This week we get acquainted with “brand spanking new” Ladon e-Sports. The MGO is around two months old but already seem more mature than many more established brands. We chatted with MGO co-owner Christiaan du Plooy to find out more about the birth of the organisation and their plans going forward.
Hello. Introduce yourself to the readers. Go on.
Hi, my name is Christiaan du Plooy, also known as Grassie, and I am the co-owner alongside Johan du Toit, known as MixCo, of Ladon e-Sports. I am 23 years old and have played Call of Duty PC competitively. Fortunately we are not here for me but for our MGO so no one has to get bored!
When did the MGO form?
We started on the 1st of July in 2018 so we are brand spanking new. We do have a lot of ideas and goals to achieve and a lot has happened since then.
What is your platform (or platforms) of choice?
We don’t have a certain preference as we are looking for the most competitive titles regardless of platform.
What games does the MGO enjoy?
We enjoy everything! Most players in the MGO enjoys playing there respective competitive titles, most of them are First Person Shooter games though so that probably says a lot!
How was the MGO name chosen?
Google is my friend! We wanted an original name for the MGO that could also be linked to some of the core values of Ladon, mythical creatures always has good stories behind them and when I saw the name it immediately caught my eye and from the long list of other names this one won.
Who are the leaders of the MGO and what is the organisational structure like?
Me and MixCo are co-owners and we have the final call in anything that happens inside the MGO. We do take every decision seriously and make sure that both is happy with what we want to do.
We also have a manager that is running our CSGO division as well as two coaches for our Overwatch division to help those teams in being apart of Ladon and growing within the structures.
How many members do you have? Keen to give out their names, credit card details and ID numbers?
Alright, only names will do.
We have 21 official members that have been announced and present on our website, we are currently busy finalising two more teams to join but you would have to wait for the official announcement and introduction.
How often do you play together as a MGO?
We try to set up official practice schedules for each team to ensure they are as competitive as possible. But there are usually always someone on at some point in the day so if you want to jam then you have a buddy!
Do you consider yourselves a competitive MGO, or one in it more for “the shits and giggles”?
Definitely competitive as we have set up big goals for the future and competitive esports is our passion and we want to grow the competitive level of the South-African community to be able to compete and succeed internationally.
Has the MGO participated in many tournaments? Which? Won any?
Yes we have!
Our Ladon.Ascend Call of Duty team participated at the EGE expo in Cape Town a few months ago and finished 9th. We know we can expect much more from them in the future though as they have great potential! The same team also competed in the Astro Call of Duty Championships that is hosted by Mettlestate and they progressed through the qualifiers. Unfortunately they fell out in the group stages as they had a tough schedule.
Is attending LANs important to the MGO and its members?
That’s what we are here for! LANs is where competitive gaming comes alive and we love to see that.
It also helps with exposure for us as an MGO but also for the teams to make their stamp in the community.
Are you guys actively recruiting for new players? If so, how should a potential member contact you and how do you decide on who is right to join you?
Unfortunately we are not recruiting at the time. We want to ensure that our current teams are sustainable and that we can give them the necessary support to ensure they are the best they can be.
We will definitely be recruiting more teams in the future and are open to suggestions from players as we want to help as many people as we possibly can in becoming a serious gamer.
So they can send us a message on Twitter or Facebook and we will accommodate them.
What are you hoping to achieve in the future as a MGO?
We have certain goals set out that we want to reach in certain timelines. Our top priorities is to empower gamers who give their time to compete, as through experience I have noticed that MGO’s do not do enough effort in ensuring the players needs are met. Our main goal is to compete internationally and show the world what we as a MGO and a team are capable of achieving right here in South-Africa.
Which opposing MGO do you most respect?
Personally I think Goliath Gaming is doing a good job for the community in introducing their players to everyone as I constantly see articles where they help me know their players and that is what we want to achieve so I respect that.
In regards to professional – or competitive gaming (or even gaming in general) – what do you as a MGO think needs to be done to raise the profile of South African gaming?
Investment is the main priority now. There are so many massively talented and hard working players in South-Africa, but a lot of that gets wasted as players feel they are not offered enough reward for their efforts.
This also counts for new players as they will be more exposed to the competition side of gaming and see that there could be a future in the life of gaming.
And now for something a little different:
If you weren’t a gaming MGO you’d be…
Hmm… We would almost definitely be a Gang on the Cape Flats with all the Capetonians in the MGO!
War movie that best describes the MGO?
Fury… Scarred but never broken I guess.
If you guys had a music soundtrack for going to war, what would it be?
Thanks for your time – is there anything you would like to add before you head off?
I just want to thank you for this opportunity and I think it’s a great way to help people in the South to see there is more going on here than meets the eye! Have a good one!
Ladon e-Sports Contact Information:
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | Email: info@ladon-esports.com
If you are keen to feature in this column in the future (as a gamer, clan or industry person or company), please feel free to contact us at info@zombiegamer.co.za and we’ll think about – after you’ve sent us a sample of your braaaaaaiiiiinnnnsss.
