‘Events like Red Bull M.E.O. is crucial for Indian gamers’: Jonathan Amaral

What first drew you into the world of sports, and how did you get started?

When it all started, I really loved gaming and I used to play shooting games. So, when I entered this scene, people did not expect that this player could play so well. They used to call me a hacker and even gave my ID to the officials to ban me. This happened back when I was just an amateur in the scene. I was quite nervous and afraid that I would be out of the scene because I wanted to be a top sports player. Back then, it was my dream.

What first drew you into the world of sports, and how did you get started?

Right after that, I thought I shouldn’t stop and now I’ll stream and show people how I play. I still remember my first stream, and I got a frag through the smoke, so people didn’t expect that this guy was playing legit as his live stream. From there, people came to know who Jonathan was and from there my journey began and I was still in charge. From the beginning, my dream was to win the international trophy for India and eventually, but that is still a dream.

How do you balance the demands of competitive gaming with other aspects of your life, such as work or education?

For my practice, I mostly wake up at 12pm, 1pm at most. Then I go to the training grounds to practice my close range, sprays etc, and I do some drills in the training grounds for about 20 to 25 minutes maybe. After that, I join TDMs so that I can improve my close range skills. I continue this process all day long and finally I take my custom and train with my teammates. My focus has been on competitive play, I usually have to skip my streams to play competitive games, but when I think it’s the right time to stream on YouTube and other platforms, I’m there. Mostly I try to skip and do less of my work so I can focus more on the esports side and get better at the game.

Can you share your perspective on the importance of teamwork and communication in esports tournaments?

In the current scene, teamwork and communication should be top notch. If you don’t have team synergy, you won’t win any trophies. Teamwork, communication and individual skills are very important to win any competition. These are the three main things needed in a team.

How do you feel after being a member of Red Bull? Can you tell us your thoughts?

As part of Red Bull, at first, this surprised me a lot. I honestly did not expect this but now as a Red Bull Player, I feel that something else has happened in my life at the next level. Because I am a frequent consumer of the product, and I was also a fan of Red Bull. Being a Red Bull Player now, it was a dream come true.

In your opinion, what do you think about initiatives like Red Bull MEO? How influential is it on the development of sports

Red Bull is known for building more scenes for the younger gamers through events like Red Bull Campus Clutch and Red Bull MEO They showed how important it is to have these initiatives. I’m really looking forward to seeing events like this and being part of the initiatives. It is imperative that the Indian gaming scene has such capable events that also encourage the young gamers to elevate.