FURIA’s captain, Gabriel "FalleN" Toledo, shared his thoughts on the challenges of the professional Counter-Strike 2 scene in Brazil and assessed the level of play in the region. According to Toledo, Brazilian teams must spend a significant amount of time at bootcamps in Europe to train with the best teams.
"Compared to past years, the level is quite high. We don’t have a top-tier team like we did in my time – that’s true. But there are many good teams in Brazil. The release of CS2 has helped with that – the game has become more accessible.
The biggest problem with Brazilian CS? Probably the difficulty of gathering top players into one team – it’s been tough in recent years. Plus, we are forced to live in Europe to have the opportunity to train with the best teams. It takes a toll on personal life. We live in bootcamps, which is mentally exhausting."
FalleN also reflected on what aspects of Counter-Strike 2 development needs more attention. He believes that Valve should prioritise solving the issue of cheating in the game.
"I think they need to tackle the problem with cheaters. They've been working hard on it, but they should push even further. I’d also improve communication between Valve and the players. More dialogue is needed, and I think they are making efforts in that direction.
Honestly, I’m a big fan of Valve. I know they are independent, and a bit closed off, but I like what they’re doing.
I’ve worked with Valve – I launched several official products for CS:GO and CS2 in the Brazilian market and met with them at Majors. Valve believes I’ve contributed to the game’s success, and they appreciate me, and likewise, I admire their work."
In a recent interview, Gabriel also discussed his career path in the professional Counter-Strike scene. The Brazilian esports player expressed his belief that he can once again reach the top.