Hiko: “There was more competition in other seasons.” Interview ahead of the MCC finals
This Saturday, October 31, Moscow will host the MCC Season 8 LAN finals—the top three teams from the online portion of the season will compete for the championship title and a spot in the M8 group stage. As expected, Team Spirit will be the clear favorite, and ahead of the most important matches of the year, we spoke with the “Dragons’” gold laner, Anton “Hiko” Pak.
Hi! First off, share your thoughts on the online stage of MCC Season 8. How easy or difficult was the regular season compared to previous seasons?
The online portion of MCC was pretty easy; we lost only one series against Team Yandex. It was very easy. Compared to past tournaments, it was easier because there was more competition in other MCC seasons.
Is there a particular moment or match that stands out to you from the regular season or the first stage of the playoffs? Maybe a highlight?
I actually remember the match against Yandex that we lost, because we learned valuable lessons from it. I don’t recall any specific highlights or cool plays.
It’s often very difficult for favorites to stay focused in these kinds of matches and tournaments. Tell us how this works for your team and for you personally when you realize that you’re much stronger than your regional rivals?
Yes, we realize we’re stronger than all our rivals in the region, but at the same time, we try to approach every team with the same level of confidence and preparation. We prepare separate drafts and strategies for each team.
Tell us about your preparation for the MLBB Continental Championships Season 8 playoffs. As far as I understand, you had a boot camp?
We had a boot camp before the online portion of the playoffs. It lasted two weeks: we prepared, played, and trained together. There will be another one before the LAN stage; it’s already underway. Right now, we’re focusing most of our attention on teamwork and just communicating with each other to create a productive environment.
Everyone around here is convinced that the LAN finals will give Team Spirit an extra advantage. Do you agree with that? And how did you personally react to the news that LAN is returning to the MCC?
I’m really glad that MCC is returning to LAN—even if it’s just for one day, that’s still pretty good. Overall, it might give us an edge, but I think everyone is on equal footing and has the same opportunity to show their best game.
Does Team Spirit already have a preparation plan for M8?
Yes, we have a preparation plan for M8. In any case, we’ll be heading to a boot camp in Asia to prepare for the tournament.
At the 2026 Mid-Season Cup, it turned out that the Filipino teams didn’t meet the required standard—and, in theory, they could falter at M8 as well. Does that affect how you evaluate their play, or what you look for in matches against MPL teams at these boot camps?
We follow the MPL Philippines, but we don’t think they’re doing anything extraordinary there. Overall, we just analyze their matches simply because they have the highest quality of play.
Tell us about the hero pool on the Gold tier. What do you think of the current meta for your position?
I’m pretty comfortable with the current hero pool on Gold. But I’d say I don’t enjoy playing fighters as much as I do ADCs—so I think it could be a little better. I like being versatile, playing both fighters and marksmen, but I still prefer marksmen—it creates a more comfortable environment for me.
At the end of September, you included Chichi (A-tier on the tier list) among the best Gold-tier heroes. Can you explain to casual players why she made it into the meta?
Chichi is strong because there are a lot of high-damage heroes in the meta, and fighters in the Gold tier generally perform well. Plus, Chichi only needs one item to be strong enough.
What were your first impressions of the new map modifiers? Is there any that’s more suitable for you or your team’s playstyle (or is simply unbalanced on its own)?
I think the modifiers have really changed this game—not as much as last time, though. For example, there’s a healing turtle that completely changes the pace of the game, and you have to build your draft around it. But overall, the other changes aren’t that drastic.
Thanks for the interview! To wrap up, could you say a few words to the fans who’ll be seeing you very soon at the MCC LAN Finals?
Thank you for supporting Team Spirit! Keep cheering for us at the MCC Season 8 LAN finals or via online streams—thank you, everyone!
