The PUBG Mobile Global Championship 2022 (PMGC 2022) Grand Finals, that took place in Jakarta a few weeks ago, were nothing short of thriller. But while viewers were blown away by the amazing talents of the underdogs’, Indonesia, the host country for PMGC 2022, was shocked as there was only one team left to represent the country: Alter Ego Limax.
This was obviously surprising, given that Indonesia’s competitive scene in Southeast Asia remains one to be reckoned with. But their struggle ran aground as two Indonesia’s giants – Evos Reborn and Bigetron Red Aliens – were eliminated in the qualifiers of PMGC 2022 Grand Finals in November 2022.
And as the result stood, Alter Ego Limax was the lone Indonesian team that secured a ticket to the grand finals, thanks to their fantastic runs throughout the PUBG Mobile Pro League (PMPL) Indonesia series.
Asked about his preparation for his big international debut, Sharfan “Potato” Shodiq, the captain of Alter Ego Limax, admitted that he had no special preparation or training ahead of PMGC 2022 Grand Finals.
“To be honest, we had no specific training in preparation for the PMGC Grand Finals. We simply analysed our gameplay videos, and other big teams that would be playing there as well,” Potato said.
Speaking to Ulti Asia, he revealed how nervous he was, few days leading to his first PMGC Grand Finals experience. But rather than dwelt on what might go wrong, he chose to concentrate on his own teamplay and tactics.
“When you take a look at our opponents, you’ll see that there are, indeed, some heavyweights among them. Then again, PMGC is an international tournament and I believe that all of the teams here should be observed, since those who proceed to the grand finals are the best representations of their respective countries.”
In the end, Alter Ego Limax seemed to play relaxed throughout the grand finals which took place from 8 to 10 January. Even though Potato and his teammates regained their rhythm and collected two WWCD on the match day two, their attempts to turn the tide were insufficient. They departed with $40,000 as the fourteenth-place team in the grand finals standings.
Potato then admitted that his team was still lacking in terms of mechanics and experience. He also cited the stunning performances of teams from Brazil and Turkey as inspiration to up their game ahead of upcoming season.
He did, however, remark that he was not overly unhappy regarding his team’s debut in the global competition. He believed that his first taste of international competition was a valuable experience, especially given the limited amount of time they had to prepare for it.
“We did not expect ourselves to be the best team in that tournament. It’s our first time playing against worldwide names at PMGC without any special preparation, and that was amazing. We learned our lesson and will grow for next season.”
It appears that Potato is well aware of what awaits him in the upcoming PMPL Indonesia, which will start in March 2023. With the January transfer market already underway, it appears as though Indonesian teams are getting more active in their pursuit of elite players, compared to the previous season.
And speaking of the transfer market, Potato and his Alter Ego Limax fellow are expected to be one of the highlights this month. Yesterday, Alter Ego Limax players have officially left the team and are available for free transfers. With transfer deadlines approaching, it will be interesting to see where they will play next season.
