood! *laughs* My whole life, up till I was eighteen years old, was spent only playing basketball.
Aww. Alright, let’s fast forward this interview ten years to the present. Your achievements now include SMM 2011, The International and G-League Season 2. Despite your international fame, what are the simple things in life that you enjoy?
The life that I enjoy is being able to do what I want to do, as well as make money for my mum.
That’s very sweet. Say I flip this question around – if I gave you 10,000 RMB (~$1,600) on the condition that you must spend it all in one day, what would you do?
I would go shopping! I’ll buy something for myself and my mum.
Give us some examples!
Hmm, I’ll buy some clothes and jewelry for my mum if I must spend it all in one day.
And nothing for youself? What a nice guy.
Yeah, that’s because my mum would always buy things for me as a kid. *laughs*”
I understand that Ferrari and Zhou are both in relationships. Is there anyone special in your life right now?
Yes, there is a girl in my life right now.
...Check out: IMAGE
iG, LGD.cn, Orange and Zenith will advance to the offline finals of G-1 Champions League.How is she? Did you pick her up with a line like “Hey baby, I just won a million dollars. Go out with me tonight?”
She is cute and sweet, and I think she’s just too good for me. And I don’t need to! *laughs* She knows everything about me.
Oh, you’re too modest. Anyway, since this is a G-1 interview, I’d like to ask about the groups. Predict the four teams that will advance to the offline playoffs from Asia.
They’ll be iG, LGD.cn, Orange and Zenith.
Which team in the world would win iG in a best-of-five series right now? Don’t say ‘every team has the chance to beat us’ please..
I think it’s very hard for any team to beat us if we play well. I mean, there’s definitely a team that can beat us, but right now, I don’t know who they are.
So you’re saying no team in your mind right now can beat iG if you guys play well?
Yup, we can only lose to ourselves." [Interviewer: He’s probably saying ‘If we lose, it’ll be because we played badly.’]
I’m not sure if you heard, but Na`Vi is going to China for a bootcamp. Do you think it will be beneficial for them at The International this year?
Well, I don’t think it’s good for them, because they will have to rely on the element of surprise to beat us.
Also – did you accept food from Dendi at The International last year?
Yea, I accepted food from him before the Winner Bracket final, so when it came time to play in the Grand Finals, I made sure to stay far away from him. *laughs*
What are you going to do if he offers you food again in China?
I’ll feed him spicy food – I remember that he can’t take spicy food!
Wow, how did you find out Dendi’s weakness?
We were talking on Steam a few days ago only, and he told me, ‘No spicy food’!
That’s interesting! I’m almost done with interview actually, but let’s do some quickfire questions. I’ll ask you a series of questions and you answer them with one sentence or less. Here we go.
1. Your biggest turn-on about Dota 2
It’s fun and exciting!
2. Your biggest turn-off about Dota 2:
Pausing in games and games with leavers.
3. The most tryhard player/stack in South East Asian servers:
*laughs* Players try hard because I’m their opponent. (Who?) Everyone! *laughs* Especially when they see my nick in game.
4. Your favorite curse word/insult in pubs:
Joker.
5. A hero YYF is a complete noob at:
Enigma.
6. An unusual habit that Faith has:
Grinding his teeth when he’s sleeping.
7. A topic Ferrari loves to complain about:
Me 15 minutes never update item already.” (What do you mean?) Well, he’ll get a Black King Bar in 10 minutes, and then 25 minutes later, he still has the same item – one Black King Bar. Then he will complain..”
8. Something Zhou cannot live without:
His wife. [Interviewer: Zhou’s girlfriend]
9. Treant Protector – Love it or hate it?
No comment about Treant Protector.
10. On a scale of 1-10, how much did you enjoy posing at the G-League finals?
ZERO.
11. The next popular carry hero (it must be a hero that isn’t picked now):
Slark.
12. Hardest lesson you had to learn about professional gaming:
Getting the right mentality.
13. A profession you would have liked to attempt apart from professional gaming:
NBA PLAYER.
14. Something everyone should try if they come to Malaysia:
Our restaurants and cafés. Oh wait, the food and environment. (What kind of food?) Chinese food at Chinese restaurants and Malay food.
15. A country you have always wanted to visit/would like to visit again
US and France.
16. One question you would ask God if you got the chance to talk to him:
Will you return me my good physique?
17. What you think God’s answer will be:
Yes I will, when you meet me in heaven.
18. Will Wisp ever enter China? Yes or no?
*laughs* No.
19. Would you rather only be able to whisper or only be able to shout? Only able to whisper. 20. Would you rather play 100 Phantom Lancer or 100 Anti-Mage pub games in a row?
KILL ME PLEASE!
21.Would you rather have done something really bad (like murder) and have no one know about it, or not do it at all, but have everyone think you did it?
No. *laughs*” (Nice try. You gotta choose one!) “I would be the killer in private.
22. Would you rather go ten years into the future or ten years into the past?
Go ten years into the future!
That was fun! Thank you so much for taking the time out to do this interview. How can fans support you if they want to?
You’re welcome! Watch our tournament matches, and also watch my stream!
Any more shoutouts?
SHOUTOUT TO JERALYNN LEE WAN YEE YOU ARE THE BEST!
Invictus Gaming and Chuan in social media
