“In the end, we’re just nerds who play videogames”. Quinn on beef with RAMZES, burning out, and playing mid in patch 7.33Exclusive

In an exclusive pre-match discussion, we sat down with Quinn “Quinn” Callahan before his Upper Bracket Finals showdown against 9 Pandas. The Gaimin Gladiators mid laner shared insights about the current competitive landscape, his ongoing tension with RAMZES, and whether GG can avoid the early-peaking pattern that plagued Team Secret in previous seasons.

— You’ve captured Lima Major, DreamLeague, and now secured at least top-3 in Berlin. What’s your formula for maintaining this elite performance level?

— Personally, I never allow myself to feel complacent or secure in my position. The reality of Major tournaments is that a single poor performance can eliminate you during group stages. Modern Dota 2 features such competitive parity that any team can defeat another on any given day. I consciously avoid premature celebration or assumption of victory. Every match series receives my complete focus and serious preparation because underestimating opponents creates vulnerability. Approaching each competition with maximum seriousness increases win probability when you refuse to take anything for granted.

— Dyrachyo mentioned your team minimizes scrim sessions during majors, focusing instead on public matches and official games. What’s the reasoning behind this preparation methodology?

— Correct, we significantly reduce scrim volume during tournaments. We participated in limited practice matches this event, but maintained restraint. Our schedule has been packed with consecutive official competitions spanning DreamLeague, this Major, and the DPC season—creating substantial back-to-back competitive pressure. We’ve accumulated extensive match experience to reference and analyze.

During critical main stage matches, greater value emerges from dedicated opponent research—understanding their preferred strategies, draft patterns, and gameplay tendencies. Developing comprehensive knowledge about specific matchups and identifying key strategic priorities provides more benefit than additional practice games. We’ve already played numerous matches on the current patch, making one extra scrim less impactful than deepening our understanding of opponent behaviors and tendencies.

— Were you anticipating facing 9 Pandas in the upper bracket finals? What aspects of their gameplay present the greatest challenges?

— I wouldn’t characterize it as expected, but neither was it particularly surprising. They’ve demonstrated clear competitive quality, earning their upper bracket finals position through merit. In certain respects, they mirror our team structure—featuring skilled individual players with specialized role expertise that executes specific functions effectively. I’ve observed Kiyotaka showing marked improvement. Their safelane demonstrates considerable strength, while their offlane performs consistently. They employ stable draft strategies, select reliable heroes, maintain consistency—essentially executing their established gameplan with precision.

— During a recent stream, RAMZES described an elevator encounter where you remained silent and avoided eye contact. How do you reconcile your online trash-talk with real-life interactions?

— The situation stems from my personal preference to limit interaction with him, though I maintain professional courtesy in person. Ultimately, we’re competitive gamers focused on our craft. My dislike isn’t personal animosity—I simply prefer maintaining distance. Why would I seek personal engagement with someone I don’t particularly enjoy? We coexist peacefully with separate lives. I don’t harbor deep resentment toward him, but choose to minimize personal contact and interaction.

— Could your perspective on RAMZES evolve in the future? Would victory by his team potentially lead to reconciliation?

— Realistically, only under extraordinary circumstances would my position change—perhaps if celestial events dramatically altered our existence. Barring such improbable scenarios, significant change appears unlikely.

— During the Lima Major, Gaimin Gladiators utilized jacuzzi-based performance enhancement. What performance optimization methods are you employing this tournament?

— No aquatic facilities this time—we’re maintaining relaxed preparation methods.

— Since the implementation of patch 7.33, strategic emphasis seems to have shifted from mid lane dominance to sidelane priority. How are you adjusting to these gameplay changes?

— I’ve adapted comfortably to the updated game version. The modifications haven’t substantially affected mid lane impact from my perspective. Many match dynamics feel remarkably consistent with previous iterations. Having enjoyed the prior patch’s gameplay patterns, experiencing similar competitive feels provides positive continuity.

— Your team consistently prioritizes securing favorable lane conditions. Do these meta adjustments provide advantages or disadvantages for GG’s playstyle?

— The changes haven’t dramatically altered our strategic approach. We continue executing many similar gameplay patterns and tactical decisions. Overall, we’re performing effectively within the current meta, maintaining the competitive level we established previously. The previous map configuration already feels distant memory due to extensive playtime on the updated version—Dota’s rapid adaptation requirements quickly overwrite previous strategic memories.

“I went to play mid because I liked concept of ‘1vs1’, and now it became a bit useless”. 9 Pandas Kiyotaka on his growth and patch 7.33
He is happy he didn’t have to play against SumaiL.

— You’ve already qualified for The International, with substantial competitive commitments remaining: DPC, potential Majors, Riyadh. Are you concerned about performance exhaustion following this demanding successful season?

— This represents relatively unfamiliar territory for me personally. Previously, I never achieved significant tournament success or established myself as a championship contender. I consistently competed on underperforming teams achieving disappointing results. I haven’t previously encountered genuine competitive burnout, making personal concern relatively minimal.

I’m interested to observe how competitive dynamics develop. Every team eventually experiences defeat—dominant competitors inevitably face setbacks. At some future point, we’ll begin losing matches. We’ll need to address those challenges and implement corrections to restore our satisfactory performance level. Predicting when this might occur proves challenging. Ideally, we can postpone that transition phase as long as competitively possible.

— Dota 2 history contains numerous examples of teams reaching peak performance prematurely, with Team Secret representing the most famous case. Are you implementing specific measures to avoid replicating their competitive trajectory?

— Honestly, I lack specific knowledge about their situation, never having occupied their competitive position. I don’t possess definitive solutions. My approach focuses on performing well each match, continuous improvement, developing positive team habits, and maintaining core strategic values. Everything else derives from those fundamental principles. I concentrate on core gameplay fundamentals and maintaining high performance standards. Regarding performance peaking concerns, those represent unfamiliar concepts I’ll experience for the first time this competitive year.

— So you’re maintaining maximum competitive intensity throughout the entire season rather than reducing preparation before The International?

— Correct, I don’t plan to decrease seriousness or preparation. I genuinely despise losing experiences and won’t deliberately create conditions leading to defeat.

Virtus.pro Dota 2 team replaces their coach with God

No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » “In the end, we’re just nerds who play videogames”. Quinn on beef with RAMZES, burning out, and playing mid in patch 7.33Exclusive Gaimin Gladiators' Quinn reveals tournament mindset, rivalry with RAMZES, and adapting to Dota 2's 7.33 patch changes