Currently playing for Godlike Esports, 19 year old Vivek Aabhas "ClutchGod" Horo is one of the most successful competitive gamers in India. His team recently finished 1st at the Skyesports Championship 3.0, LOCO War of Glory: Grand Finals and the OneShot Showdown Season 2: Grand Finals and are now setting their sights on a successful 2022.

In this exclusive interview with SPOGO, ClutchGod speaks about his introduction to PUBG, training regime, experience with Godlike Esports, the demands from a professional esports athlete, the viability of esports being a career option and his future goals.

Q 1) What is it about PUBG that grabbed your attention, and when did you realize that it’s a game you can excel in professionally?

When I play PUBG/BGMI, I feel at my natural best. I feel relaxed, and my entire focus is on the game. I have never felt that way with anything else – so that feeling while playing the game grabbed my attention. When I won my first tournament in 2019, I realized that I could excel in esports professionally. 

Q 2) As one of the most successful and popular competitive gamers in India, tell us about your training regime and how do you prepare for a big tournament?

We train for 7-8 hours every day. We have a strict schedule that has been set after years of being in the game. We play practice matches and hold team discussions after them to discuss the game at length. We also hold sessions where we watch gameplay clips of teams from around the world and study how to improve our game. 

Q 3) What is your role at Godlike Esports, and how has your experience been at the team so far?

My role at GodLike Esports is as an In-game leader and Assaulter. The experience has been tremendous. The management team has done an excellent job providing us with the opportunities and facilities to compete at the highest level.

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Q 4) While there seems to be a debate about esports not being a “real sport,” please share some insights on the physical and mental demands required to be a professional esports athlete?

It takes many hours across many years to play at a competitive level. Like any sport, you can hop in and enjoy playing casually, but you will not be a professional athlete. The level of physical and mental exertion in esports, if not more, is as demanding as traditional sports. The cortisol level produced by an esports athlete is about the same as that of a race-car driver. This is combined with a high pulse, sometimes as high as 160 to 180 beats per minute, equivalent to what happens during a high-speed run, almost a marathon. That's not to mention the motor skills involved. Esports athletes, just like in other sports, also need and benefit from physical and mental conditioning.

Q 5) Do you think becoming an esports player in India is a viable career option? What are some of the challenges you have faced in your journey?

Becoming an esports player in India is definitely a viable career option now. Several factors such as the high availability of smartphones and high-speed internet at an economical rate, great platforms like YouTube and Loco to showcase your talent, increase in the number of tournaments and prize pools have helped change the perception of esports in the country. Parents and society are now realizing that esports can be a rewarding career option. One of the biggest challenges I faced in my journey was to convince my parents to pursue my dream to become an esports athlete. 

Q 6) What are your goals for the future, and how do you plan to achieve them?

The goal is to make GodLike Esports the best team in the country and represent India on the global stage again. We plan to achieve this by working hard day and night.