'We can win worlds': an interview with EDG's ClearLove

The Chinese League of Legends scene is more interesting than anyone probably expected this winter as we round the last bend of summer headed towards the fall and the Season 4 World Championship. Gone is the clear LPL domination of OMG; the league now arguably features at least three challengers for the China crown, including Edward Gaming and Star Horn Royal Club.

Edward Gaming’s talismanic jungler ClearLove recently (and somewhat remarkably) took some time away from his training regimen to speak with Chinese gaming site 17173. What follows is a full translation of his interview, although I have changed the order of the questions so that they run more chronologically.

When you first came to EDG, what was your goal?

I’m a person who is thirsty for championships, so in coming to EDG of course I wanted to chase that dream, and a championship was the goal I set for myself.

In the early days of EDG, when you couldn’t beat OMG, why was that?

The team had just been founded, and we still had problems with a lot of the particulars, communication, and synergy. At that time, OMG didn’t have those problems, because they’d already been playing together for quite a while. Our earlier losses to OMG were all due to some details or poor communication in teamfights, and then they would snowball the game off of our mistakes. But gradually as our team got more used to playing together and became a unit, we have been able to beat OMG in competitive matches.

How do you feel about your nicknames like “Promise”, “Director Nuo”, and “Factory Director”?

Haha, actually I used to pay a lot of attention to these nicknames, because I’d rather people call me Prmoise or ClearLove. But these other nicknames mysteriously popped up, and at first I was kind of bothered by it, but now I think it’s OK. Call me whatever you want! But of course, calling me Promise or ClearLove is best.

(See: Weird nicknames for China’s best League of Legends players explained)

How did you get the names Director Nuo and Factory Director?

Director Nup was because in Season 1 I hit the top of the domestic servers playing mid and jungle, and I would often crush my opponents, so people would say they were just like actors and I was Director Nuo [controlling them]. Factory Director may be because once when I was duo-queueing with a friend I said, “Now it’s time to slaughter the pigs!” So I got the nickname pig-raising factory director.

You were once defeated by InSec, but recently in the LPL you’ve been able to suppress him, what do you think about this?

I think it’s because time is changing, and Chinese teams are continually getting stronger. So the difference [in skill] between he and I has been getting smaller; perhaps now there is no difference. That time at All-Star I was too arrogant, but now I’m more mature, and China is getting stronger, so now me beating InSec is a normal thing.