Our guest today requires no special introduction. Wherever Nikita Kuzmin, known as Daxak, has competed (or not competed), he consistently remains a focal point for the community. Kuzmin is among the most prominent, controversial, and polarizing professional players on the scene. For this reason, Cybersport.ru sought an in-depth conversation with Nikita, aiming to understand not only his thoughts on Dota 2 and his recent transfer to Virtus.pro, but also his broader perspective on his career and life. We hope you find the read enjoyable.
— From your previous interview, it seemed that despite your desire to keep the Chimera roster, it didn`t work out. However, the roster, with the exception of Panto, ultimately stayed together and moved under the Virtus.pro tag. How did that transition happen?
— It all happened quite spontaneously. It`s like that great quote from Iceberg… Or maybe someone else (laughs).
— A great quote from Iceberg sounds good enough.
— It was simply a choice between a stack and what was already working. I chose what was already functional.
— Could you have remained under the Chimera tag at all?
— No.
— What about the alternative stack you mentioned?
— That stack was with Mukha: ALWAYSWANNAFLY, Lelis, me, Copy, and Kiritych.
— What was the decisive factor when choosing between these two lineups?
— Well, it was about points and potentially having a better chance [to achieve results], especially since there isn`t much time left [in the season]. It`s not necessarily that the players in that other stack [with AWF] were better in terms of in-game qualities or anything like that.
— Again, in your previous interview, you mentioned that having nothing to lose significantly helped you perform well at DreamLeague, giving you a sense of ease. Circumstances have now changed, and you have something to lose again. Does that make playing more difficult?
— No, personally, I don`t care. It`s fine either way for me. Now, everything will depend on the work we put in and how quickly we can get into shape so that there are no, let`s say, incidents during the Riyadh and TI qualifiers.
— Does replacing one player significantly affect a team? Both generally and specifically in your case?
— So far, it affects us quite a bit, because at least one of the two supports needs to be able to communicate effectively. If that doesn`t happen, then there`s a problem in the early game. Supports are most important at the start; the cores only become crucial later. Therefore, if both supports are silent, it brings certain disadvantages.
— So Rein is quieter?
— Well, he`s new at this level. Even if he`s not silent, he`s not quite there yet. That`s normal in the beginning.
— And if we put aside his quietness, what`s your first impression of him?
— He`s a hardworking and quite intelligent guy. So, I think he can develop in the future – he just needs time.
— What were your impressions of your first games for Virtus.pro then?
— Well, I would have liked [to show] a higher level. Even without considering the top-4 finish, just looking at how many qualifiers we played before… We wanted to win the tournament, which, let`s be honest, is far from a Tier 1 level in terms of participants, and at least show a fight in the qualifier [for DreamLeague]. Not just have Nigma winning 3-0 in every situation and with any draft.
— What do you attribute the inability to show what you wanted to? The replacement, or this transition process of joining a new organization?
— It`s always a matter of personal individual form. What people always talk about – the organization, bootcamps in different countries, communication, blah blah blah – all fades in comparison to the personal form of each player.
— Then tell me more about individual form. I understand what affects form in traditional sports – injuries, workload, etc. What causes fluctuations in personal form in Dota 2?
— In my understanding, it can all be described by one word – discipline. That is, discipline, motivation, and so on. If a person is not disciplined and not motivated, they will have problems with personal form. Why aren`t older players respected? Because other things distract them: family, girlfriend, children, other life goals, and all that.
— But there`s an alternative view: that family, wife, girlfriend, on the contrary, can be a boost, support, and pillar that helps in a career. So, as I understand it, you view these purely as distractions?
— Not entirely. Of course, there are cases where your wife, girlfriend, children are more like a hobby. That is, you have to set priorities. If your job is the primary priority, then no matter what happens, you will still put work first. If that`s the case, then have two girlfriends, ten sons, 15 businesses – everything will be fine for you.
— If form is built on discipline, how easy or difficult is it for you to constantly maintain your gaming form?
— It`s easy for me. Because I have experience, including life experience, and a clear understanding that besides Dota, I don`t know how to do anything else. Yes, I`ve achieved some success in Dota and can go into streaming and earn a lot, I can, theoretically, do nothing for ten years and have enough money comfortably, but… I want more. I want to earn enough for the rest of my life or for some business.
— Okay, let`s assume you`ve earned enough for the rest of your life. What would you do then?
— I`m a workaholic, but I think I would likely get involved in something related to music rather than business. I could afford to hire the best teachers, dedicate all my time and attention to it, and sooner or later, I would be able to sing something.
— What genre would you like to pursue?
— Well, I would definitely start with something simple – like rap, and I`d like to finish… I don`t even know.
Or maybe I`d like to do something related to acting. In my opinion, if you`re a streamer, you have some charisma, you can do something. And while singing requires a lot of work, with good results and developed media presence, getting into some TV series and just trying it out, doing a reality check for yourself, is quite possible. It would be interesting to get into some Tier 2 or Tier 3 series and understand how adequate I feel there, how I perform, what the feedback would be.
— Did these artistic impulses appear recently, or is this something you thought about even before Dota?
— It probably wasn`t before Dota; it appeared during it. We have constant shoots, and streams… Ultimately, every team had some media presence. Somewhere it was better, somewhere worse, but still, there was a lot of diverse media content. Including something like mini-films. And that`s a very cool experience that influenced me.
— I remember BB Team had a funny video about your childhood.
— Something like that. Absolutely true (laughs).
— You mentioned a thought that is sometimes voiced by other Dota players: “I can`t do anything else besides Dota.” Does that worry you? Do you have any regrets about it, like “Damn, I wish I had pursued this or known how to do that back then”?
— Damn, you always want to say you wish you knew everything in the world, but the reality is that even if you put Dota aside and take any field, if a person wants to achieve something there, they must live and breathe it, and only it. If they don`t live their field, they likely won`t achieve anything.
— Yes, that`s absolutely true, but there`s a nuance. Most areas of life, let`s say, can stay with a person throughout their life. For example, an economist can still be in their field and fully realize themselves at 70. With athletes and esports players, it`s a different story: after their career ends at 30-35, they can face an existential crisis when what they`ve done their whole life is no longer available to them…
— Well, firstly, there are remnants of the past in the form of money. And whatever results you had – well, at least minimally adequate – if you`re not a complete fool, you can develop your media presence and take it further, not just through streams, but, like in traditional sports, through brand deals.
— Why do you think this perfectly understandable and logical conclusion about the value of media presence is shared by so few professional Dota players?
— Because everyone who plays computer games so much is antisocial. You know, it doesn`t just happen automatically; you have to work at it too. And everyone always dreams that they`ll get results now and start later. But then other problems arise, or they just stop caring. And when they really start thinking about it, it`s often too late.
— Have you discussed this topic with any of your teammates, by the way?
— I have, but then I realized their future is their concern. My job is to make them better players. And I understand that if you try to do ten things, you`re unlikely to succeed in all ten.
— You said that people who play a lot are mostly antisocial. Did you consider yourself one of them, or do you now?
— I did – yes. Do I now… Compared to an average person – yes, compared to a Dota player – probably not.
— When did you start changing in this regard?
— It`s been a gradual process throughout my life. You know, a small detail here, a small detail there. Our whole life is made up of little things.
— You yourself have a quite vivid public image. Perhaps one of the most prominent and noticeable. But your image also contains negative aspects. You are generally considered quite tough, sometimes unyielding, and confrontational. Do you agree with the image you have in the community, is it close to the real Nikita?
— More yes than no. If you want to be the best, you have to see reality – that`s one thing. And be able to correct your mistakes. It`s great to always tell everyone they`re doing well and so on. But the reality is, if everyone is always doing well and playing well, where do the winners come from?
— Then I want to clarify: suppose you tell someone the truth, and it leads to a negative outcome, even if you are right. Should you continue telling the truth, or is it better to just say, “You did well, it`ll work out next time”?
— Many times in my career, I should have stayed silent and not tried to correct people who couldn`t be corrected. If a person is weak and not ready to accept criticism, then… I should have just said: “That`s your right, I can`t help you in this situation,” and not put myself out there. But if you try to correct everyone and everything, unfortunately, you can get burned.
— You`re saying now that you understand you could have acted differently, so why didn`t you?
— There`s always hope that anyone can be improved, but most likely, that`s not the case – it never was and never will be.
— Returning to your public image. Would you like it to be slightly different, for less negativity to be associated with you?
— I build my image not by manipulating or messing with people. In fact, it`s very easy to do. You say: “Boom, I`ve suddenly changed,” explain how you changed, and so on. But that`s not enjoyable for me. It`s like, you know, when I was a streamer, I had the opportunity to do tens of thousands of different collaborations with various freaks. And in fact, that would have brought incredible success, but I just find that unpleasant.
It`s the same as playing at low MMR, like Stray and others do; it requires ten times less charisma and effort. You don`t even have to win. You don`t have to do anything; you just listen as people provide you with content themselves. I don`t enjoy doing that – it`s not what I strive for, and not what I want. Name a streamer who didn`t get a viewer boost when they played at low MMR? Everyone did. It requires less investment, and the result is easier. But that`s not what everyone wants.
— Yes, that`s a fact. But I was talking about something slightly different. I meant, weren`t you afraid that the baggage of being seen as confrontational by the audience could, say, turn you into Lil, for whom some doors on the professional scene were closed because of this?
— On the one hand, yes. On the other hand, I`ll tell you this… Damn, it`s a bit of a difficult question, because essentially, Dota 2, like other disciplines, isn`t just about your skill; the human factor and such also play a role. Nevertheless, if you`re super high-skill, all that reputation – sooner or later… Firstly, you can change at least a little, and secondly, if you`re high-skill, some things can be overlooked. The same hypothetical Lil, if he were incredibly high-skill now, like during the golden era of VP, there`s a very small chance that no team would want to take him. That`s just a fact.
— So, any image, no matter what it is, won`t be able to close all doors for you?
— Yes, exactly. Some doors will certainly be closed, but far from all.
— I wanted to ask you about your “open letters” that you published after leaving teams, which later became the start of public conflicts, let`s say. And I understood your logic that you were telling people the truth to their face to correct them and achieve results. But once you`ve left the team, you can no longer influence the results. So I want to ask: what was the purpose of that, and how do you view those open letters now?
— Look, firstly, going back to the initial point: you simply shouldn`t try to change what cannot be changed. You needed to just accept and resign yourself to the fact that no matter how skilled you are and how much you want to show other people, everyone has their limit. And you shouldn`t try to make a good player out of something unclear. You just need to squeeze the maximum out of him, and when his maximum is reached, say “That`s it, goodbye.”
Secondly, regarding these open letters… Why did I originally go into streaming? Because there was a very difficult and painful moment with Boolk that affected me greatly. And back then, I decided to remain silent. I was young then, decided to keep completely silent – and it completely ate away at me from the inside, as well as my reputation. And consequently, in subsequent times, I tried to be less silent about what was truly important for me to say.
— Why was the story with Boolk such a turning point and so difficult for you?
— Well, you know, our first experiences affect us the most. That was my first team, my first knowledge. Even considering the things he said to me, I am still grateful to him for teaching me so much about Dota. I basically knew nothing about Dota before that team [Gambit].
— What is your approach now, let`s say, to leaving a team? Hypothetically, how likely are you to publish another open letter in the future?
— Yes, the likelihood has probably decreased. Because now, when I see that a person has reached their maximum, my job is to ensure others see it, rather than trying to solve a problem myself that cannot be solved. My job is to play my absolute best, even if every teammate isn`t doing the same, because I have a responsibility to myself.
— Besides your changed view that there`s no point in trying to change people, what else has changed in you compared to, say, the Daxak of BB Team or the Daxak of Gambit?
— Well, I definitely play better. You can always say that. And from a human perspective, I now try to convey my thoughts more delicately sometimes, sometimes I try to do it through the coach, sometimes I don`t try at all. Whereas before, I would just be like: “Well, it`s obvious: 2+2=4! Why can`t he understand this?” And back then, I would keep arguing it until I was blue in the face. Although 2+2 really is 4, if the person doesn`t know the laws of mathematics, and I`m not a mathematician who can explain it clearly, well, okay.
— It`s clear that the media often highlights negative stories of you trying to teach someone or prove your point. Can you share some successful stories where someone understood that 2+2=4 thanks to your advice, so to speak?
— Let`s put it this way, look at the number of my teammates and their results. That question would be better directed to them. Ask MieRo, Larl, and so on. There are many such teammates. And ask them: “Did Daxak influence you?” That would be a more objective assessment.
— Is it important for you to be the main voice in the team and to some extent the boss?
— Results are important to me. If I need to speak for that, I will. If I need to be silent, I will be silent.
— How often have you been on teams where there was a leader who led the way and whom you silently trusted?
— That has never happened, 100%. Although… Partially, it happened with SoNNeikO, even in the current Chimera roster, some moments worked out a little. At DreamLeague, for example, I quietly focused entirely on myself. That`s perfectly fine with me.
— We discussed how you often told people sometimes unpleasant truths throughout your career, but how often do you praise your teammates?
— That`s my problem that I still can`t solve. I have trouble giving praise – I`m trying to fix it and at least say some compliments. That`s my weak point.
— And why is that, what`s the reason?
— I`m just the kind of person who believes that by giving compliments, you don`t give, show, or teach a person anything. But that`s not how psychology works for 90% of people. Most likely, without compliments, they won`t even talk to you, roughly speaking.
— So that applies to you outside of Dota and the professional scene as well?
— I think so.
— I wanted to shift topics slightly and talk about clubs. In Dota, unlike most traditional team sports, players don`t have loyalty or attachment to clubs. You won`t see a Dota player kissing the club emblem or refusing a transfer to another team because of attachment to fans. In Dota, a club is simply an employer and nothing more. Why is that?
— Because esports has existed for much less time than traditional sports. How long has esports existed? Well, a little over 20 years. And football? A thousand years?
— Well, a little over a hundred.
— About a hundred and something – at this professional level. But still many times more. And, let`s say, how many people on the planet can play Dota, and how many people on the planet can use anything from a pumpkin to a ball. Do you understand what I mean? The sample size of people is much larger. And you have to understand that the number of antisocial people in football is much smaller than in esports. And a person always knows that no matter how hardworking they are, in reality, first – they can always be replaced, and second – it`s great luck that they ended up here, were noticed, and were cared for like a child. In esports, many people don`t understand this basic discipline, which prevents them from developing until they get kicked. The best motivation in Dota is being kicked. Until a person is kicked, they don`t give a damn. But when they are kicked… oh my god, what motivation appears then.
— We`ve touched upon the topic of discipline several times during the interview. So I want to ask: what is discipline to you, and how is it expressed within a professional Dota 2 team?
— Ideally, it`s at least discipline within Dota itself. And then, for the coolest and super-super-super Tier 1 level – communication, diet, daily routine. To start with, I`d just like everyone to show up for practice, be fully engaged, and if you plan for four games, make sure all games are played properly. Meaning, even if you`re playing against weak opponents, whether in pubs, practice lobbies, or elsewhere, everything should be done with maximum discipline.
— That`s interesting. You started by saying just being focused in Dota itself. I thought that was basic, not even worth mentioning. So, there are problems with that?
— Yes, even with Tier 1 players. There are moments when even top players make the same mistakes. You`ll ask someone, “Why did you make a mistake?” and they`ll reply, “Yeah, I got distracted, didn`t care, thought we were done already,” or “We`re just playing against scrubs,” you know?
— Is that specifically a matter of discipline, or is it perhaps a ceiling in multitasking, meaning a player can`t keep all these variables in mind at once and forgets?
— At Tier 3 level – yes, [you could explain it that way]. Maybe even Tier 2 level. But this happens even at Tier 1 level! Even with the best teams! And since it happens even with the best teams, you can`t prove anything to a person afterwards, because they`ll reply, “The best team in the world does this kind of crap, but they still win, so that`s not the problem.” It`s like, you know, I once had a dialogue with a person who smokes, and they said, “Something feels wrong when I smoke and walk, I think the problem is with walking.” I hope they were joking.
(Editor`s note: Smoking is harmful to your health. We do not smoke and advise you not to.)
— How important then is discipline outside of Dota, and all those things about going to the gym, proper nutrition, sleep?
— About 10-15 percent. But there`s no point to it if discipline in Dota isn`t followed. If you take two identical people who play the same, on the same role, and have the same knowledge, the one who is more disciplined in real life will have about 10-15% more impact, roughly speaking.
— Then I want to ask about the factor of trust in Dota. How does it work for you: do you approach new teammates with a certain level of initial trust, or does your trust need to be earned?
— The baseline level of trust in each person varies – it depends on their results, current form, and so on. And then it either goes up or down. The better you play, the more trust goes up – the more quick, good, smart actions you make. The less of that, the less trust there is in you. If you`re a bad player, even if you say absolutely correct things, you`ll never have trust if you`re in a player slot. Then it`s better to become a coach if you speak well but can`t execute it. In a player slot, you have to lead by example.
— You know, there used to be two categories of coaches: the draft-focused one, and, say, a coach like Artstyle who would hold the team together…
— Well, drink with everyone… But actually, some teams lack people who unite them in one way or another.
— For you, what functions should a modern coach fulfill?
— It`s individual for each team, depending on what the collective is lacking. Some need a more draft-focused coach, some need someone who will bring the players together.
— And for you?
— For me personally, it`s someone who is good at communicating and handles drafts. Ideally, they should be able to correctly rephrase information from me and deliver it to the necessary people in the right amount. Because when there`s a large amount of information, the “large” part comes first, and only then the “information,” and it doesn`t matter how correct it is.
— And all these talks about friends on the team and common interests, like watching anime together after official matches, how useful is that in reality?
— I think it affects the atmosphere and provides a boost, just like discipline outside of the game. It adds its 10-15%. But again, there`s no point to it if you don`t understand Dota.
— I also remember BB Team`s video after The International 2022 where you talked about a psychologist, saying they “did absolutely nothing.” Was that one bad experience, or is the potential benefit of psychologists for a Dota team generally exaggerated?
— I think it was one unpleasant experience. And most importantly, you have to understand that a psychologist is useless if 90% of players, if not more, tell them to “get lost, psychologist.” If a person isn`t ready for a psychologist, they won`t be able to help in any way.
— Why? It seems like psychologists have entered the mainstream in recent years, and almost every third person has interacted with them in some way… And here, a psychologist isn`t just for personal benefit but supposedly for team results.
— Let`s put it differently, players will say: “Yes, yes, we`ll work with the psychologist, blah blah blah.” But in parentheses it`ll be: “Go away.”
— Is that all due to being closed off?
— Yes, it`s all due to being closed off and severely antisocial.
— Then I want to change the topic slightly at this point and talk not about antisocial behavior, but about social behavior. What is Daxak like outside of Dota 2? How different is he from Daxak in Dota 2? Do you have a switch?
— I`m just as incredibly demanding in life. That is, in my understanding, it`s difficult for me not just to be in a relationship, but even to be friends with someone when I see they are a lousy worker, that they don`t care. For me, that`s already such a red flag that my eye will twitch when I see someone who doesn`t care. And then, you know, over a mug of beer – I don`t drink, just as an example – they`ll tell me how great they are, how fantastic they are, and how unlucky they are.
— So, even if their job isn`t related to you at all, but they treat it with disdain…
— Yes, I just find it unpleasant, because I know that if I continue to interact with them and stay in such company, sooner or later I might become like them.
— What other red flags do people have for you?
— Nasty qualities like being one way to your face and another behind your back. Any kind of rottenness. Someone who will step over others, really harshly, and so on.