k1llsen, currently first in the Plus Forward Quake Live Duel ranking, spoke to the 250 FPS League about his recent form, the differences between Quake Live and Quake Champions and his approach to Season 6.

The German opened the new league season with wins over cherepoff and cYpheR, the only two players who beat him during the Season 5 Group Stage. He has also continued to play regularly in both Quake Live and Quake Champions EGB Cups, most recently winning EGB QC Cup #13.

Q: We haven't interviewed you for a while, and your form has improved noticeably since then. What's the secret? What helped you reach this level?

k1llsen: There are no secrets. I stopped taking Quake Live so seriously and found some inner peace instead of constantly putting pressure on myself to achieve something that might never happen. There hasn't been any extra playtime, practice or anything like that.

Q: You're currently No. 1 in the Quake Live ranking. How does it feel to be at the top?

k1llsen: It's nice that things worked out this way, and of course I'm a little proud of it. But it was never a goal I set for myself or something I deliberately chased. It just happened.

Q: You regularly compete in EGB Cups in both Quake Live and Quake Champions. Many players find it difficult to switch between the two games. How different are they for you, and how do you manage to perform well in both?

k1llsen: Performing well in both games at the same time is incredibly difficult because the approach is very different. You constantly have to find the right balance. In Quake Live, one extra push can allow you to establish control over your opponent because maintaining control in QL is relatively easy. In Quake Champions, the same kind of move will get you punished most of the time. You also need to know much more about your opponents in QC.

It has become harder for me to perform well in Quake Live because I don't enjoy the game as much as I used to. With QC, it's much easier for me to come back, enjoy playing and perform well, but accepting that has also helped me in Quake Live. Most importantly, I want both the viewers and myself to enjoy the streams. If the viewers are having fun, I'm having fun too, and that becomes a dangerous combination for my opponents. And if we can celebrate some small but satisfying victories together along the way, that's an extra bonus for everyone.

Q: This season you've already beaten cYpheR and cherepoff, the only two players who defeated you in last season's group stage. Did you prepare specifically for those matches?

k1llsen: I didn't prepare for those matches at all. Considering how the previous EGB Cups and other tournaments had gone, I knew I was definitely capable of beating cherepoff. Beating cYpheR meant a little more to me, of course. He's as much of a beast in Quake Live as I am in Quake Champions, but I've been right on his heels for a long time. In many of our previous matches, I've managed to force him to do some pretty incredible things to beat me.

Q: Winning the league would obviously be a major result. How do you rate your chances of taking the title this season?

k1llsen: Of course it would be great to win the league, but so much can still happen before then that I don't think about it until it actually happens. For me, it's much more important that my streams are number one and continue to receive the support, love and positive feedback that I'm getting right now.

Q: Does playing the EGB Cups help you stay sharp for the 250 FPS League matchdays?

k1llsen: Playing EGB Cups definitely helps me stay in shape, so I'm very grateful that we have all these tournaments. And when I manage to win some of them as well, it gives me additional confidence across different Quake games and game modes. I just have to keep a close eye on the balance between how much time I spend on Quake Champions and how much I spend on Quake Live.

The original interview is available on the 250 FPS Telegram channel.