Head of Vitality Fabien “Neo” David gave an interview to the HLTV portal, in which he spoke about changes in the composition of the team and what goals its management sets for the near future.
Back in November last year, it became known that three e-sportsmen who played key roles in Astralis would begin the new season as part of the French organization. David explains that this move was not at all as unexpected as it might seem from the outside: Vitality has always been built as a long-term project that focuses not only on immediate tasks, but also on sustainable development. Therefore, the formation of an international squad was considered as an option from the very beginning: “We wanted to build a cycle of two or three years, but due to coronavirus we were forced to extend it to give the players time to prove themselves.” In any case, in 2021 this cycle was ending, and it was clear to all project participants that big changes were coming.
The transition to working with an international team also means a new strategy. If previously the organization relied on the development of young players, now it wants to speed up this process by concluding contracts with more experienced participants. Interestingly, a similar change in approach will affect Vitality's divisions dedicated to other disciplines. Neo mentions that maintaining a roster made up entirely of French players was not a completely impossible option, as there are many ambitious players in the local esports scene who would have a chance to make it to the majors. However, from a strategic point of view, the transition to an international composition was an obvious decision.
