Melchior "Seleri" Hillenkamp has been instrumental in establishing Gaimin Gladiators as one of the staples in the European Dota 2 scene. Gaimin Gladiators finished second in the DPC WEU 2023 Tour 1: Division I and qualified for the Lima Major 2023 on the back of a successful season. The charismatic player joined Esports Heaven for an interview talking about the roster changes, expectations heading into the Lima Major 2023, Quinn's addition to the team and more. Gaimin Gladiators has performed well in the DPC WEU 2023 Tour 1: Division I by securing second place and qualifying for the Lima Major 2023. How do you rate your team’s performance so far in the new DPC season? I am very happy with our results with the roster so far, and we are learning and improving a lot so I'd rate it 8/10. The first boot camp has been very useful for us, even if you change just a few people you need to all get on the same page. Quinn’s addition has boded well for Gaimin Gladiators in the DPC WEU 2023. In a way, Quinn’s playstyle is similar to BOOM’s on almost every front. What was the rationale behind inviting Quinn to join the team? We felt like we needed a change, I think Quinn is very different from BOOM in many aspects, so don’t want to go too much into detail. But one reason we invited Quinn was after Ace and I analysed replays of potential mids we were interested in at TI. We saw how well he played and the potential that he already showed. If you would just look at recent placement you might think Quinn was washed, but if you looked at the gameplay you would see the opposite is true. How was the situation within the team after The International 2022? Was BOOM planning to stick with the team or was it a last-minute change in the roster? We were very open with each other after TI11 ended, so it was not a surprise to anyone in the team. After some discussion Ace, Tofu and I decided we would stick together and move on forward with a different coach and without BOOM. It definitely was not an easy discussion to have but at the end of the day, we are all friends and we understood this was a business decision.

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Read: Everything you need to know about the Dota 2 The Lima Major 2023

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DPC WEU 2023 Tour 1 has been a thriller, to say the least. Let’s start with your thoughts on Team Secret’s unexpected relegation to Division II. It must feel sad to watch your ex-teammate [BOOM] drop to the lower division. I am quite sad for BOOM indeed, I was not sure what to expect, but I hoped they would do better than how it unfolded. Even though I kicked him after TI, he is the player I have played with on a team the longest in my career. I fondly think back to the times we have spent together so I understand he is having a rough time right now, I hope he will recover in the future and show what he can do!

(Image credit: Valve)

Team Liquid has put up a dominant performance, especially with Nisha’s addition. However, you were one of the two teams to take a game off the eventual DPC WEU 2023 Tour 1 winner. What did you learn from the series? We learned a lot, in terms of drafting, gameplay and confidence. We knew as long as we just play and are confident we will put up a good show, and we think we did quite a good job besides the issues that showed due to a lack of understanding and execution in our game plan. Now that ImmortalFaith has left to coach Nigma Galaxy, who is the brains behind the drafting phase? It’s a team effort now that is powered by all the players and our new coach CY. But the people that have the most input are Ace, CY and me. I like to joke that Tofu thinks he has a lot of input but he is just a button clicker like Dyrachyo. How has the team dynamics changed since the beginning of the new season? Our atmosphere has improved a lot, we still have our issues like every team and human will have, but we are able to talk about everything, and still have a good time! What is the biggest lesson the TI11 experience taught you – something that you’ll always keep in mind? Being on the same page and atmosphere is vital to success, or your chances of slipping up and getting into a downward spiral are a lot higher. Has it helped that DPC seasons now last for four weeks as compared to the previous year? I think this is better for everyone! There will be more room now for other tournaments, and boot camps don’t have to last till the end of time. What are your expectations heading into the Lima Major 2023? Assuming all is well and safe in Lima, my expectation is always that we will keep improving and trying our best. But I know we are all confident and our goal will be top 3 at least.

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