Soligo & FakeGod Interview

27 Dec 20

Interviews

RealZesty

Preseason Interview with DIG LoL Soligo and FakeGod

I had the chance to interview not one, but two of DIG's exciting new players - Soligo and FakeGod! 

For your holiday season, we’re bringing the gift of not one, but two of our newest players’ first interviews with Dignitas… together! Aaron “FakeGod” Lee and Max “Soligo” Soong are two of the most exciting, newer players in the North American pro scene and will be a part of Dignitas’ LCS team for the 2021 season with FakeGod taking over the Top Lane and Soligo masterminding the Mid Lane.

I had the chance to ask the pair of them about their previous chemistry, current thoughts on the offseason and their hopes for their future together, so read on for one of the funniest interviews I've ever had the pleasure of doing!


Welcome to the both of you, it’s awesome having you on board for this interview! How are you enjoying your time in the preseason, would you say it’s more relaxing or strenuous?

FakeGod: I think it’s definitely a little more stressful, as no matter what I do it feels like it isn’t enough… compared to previous offseasons, it’s just so different in my mind and the amount of practice I’m comfortable putting in feels very weird.

Soligo: Yeah, I’d say something really similar; especially with how COVID has changed this year, we haven’t been able to get in a proper preseason bootcamp and most of our practice comes from the in-houses that have been going on. Right now, there’s kind of an expectation that we figure out what’s good immediately, regarding the changes to items and champions, and that puts a bit more pressure on us as players.

FakeGod: *laughing* Damn yeah, okay, let’s go with his answer, he’s just gone crazy there...


Before we talk about DIG, let’s talk about your past together. Being on 100 Thieves together, you’ve had some experience as teammates in the past, do you think that gives you an edge coming into this team now?

Soligo: Yeah, I actually think we have a real edge going into this team together. I’d say we’re really comfortable with how the other communicates (both in and out of game) and usually with newer teammates it takes time to develop that kind of trust and synergy… so it’s nice just having that already.

FakeGod: Mhm, Max has been my teammate for 2 whole years now so I’m very familiar with him… it’s kinda weird actually, I don’t think it’s normal to be playing with someone for literally your whole career, haha!

Soligo: That’s so true, it’s still very surprising to me that we ended up on the same team this year in the end!

FakeGod: Yeah, I mean, when we left 100 Thieves we were both like “ah well, see ya later I guess… we’re never gonna see each other again, we’ll just be on different teams or whatever.” And then “oh, wait, we are actually on the same team again…” haha.


Now, this isn’t the only team you’ve both competed together on; you were also a part of Behavior Check in the Tyler1 Championship Series in 2018...

Both: Uhhhhhhhhhhh

Soligo: Hahaha, we won’t talk about that…

FakeGod: That does not count…

...what do you think was a greater team building exercise?

FakeGod: (sarcastically) Yeah, I think 100 Thieves?

Both: *laughing*

Soligo: Yeah with Behavior Check it was like “So you’re playing for $50,000, with no practice, in front of 20,000 people, good luck!”

FakeGod: I mean, we didn’t have to worry too much as we didn’t get past the first round…


Talking now about your present, welcome to Dignitas! How would you describe your feelings after signing with Dignitas for the 2021 season?

FakeGod: Before I signed, I had a choice to make. I needed to think about what I wanted out of this year and came to the decision that Dignitas would give me what I wanted, so I’m really excited!

Soligo: I’d say I’ve got two main feelings: first, I was very surprised, and then secondly, I was super excited. To be honest, I don’t think I gave the most impressive performance in 2020, and so getting this offer from Dignitas meant a lot to me. I definitely feel like last year was not reflective of my truest potential, and I was honestly getting ready to go straight back to amateur play, so I was super relieved.


For those DIG fans unfamiliar with you, could you describe your playstyle and what you’re hoping to bring to the team?

FakeGod: Oh man, I’ve got this:

I want to be a rock.

I just want to be consistent, and the best way to say that is to say “I’m a rock.” That’s what I wanna make it as. Besides that… yeah, no I’m just a rock. A flexible rock.

Soligo: How can you be a flexible rock??

FakeGod: I’m like a rubbery rock-

Soligo: Well that’s not a rock!

Both: *laughing*

Soligo: What kind of rock is flexible?

FakeGod: I guess I'm just a rubbery circle then.

Both: *laughter continues*

Soligo: For my playstyle, I kind of like to adapt to whatever the team needs. I like to morph myself especially to play around my Jungler and just generally what they need, whether that’s something more aggressive or a more supportive role, I think in general a good Mid Laner should be able to play all styles.


While the team has a few fresher faces coming into the LCS, it also has some veterans of the game in Dardoch and Aphromoo. What are your thoughts on playing with these guys and the blend of characters on the roster?

Soligo: We have a little experience playing with Aphromoo on 100T in the previous year; he’s a really strong shotcaller and a veteran whose voice I really respect. As for Dardoch, I’ve played a little with him in the in-houses and talked a bit too, and he’s also got a great shotcalling mentality so I think these two guys have really strong voices and their flow is going to be really important in leading me, Aaron, and Neo. I think especially with Support and Jungle being the glue that keeps all the lanes together, we’re going to have a great synergy.

FakeGod: I feel like Max said what I would have said, but I wanna add something… I remember playing with Aphromoo before and especially in stressful situations particularly his voice would just cut through the chatter, which makes me really excited as a player on his team. As for Dardoch, I haven’t played with him much at all, but I like how his comms are super clean. It already feels like it’s going to be a good mix of rookies and veterans!


As more and more rosters are announced by other teams in the LCS, what are your thoughts on the signings made by other teams and the level of competition you’re expecting to face?

FakeGod: I will say I was definitely surprised by some Top Lane signings, but I was most surprised by Perkz signing to C9. That being said, I feel like the competition will just be… normal. I’m not sure if that’s just me, but I feel like there have been so many changes this year in general so it’s a little hard to say. I definitely don’t feel like we’re weak in the position we’re in right now at all.

Soligo: Yeah, the distribution of talent for next year means that the top 3 teams (being TSM, TL and C9) have so much attention after the Alphari, Perkz, and SwordArt signings. With basically all the other rosters, you have a lot of teams picking up mostly NA talent, and to me that’s super exciting where you’ll have a whole lot of (what people are calling) “budget teams” going up against these super impressive signings. For me personally, I’m very excited to go up against Perkz - he’ll be very exciting to see in NA.


Let’s look to the future. You’re both younger players, but what are you hoping to achieve on DIG and where do you see yourselves at the end of 2021?

Soligo: Honestly, I personally prefer not to look so far ahead into the future and take things a little more slowly. My focus right now is on winning the first games of the split, and having the ideal start, but if I really wanted to dream I’d say winning the split and proving myself as one of the top Mid Laners would be exactly what I want to achieve.

FakeGod: Okay so at the end of 2021 I see myself having won at least one of the LCS splits, probably attending Worlds, and then… yeah, I’ll just win Worlds too. I’ll win it twice dude, at a minimum. That’s where I see myself.

Both: *laughing*

FakeGod: Nah, in all seriousness I do definitely want to win the LCS. That’s a huge goal of mine, but I don’t want to limit myself to just achieving that, you know? I want to aim higher at all times.


Let’s finish off with a fun question: if you guys were to jump into a Ranked Duo, but had to choose the other’s champion for them, who would you choose and why?

FakeGod: Okay, so Max is picking me Aatrox, and I’ll just pick him Syndra or Orianna.

Soligo: Nah, dude, I’d pick Aaron Sion for sure.

FakeGod: *laughing* Okay dude you’re just trolling now…

Soligo: Honestly, my fondest memory of Aaron was in one of our very first scrims together in 100T Academy. We were doing scrims with our LCS squad, with Ssumday being the Top Laner, and there was one game where Aaron just solo-killed Ssumday. We did a group review after the game, Aaron got up to explain how he killed Ssumday as Sion and just said, “I E’d him… and then I Q’d him.”

Both: *laughter continues*

Soligo: And that was it, that was the entire review for Top Lane.

FakeGod: For real, dude the game was really short so the only thing I had to go over was how he died, and I just broke it down to him in front of everyone else, hahaha.


Thanks so much for your time! Is there anyone you guys would like to give a shoutout to?

FakeGod: Shoutout to all my new fans dude… thanks. Thanks for being a fan!

Soligo: Perfect, man!

Both: *laughing*

Soligo: Shoutout to all the coaches I’ve worked with; there’s no way I’d be here without you guys, specifically Kelsey Moser and Joseph Jang.

FakeGod: Dude, you’re supposed to shout them out after you win LCS!

Soligo: Hey, it’s an achievement for me getting here to the LCS! I also want to shoutout the fans that have been with me for the past few years- there have been a lot of ups and downs, so thanks for sticking with me. Lastly, shoutout to my girlfriend too.


That concludes our interview with these two new signings to DIG’s 2021 LCS roster! We hope you enjoyed our chat and gained some insights into exactly the kind of players they are off the Rift, and that you’ll cheer them on when it’s time to hit the Rift again. You can catch them on Twitter @Soligoms and @FakeGod for all their latest updates.

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