Apeks’ ShadoW: “I want this team to have confidence like no other, combined with our already great teamplay.”

This time around, Fragster interviews Apeks’ Tobias “ShadoW” Flodström, following the team’s victory in 2023 VALORANT Challengers Northern Europe Split 1.

With the inception of VCT-partnered leagues in 2023, Challengers introduced a new format where it will house Tier-2 teams looking to make the jump to Tier-1 competition in subsequent seasons. To that end, it devised a league for 24 domestic leagues throughout the world. From verily recognizable regions like North America to the sparse but peculiar regions like North Africa, teams enter Challengers to make their mark in competitive VALORANT.

For Northern Europe specifically, which includes the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, and the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Iceland), it was the team of Apeks who came out on top after defeating FOKUS 3-1 in the grand finals of Challengers Northern Europe: Polaris.

This was possible after the team signed a team of Tier-1 caliber talent featuring Enzo “Enzo” Mestari, James “Mistic” Orfila, Martin “Magnum” Peňkov, Georgio “keiko” Sanassy, and Tobias “ShadoW” Flodström. Of course, the majority of these players have garnered international LAN appearances throughout their careers in VALORANT. With such a crucial experience by their side, Apeks managed to stay ahead of the pack from wire to wire until they became the last team standing at the end of the split.

With a league title under their belts, Apeks look to continue their momentum towards the Ascension tournament, where only one team in all of Challengers will be promoted to the VCT EMEA League in 2024.

Following Apeks’ victory in Split 1 of the 2023 VALORANT Challengers Northern Europe: Polaris season, Fragster interviewed ShadoW on how they were able to come out on top in the league, how the team was formed during the offseason, how it compares with his past teams, and more.

Winning Northern Europe: Polaris

Pedro Romero, Fragster.com: First off, I send my congrats to you and the rest of the Apeks team for winning Challengers Northern Europe: Polaris by defeating FOKUS 3-1 in the Grand Final. What was the process of preparation prior to this match and how did you view the team’s subsequent performance in the finals?

ShadoW: We played them a few times before so we know how they play. It was more focused on us playing our best game to bring home the victory.

The team’s sole loss in the finals came in Split on Map 3 where they lost 13-5. What went wrong in that map and how did the team rebound from that setback in Haven for Map 4?

We knew going into the map, our attack side was weak with harbor but we couldn’t get anything going and it just snowballed out of control. Just gotta forget that map and that it has nothing to do with how we gonna play the next map.

It’s been more than a year since you last won a tournament in VALORANT. The last title win came when you were with Vitality during the VALORANT Open Tour: France Finals. How does it feel to become a champion once again in your career? Does it feel any different from your past wins in your career?

I would say this one feels better cause we needed to get as many points for the next split of Polaris, so we would be able to qualify for the ascension tournament.

How did you take in the win immediately after the finals? Did you celebrate at all?

Already planned that we would all go to the watch party Apeks had set up and after that, we just had some food before because people had to leave early the next day for their flights.

Since this past split transpired online, I have to ask whether the team played together in person or remotely throughout the group stage and playoffs. If so, how was the team able to play so well under that aspect?

During the split, we had two bootcamps. The first one was to prepare because we were a completely new team. The second one we played during the playoffs, otherwise we played in our own homes.

What do you think was the hardest part you, as an individual, had to overcome in this past split with Apeks and why is it that?

Have to be not talking the same amount that I have done in past teams. In this team we have everyone talking “ALOT” so I just have to focus on the things that really are needed from me.

What was the hardest series the team had to play in Polaris and why did you choose that series in particular?

It has to be the final against FOKUS cause it was not easy winning any map in that match.

Behind the formation of Apeks for 2023

Looking at this team as a whole, Apeks brought plenty of attention to the team it announced at the start of the 2023 season, bringing the likes of yourself, Enzo, Mistic, Magnum, and Keiko. Almost everyone boasts Tier-1 experience in prior years so how was this team formed during the offseason?

I got a message from Zpikey that the team would like to try out me to the team. I was with Enzo for the last pieces to join the team so don’t know how the process went before that.

How were you initially contacted to join the team?

Zpikey reached out to me during the offseason.

In a recent interview, Enzo did with Esports Driven, he described this Apeks squad as a “balanced team” with “an explosive playstyle with very solid fundamentals” and “a great capacity for adaptation and firepower.” From your perspective, what do you do within the team that keeps its balance in matches?

Everyone is just having fun and really enjoying playing with each other. What I do is more to joke around but also support everyone in the game.

From that same interview, he describes you as a “pillar of the team” and “an exemplary teammate”. Do you also view yourself as that pillar of the team? Why or why not?

I mean, I don’t really see myself as that but what I bring is a good atmosphere and I like to joke around with everyone to have a good mood on the team.

You are surrounded by a stack of excellent individual players who have had great careers so far in VALORANT, yourself included. What is it like playing with the rest of the roster and how would you describe each player game-wise?

Let’s start with the brain of the team Enzo, he makes us all confident within the team and makes a lot of good calls in the moments we need it! He’s also doing some crazy clutches that you don’t expect anyone can win. Then we have our own insta-machine Keiko that’s just insane in the game but also has an understanding of the game on a whole different level from what a “classic” duelist has.

Mistic is the best Raze player I have seen in my life for sure!! (prank) But in all seriousness, he is such a good player overall and the things he is doing in the game is just crazy. His overall understanding of the game with his insane individual play is just amazing to see! Last, but also smallest, is Magnum. He is the dumbest smart person I have ever met. I swear he is so smart in the game and has such a good feel for what you can do in the game. With that comes also his insane firepower which is weird cause he shakes so hard when he shoots.

Additionally, you’ve been working with a new coach in Itopata, who last served as the strategic analyst for TSM during the 2022 season. How have you viewed his coaching so far and how has the team worked with him in particular?

It has been a pleasure working with him so far and he’s bringing a ton of ways on how to improve everyone as a team and individuals. He’s such a hard worker that makes us all work harder and do more in and outside server time.

A retrospective look into ShadoW’s career

Given that you’ve played with other memorable teams in your VALORANT career such as being a part of the original FPX European squad, what has been the main difference in your eyes between playing with this Apeks team and all your past teams?

The main difference is that in this team everyone is one of the most underrated players and we just want to prove that we can/will compete at the highest stage again and that we can be EXTREMELY good together.

You had quite an eventful 2022 season having been in stints with Team Vitality and Giants. How do you look back at last season?

Will say it has been the worst year of my time in VALORANT. I had a really bad year individually for sure but I also did not get to where I want to be in the future.

Looking at 2022, was there anything that comes to mind that you wish could’ve gone differently had certain things fallen your way?

We were so close to qualifying with Vitality to VCT and I wished we just would have won one of the two games we had to qualify. In Giants, we just were so unlucky during the time I was there.

What would you say has been the biggest thing you learned from last season (it can be either from in-game or out-of-the-game)?

That I should play for myself more times than I do. I’ve always been a team player and I thought that if I help everyone, that will be noticed. But not playing for myself can also hinder the team more than I might have thought before last season.

As the primary flasher for the team, I want to ask how flashing and flash agents evolved throughout the first split of the season. What do you like and what do you hate about that part of the game in general so far?

When I started, it was mostly Breach and the flashes were not doing anything. But after we got more and more agents that can play more for themselves, that makes it a lot more fun playing them at least. I don’t like Riot because they nerf my agents everytime they are good!

Looking at the rest of Challengers

Where do you think Apeks stands with the rest of the Challengers champions at this point in time in a ranking?

I do think we are at the top of that, but with that said, think we will get that answer if/when we get to Ascension.

Which Challengers level flasher and team have you keeping an eye on throughout this year and why is it them?

Have not looked really closely for flashers but I think there are a lot of great teams in all the Challenger levels that me as an individual and also our team learn from!

Which team do you view as your biggest obstacle in the journey to qualify for Ascension and the VCT next season?

Right now, it is for sure FOKUS because of how they played but also how the point system works. But LPB [Les Petits Bouffons] is the team we lost to and saw how good they can be so they are a threat. HSDIRR is also in my mind because they added Meddo [Johan Renbjörk Lundborg], who is a great player, so they could be scary! There were many teams that did roster changes in Polaris so I have no clue on what level those teams will have.

What should you want people to expect when they look at your playstyle in matches for this year?

I want this team to have confidence like no other combined with our already great teamplay.