Yay compares Cloud9 and NRG IGLs: “FNS is a little more structured”

Jaccob ‘yay’ Whiteaker was asked in a pre-event press conference for VCT LOCK//IN to compare the IGLs from his former team, Pujan ‘FNS’ Meht from OpTic Gaming, and his current team, Anthony ‘vanity’ Malaspina on Cloud9.

yay was one of the most sought-after free agents in the 2022 offseason and eventually landed on Cloud9 after a successful year with OpTic Gaming. His former teammates on OpTic, also valuable free agents, moved to NRG Esports for the 2023 season.

With the new team also came a new IGL in vanity. When asked to compare his new IGL to his old one, FNS, yay explained that his new captain is looser with his style of calling.

“If I had to compare, I would say probably FNS’s style is a little bit more structured, in the sense of like, everything is very methodical, things are very planned out,” yay said. “While vanity is a little bit looser, and there’s a lot more creativity and, I don’t wanna say gimmicky kind of stuff, but more variety in the stuff that we do.”

yay says vanity is a looser IGL compared to FNS

The Cloud9 sniper also explained that one style is not superior to the other and that there are other factors at play when it comes to an IGL.

“Usually the IGL and coach are like a combination,” yay said. “So they have direct influences on each other and like how stuff is made.”

On Cloud9, vanity is paired with former The Guard and Gen.G head coach Matthew ‘mCe’ Elmore and FNS is still working with Chet ‘Chet’ Singh, who coached yay and FNS on OpTic Gaming.

Fans of NRG and Cloud9 might be able to see the two square off and test their two different styles against each other at VCT LOCK//IN. The two teams are on the same side of the bracket, but would only be able to go head-to-head if they both made the semifinals.