HeatoN - The One And Only
- Skrevet af Straube
Hvem er kongen af Counter-Strike? Det er et spørgsmål, som er blevet stillet utallige gange og selvom CS har eksisteret i lang tid, så har folk altid været enige; 
Han spiller i øjeblikket på hvad der ligner et af Sveriges allerbedste hold, NiP. Efter hans helt store succesperiode i
Her gik det knap så godt og holdet måtte tage hjem med to nederlag i bagagen.
En ret ringe start for et hold, som ellers så utrolig spændende ud. Resultatet fik da også kort efter konsekvenser, og holdet valgte at skille sig af med KunFigur3 og BulleN. Rygterne begyndte kort derefter at flyve over hele CS-netværket og der blev gættet på et utal af spillere. Kort efter 
I dag består Ninjas in Pyjamas af HeatoN, walle, miniw, Tentpole og face. Et hold, som for få uger siden fik deres debut i EuroCup XV. Her har de indtil videre gjort rent bord og har med sejre over 
Interview med HeatoN
Hey HeatoN. Everyone that knows just a little bit about Counter-Strike on a professional level knows you as a top gamer. But what kind of person are you when you're not in game?
Hey! Well outside the game I'm pretty much a normal guy who like to do normal stuff - although I don't do much else than playing cs, being with my girlfriend and working out.
When you play Counter-Strike for more than just the fun of it, it takes up a lot of your time - we all know that. What kind of comments have you received from your family and friends about your alternative choice of sport?
Well first of my parents were really negative about it, since it really came between school stuff and my icehockey - which I was very serious with when I started playing a lot. But when we started to win some tournaments and got a lot of media attention as well as a lot of money, they decided to support me 100%, and I'm really greatful for that, since I wouldn't have made it this far without their support. And about my friends it was never a problem. Even though my friends doesn't play, they all knew a lot about the game and really thought it was cool that I got so good at it.
You are not only a talented gamer but you have also become a kind of symbol for Counter-Strike. How do you feel about that and do you do something special to maintain this status?
It feels great to be a symbol of the thing you really love to do, I mean what can be better? And I don't really do anything special to maintain that, I really dislike people who do a lot of things to get famous and hype themselvesso they look better then they really are. I'm just me doing my thing, and I'm really happy that a lot of people like it.
As mentioned you are a known face all around the world and most of all in your native country Sweden. Do you get recognized when clubbing with your mates or when you walk down to the local supermarket? Perhaps you have a funny incident you could share with us?
It sure happens a lot, but Swedish people are normally pretty laidback so they don't mostly walk up to you and talk - unless they've had a couple of beers before ;) But it happens a lot at nightclubs etc. Well one funny thing that happened a couple of months ago were 2 young guys in town with their mother for just over the day or something, and they saw me on the subway and they got really really crazy starting getting pictures, autographs etc and saying it was the biggest day of there life. In moments like that, when 2 young guys really looks at to you for what you've done it all feels really good.
"As everyone know he is a fantastic player which he has been since before I even got a computer. He is great as a person aswell, easy going and nice. You want to be in a team with him just like everyone else wants."
One of the gamers you have played with the most is Potti. In 2001 Potti picked you up from Nostradamus to NiP Gaming and it was here that you became really famous. Which relationship do you two have and do you still meet / talk together since Potti stopped playing Counter-Strike?
We are still great friends, But we don't live in the same town so the most contact we have is via msn or phone, but we still talk a lot and try to get together as much as possible.
Your most successful period as a CS-gamer is without a doubt when you played for SK.swe where you won several CPL events and the WCG 2003. However, everything collapsed shortly before CPL Winter 2004 because of some contract issues. What was it that you demanded which SK Gaming didn't want to provide you with?
Well Shortly described, we really didn't feel like we were a part of SK - and they didn't do anything to make us feel like it.
In August 2006 it went public that you were not going to be an active part of NiP's Counter-Strike team anymore and you were then replaced by SpawN. Why did all this happen?
It was actually just suppose to be over 2 tournaments, SpawN asked us if he could start playing for us, and I mean who can turn down a chance to have SpawN in your team? And I knew that I were going away right before those 2 tournaments due to my fathers 50th birthday and wouldn't be able to play anything before them, So I gave up my spot for the 2 first tournaments, and we would replace me with whoever didn't play that good after them, But unlucky for me they all played great and they won tournament after tournament so there wasn't really any room for me to get in there.
In the subsequent period the team achieved great success. You did not play but nevertheless you followed the team to the various events as a kind of coach. How was it not to play and what do you think it meant for the other guys that you weren't with them in game?
I'm not sure what it meant for them, but they said they got more pushed to perform better etc. And I actually think a good coach would be really crucial in cs IF they were able to talk all the time to all players. You see so much back there that you can say that the others don't really see, so I would really like to see coaches being able to talk all the time in future events - I think it would bring cs a step forward.
In the middle of January this year NiP faced some serious changes. zet who had grown to be quite an extraordinary gamer said yes to an offer from compLexity. How did you feel like when you said goodbye to an important character and friend?
I really know how much zet likes America and the American lifestyle, aswell as his friends over there. So I was actually really happy for him when the offer came and I really feel that he deserved it.
The one and only Heaton, who basicly dominated the whole counter-strike scene during hes succes in booth NiP and SK. He really was the player that set Counter-strike on the map with hes great abilities booth as a leader and as one man army in-game. He is now back after picking flowers in world of warcraft with a new reformed NiP. I really wish emil and the others guys the best of luck. And i hope to see some great results in the future. Cause he cant be tirred after winning 9cpl´s? seriously thats nothing!
ins, RobbaN and SpawN (who played as standin) also left the team in favour of fnatic and SK respectively. And the question is again; how did you feel like when saying goodbye, and how do you feel about their choices?
I got really disappointed with some of them, since they are really good friends with me, and it came as a shock to me.
This left you and walle in NiP. Shortly after you chose to recruite walle's brother, miniw, the Norwegian talent, KF3 and legendary BulleN. A very interesting lineup that in time could prove to be the world's best. How was the team brought together and what were your expectations for the team?
We really felt that we needed a team fast, so we didn't really try it out as much as we should have - and we hade expectations to get back in the top before summer.
Unfortunately we only saw the team live once at the Swedish SEC qualification and back then it was missing KF3 in the lineup. At the event you lost to your two big rivals SK and fnatic. Shortly after both KF3 and BulleN were let loose in favour of the two ex Begrip-players, Tentpole and face and the lineup hasn't changed since. Why those two and what expectations and plans for the future do you have?
We felt that this team wouldn't be as good as we had hoped for within the near future. And we had some problems communication. During this time, and even before, I had looked a lot at Tentpole as he performed really well in former tournaments. At SHG Open in Denmark he impressed me yet again, and there were also this guy I'd barley heard of before - named face - who owned teams like Fnatic & MYM almost by him self. So we got really interested in both of them and when we decided to change 2 players I started talking to Tentpole and he said that face was amazing. After some testing and praccing we decided to take them in. Our expectations for the new team is only to become the BEST.
It wasn't a big problem getting hold of Tentpole but the legally bound face on the other hand was a big issue and a lot of focus was on the contract matter between NiP and Begrip. Do you have any comments on this matter?
Not really, Im just happy that both parts are happy with the outcome of it
I've known HeatoN since 2001 when we first met at the school we were about to begin in. He came up from behind and tapped my shoulder and this giant stands behind me cause I had no idea how he looked like back then hehe. He's a really great guy irl with always something sick in head that you can laugh about. As for gaming he has always been one of the best counter-strike players that played and was nice playing the same team with him aswell. One of the best climbing walls aswell for sure!
Let's return to our primary focus again: You. When you in the distant (not so distant?) future declare yourself definitively fed up by Counter-Strike what will happen? Are you going to continue within the eSport environment like bsl and vesslan?
Depends on if the right opportunity comes up for me. I love gaming and I'll probably do it all my life. But I have a great job waiting for me outside the gaming world when I want and it actually feels kind of tempting to have a 9 to 5 work and a normal life when you have been competing in CS and have had anything but a normal life for the last 6 years.
Which person on the scene do you respect the most and why?
Potti by far. Even tough hes' not active anymore, he's the best person in everyway both in- and outside the game.
As time has passed you've played with a ton of people. In many cases the gamers have picked up a few things from you but which player has taught you the most?
Potti there aswell! He learned me a lot when he first took me in under his wings.
Some mean that you aren't what you were - gamingwise. Of course it's understandable that you haven't been able to perform equally in your time as a gamer but do you regard yourself as fit for fight and better than ever?
Well it's hard to say - a couple of years ago everybody was really bad to be honest, and it was easy to dominate, Nowdays a lot of people have developed a lot and its much hard to be this crazy guy running around winning matches by your self.
You have seen many gamers going from nothing to big international profiles. Who do you think will be the next gamer to make a long lasting breakthrough?
Well face for sure, but I guess he already made it? Then I would have to say Blomstar.
CPL is one of the events that you've participated in the most. The organizers behind the event have always been in favour for Counter-Strike 1.6 but recently Angel Munoz and The CPL announced that the upcoming CPL Summer will not feature CS 1.6. How do you feel about that?
It feels really sad that something so old and with so much prestige in its name, drops their most succesful game ever. But it didn't come as a shock to be since CPL is a shadow of it's former self in every way.
Before we wrap it up I have to ask you about your opinion on Counter-Strike: Source and do you see any future in the game?
A worse copy of Counter-Strike. Worse in every way except the graphics. It could be so much better and really take over for 1.6 if VALVe started listening to what the community wants.
I would like to thank you a lot for your time and wish you the best of luck for the future. Do you have something you want to add before we stop?
Thank you! I would like to take this opportunity to shoot out some thanks to our sponsors, our fans And our webcrew( Specially dTm & Radical), who's doing such a great work for NiP. And a lot of <3 to my girlfriend and my friends.
