Cloud9 Jack: "Committed to working through problems"
On an interview with the Rush B Podcast, which you can find on SoundCloud, Cloud9's Jack Etienne spoke about the state of the organization's Counter-Strike team, the future of it, as well as Cloud9's ventures in other esports titles.
In regards to the transition to the current iteration of Cloud9's roster, Jack made sure to emphasize that Jordan "n0thing" Gilbert is still a good player, just that the team wasn't working and changes were needed. He also mentioned that Tarik "tarik" Celik and Will "RUSH" Wierzba brought a positive mindset to the team and enhanced teamplay.
He cited a new level of consistency with this roster and that they signed three year contracts with the organization, aiming to work through their problems, rather than making hasty roster decisions.
When asked about his recent investments in relation to the League of Legends LCS and the Overwatch League, Jack stated that each investment stands on its own, and each has a path to profitability in their respective game. He also said that Cloud9 will have another round of investments in the future to expand infrastructure for their other games.
With the Overwatch League, Jack spoke of the multiple traditional sports organizations who are buying into esports, and said that connecting with traditional sports organizations can help to widen the audiences of both sides.
Jack doesn't have many concerns with the lifespans of the current esports titles, and while he wants to make sure that he gets in on new titles early on, isn't worried about the current big ones dying soon. He pointed towards why the games were popular: through their gameplay and competitive environment, rather than their graphics. At the end, he also mentioned that he doesn't think PLAYERUNKNOWN'S BATTLEGROUNDS and Fortnite are esports ready.
