‘We like to attack!’ – meet the PUGB MOBILE Brazilians who are here to entertain

PUBG MOBILE is perhaps the most frantic, unpredictable game of them all, but for Brazil’s players, offense is the most effective way to stay alive

The Brazil PUBG MOBILE team. Photo: Ben Queenborough/GEF

If there is one word to describe the feeling of being immersed in a high-level game of PUBG MOBILE – a kill-or-be-killed battle royale on an ever-decreasing island territory – it is “stressful.”

That’s according to Adrian Bertoja, who is part of the Brazil team looking for a medal at the Istanbul 2022 Global Esports Games.

“PUBG is the most unpredictable game at the GEG,” he said. “It is very difficult to call because things just change in seconds.

“For the most part, PUBG is a lot of fun. But the stress is always there, there are lots of difficult moments. It can make you really angry because you can be dead and lose at any second.

“It is very scary sometimes. Sometimes you can find a bush or tree to hide in and have a think about things, but even then, you are not ever safe.”

Playing PUBG MOBILE at #GEG22

There are certain clichés about Brazilian sport – their footballers in particular are famous for skillful, forward-minded play – but in the case of the vibrant, yellow-shirted Seleção for PUGB MOBILE, the stereotype is true. Bertoja believes the best way to survive is to be on the front foot.

“We like to attack, attack,” he said. “Most teams in Brazil are like that. There are moments where you need to defend to survive, but I generally get out there and go on the offensive because I feel more comfortable when I’m rushing and getting forward.

“Other teams like to stay back and defend more. But in the end you always have to fight.”

Bertoja, 21, from Paraná, practices for eight hours a day, with one day off a week to rest and see friends.

“This game is my focus,” he said. “To be good at this game, you need intelligence, and you need to be able to make the right decisions really fast. You need good reactions, but you always have to be thinking.

“I love the fact it is an open world, and you’re trying to survive. You always have to be alert, to stay sharp. It’s so much fun.”

Brazil is here to win and has a steely team bond which can be seen across the GEG. This is a particularly important aspect of PUBG MOBILE, in which teamwork is a core component. “We are a family and we get on very well,” said Bertoja. “That is important. Encouraging each other is a big part of the game.

“Every team can win this and become champion, so every team is a rival – all 15 of them are very good. But we think that we really need to look out for Türkiye.”

As much as having pride in wearing the famous yellow shirt of his homeland, there’s also delight to be at this flagship event. “Being at the GEG is just perfect,” Bertoja said. “The venue is unbelievable. We are very grateful to be here.”

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