Ever since their victory in the finals of The International 2012, Invictus Gaming has consistently excelled in the Chinese Dota 2 scene. With such strong teams as DK Gaming, LGD, Vici and others, staying at the top of the pack is no small feat. We had opportunity to talk with YYF and Ferrari_430, the two longest standing members on the roster, before they head to Frankfurt for the ESL One finals. 

ESL: You two are the longest standing members of iG and have been a dominant force in Dota for years now. What’s it like being on such a solid team for so long? What keeps you motivated to keep training and competing year after year?
YYF: The main reasons are to fulfill a dream and for the honor and glory. Otherwise, it provides a source of income
Ferrari_430: The love of the game, and the high amount of prize money in the scene itself.

Source: iG Facebook page

ESL: Earlier this year, Chuan returned to the team and Luo joined your squad as well. Then, suddenly the results in major tournaments went back to your TI year in 2012. What did those two bring to the team?
iG: The team had a larger variety of roles, where Chuan is an aggressive support while Luo has well-thought-out plans, which increases the choices of strategies available for the team to use.

ESL: How have the roster changes impacted your training? How has the atmosphere and coordination inside the team changed? 
iG: The atmosphere around the entire team has been quite good, although the upcoming International event had everyone holding their breath. It is all for the objective of achieving the best results at The International.

ESL: What is the most impressive thing you have seen at a Dota tournament since becoming a professional player? 
iG: What left us with the deepest impressions was winning the championship at the second International as it gave us affirmation in our decisions to pursue careers as professional gamers as well as giving us honors that we are proud of.

ESL: You beat Vici Gaming 2-0 during the ESL One China qualifiers, and then again at the ECL 2014 just last week. Do you think they’re preparing anything special in case they face you at ESL One Frankfurt?
iG: We are quite sure that VG is well prepared against us this time round, especially with strategies aimed specifically against us.

ESL: Are you worried about any of the other matchups at ESL One Frankfurt? 
iG: There are no specific opponents that we feel worried about as all the teams who have qualified are not simple opponents. We will take all of our matches seriously, and put in all of our efforts to defeat them all.

ESL: With teams from EU/NA currently drafting all sorts of crazy compositions, how do you prepare for the unexpected, especially considering the Chinese Dota 2 scene seems to have difficulty going up against strange compositions?
iG: The US and European teams have their own playstyles, while the Chinese teams have their own playstyles as well. We will use our own playstyles against theirs, obviously centered on each individual team’s playstyles, and will not let them have an easy time dealing with it.

Source: iG Facebook page​

ESL: YYF, you’re also the team’s captain. Do you do all of the shot-calling in-game or does someone else take the lead?
YYF: During most matches, the team works together by exchanging opinions and ideas. Everyone gives their opinions, and if it is something the entire team agrees on, we then execute it.

ESL: Ferrari_430, It looks like you favor Dragon Knight and your Invoker play is definitely legendary - are there any heroes that you wish you got to play more often? Any pub favorites?
Ferrari_430: I actually like to use a lot of heroes because it has been fun using most of them, and especially during training and actual matches. However, with the magnitude of the events I participate in, the larger the event, the higher the possibility of me choosing heroes that I find more stable for competitive play.

ESL: YYF, you play Nature’s Prophet a lot and still manage a 72% win rate. Any tips for other players on how to get better with Nature’s Prophet?
YYF: Nature’s Prophet is an all-rounder hero with strong tower-pushing abilities and strong late-game potential. A good user of Nature’s Prophet will bait the opponent into a specified space while giving his teammates opportunities to overwhelm their trapped enemies. Players should be fully aware of his potential as an adaptable hero.

On Saturday the 28th of June, Invictus Gaming will take on mousesports in the round of eight at ESL One Frankfurt, so make sure to tune in on Twitch. Also keep checking back here for our other team spotlights heading into ESL One Frankfurt. If you haven’t yet, definitely stay and read our interview with mousesports and our spotlight on Vici Gaming.