malbsMd: "I feel like I'm starting to enjoy the game again"

"I was really disappointed because we didn't make it to the playoffs in Dallas," the Guatemalan player says, "so now I really want to get to the playoffs to play in front of an NA crowd."

We caught up with G2's American representative, Mario "⁠malbsMd⁠" Samayoa, who has returned to Austin, a city in which he spent time during his M80 tenure, for the BLAST.tv Major.

The Major is, of course, the pinnacle of the season, and every team will be trying their best at the event in Texas, but it goes beyond that for malbsMd. "I might be bringing my parents if we make it to playoffs," he says, "that would be really special for me."

It would be particularly special after what has been a complicated season for the Guatemalan, who has endured ups and downs both personal and in the context of the team's instability, while struggling to find his place following Nikola "⁠NiKo⁠" Kovač's departure at the end of 2024.

You can listen to the interview here.

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You're playing 3DMAX, a team you beat in Dallas. We're in Austin, Texas, still here. Can you bring that energy over and get a good start here?

I hope so. It'll be hard because this is a Major, of course, and everyone wants to get the trophy, and they're going to be fighting as well. We just need to be better prepped, I guess.

Speaking of prep, how are you coming into this event? You're here with a stand-in, there's rumors flying... How has it been to prepare in this atmosphere?

It's been a rough time, but it's been fine. We're professionals, so we understand that no matter what happens, we need to keep playing to our best and not let it die, basically, just because of some rumors or whatever it is. So yeah, we're just trying to do our best at this Major, try to do some damage, and hopefully win the Major.

This is a really special one for me because it's in my region. People say I'm not NA, but I'm basically NA, so yeah.

It seems like it's been a hard year for G2 in general. You lost NiKo at the end of the year, then m0NESY halfway through it... How hard is it to keep your mind in the game and not let the external noise wreak havoc on the team atmosphere?

Yeah, it's tough. [Laughs]

Even for me, it was really tough. I didn't have the best season, obviously, and I was going through a lot of pressure and everything, mental stuff, but I think that we as a team are recovering from everything that happened, and I think we're just feeling better. Then again, the rumors started happening and everything, so it goes up and down, up and down, but I think that at the end of the day it's about being professional and just trying to do our best no matter what, as I said at the beginning, and hoping the best for the team.

You speak about having a hard time because you put pressure on yourself, and I remember that you took some time off from social media and stuff like that. How are you doing now? A bit better? Bouncing back from those rougher moments.

Yeah, for sure. I feel better. I'm not feeling depressed about the game anymore. There was a moment when I was playing the game, and I just wasn't feeling like I wanted to play, for example, because I was really frustrated and not enjoying the game at all. Not even practice, or officials, or just playing FACEIT for fun. I was definitely not enjoying the game. It was not the best time, but I feel like I'm starting to enjoy the game again.

How has it been, playing with hades now and getting a fresh player in the team, even if it's just momentarily. For a while, you knew m0NESY was going to leave, and in Bucharest, he was playing when he was already signed to another team, which was a disaster. At least now you don't have to deal with that? Maybe that helps in a way...

It does, kind of. It's just rough for him, as well. He's a nice guy and a nice player, as well, but it's rough because you come in, excited to play for a team, hoping that everything is going to go good, and then sometime after rumors start coming out and everything. I feel bad for him because of everything and how everything went, but he's a nice guy, and it's really nice to play with him. It's been an enjoyable time, I would say.

You've gone through a couple of group stage exits in a row. Is it very important for you to try and salvage the season, in a way, or are you already looking forward to what's next?

I learned that you have to always look at what's in front of you, you can't always be looking at what's going to come next. You have to go step by stap and also, for me, it's very special for me to play the playoffs here because it's an NA Major, with an NA crowd, and I was really disappointed because we didn't make it to the playoffs in Dallas, so now I really want to get to the playoffs to play in front of an NA crowd, and also, I might be bringing my parents if we make it to playoffs, that would be really special for me.

So there's some stuff on the line there.

Yeah, it's not just playoffs, it's everything, it's a whole pack.

With everything we've talked about, how do you see the team's potential at this tournament? The goal is to make the playoffs, but do you see that you're actually a strong contender for that?

I mean, you hear G2 and you hope that G2 is a strong contender, but it hasn't been the brightest season for G2 overall, so it's hard to say. I think we're doing alright, but I don't know, we'll see what happens. It's hard to say.

Maybe you can release some of the pressure that maybe a team that's expected to be really good has. You don't have that, so maybe that'll help.

Maybe. I hope so! [Laughs]

Speaking of the rumors and changes. They're pretty well-known names. What do you make of it, if you get to play for a guy like sAw. Is that something you'd look forward to? Is it a name that rings in your mind in any particular way?

I'm not sure. I haven't really paid attention to that. I'm just waiting to see what happens and for everything to be done.

How would you rate your confidence? You said you were going through some moments where it was hard to even practice, but that it's getting better. Are you also getting your confidence back? We saw last year that you were playing very well and things were clicking. Are you getting that confidence back and that love for the game?

I think I am. There are some moments when I feel like the game is not right for me. Like if I just have an off day for example it's just tough to come back because of everything that has happened, but when I'm having a good day and everything, then I feel really good.

Do you think it's because of actual in-game stuff, like role changes inside of the server, or would you say that it had to do with pressure, like, 'Oh, the star player is gone, so now I need to step into these shoes.' Have you figured out what it was that made you struggle?

Yeah, the thing is I pressured myself too much at the end of the year. I knew NiKo was leaving and I was like, 'Okay, this is my moment to be the best.'

I wanted to be getting MVPs, to be getting insane events, winning events, and then everything started going down and I couldn't handle that pressure. Like, 'Oh, maybe I'm not this guy.' You know? Those thoughts started going through my mind, and then I started reading stuff on Twitter and Instagram, and I felt like everything got grouped up, and it blew me up, I think.