Quentyn K. August 15, 2019
Team Liquid has signed former Overwatch pro Lucas “Mendokusaii” Håkansson, but it’s a different genre of shooter he’ll next be playing for them. Liquid picked Mendokusaii up for its growing Apex Legends squad.
The Swedish Mendokusaii joins American teammates Gage “caliburn” Meyer, Thomas “Flanker” Cook, and Brendon “Casper” Marino, who currently play Apex Legends as a team. It’s possible he could be on hand as a substitute for that trio, but Liquid also recognizes his value as a content creator and community personality.
Mendokusaii got his start by playing Counter-Strike in a series of low stakes online tournaments for Cloud9. He transitioned to Overwatch League in 2017 when he signed with the Houston Outlaws as a DPS flex player, but the team only managed 7th place in its inaugural season.
Mendokusaii spent a good chunk of that time sitting on the bench and supporting his teammates from the sidelines, with health issues impacting his availability for the Outlaws. Those circumstances prompted him to focus more on his streaming and YouTube efforts.
But things changed when Apex Legends launched. Mendokusaii quickly attuned himself to the game and set the mark for most kills in a match with 36. That record has since fallen, but that feat established him as a legit competitor in a scene that’s relatively new to him.
Although his release from the Outlaws came on July 26, Mendo says he had known a transition was coming for a while. In an interview with Team Liquid, he says the kill record was a galvanizing moment for his stream. When the accolade brought with it a fresh injection of viewers, he petitioned them to determine whether he should stay with Overwatch or switch fully to Apex Legends.
Fans were strongly in favor of the switch, but what made it easiest for Mendokusaii was his realization that the Overwatch he once loved was long gone. He enjoyed the shooting aspects most, but new heroes caused had gradual meta shifts. It became more akin to a MOBA before long, with lull periods between massive team fights as everyone awaits ultimate abilities while they push for positioning.
Apex balances the shooting and MOBA elements more in favor of the former, and the high mobility, fast-paced gameplay was enough to push Mendokusaii over the fence.
He walks into a team that’s struggling to grow its prestige in Apex Legends. The existing roster mostly competes in weekly FACEIT competitions and took ninth place at the EXP Invitational at X Games Minneapolis, winning just $6,000 in prize money. Time will tell if Liquid calls on Mendokusaii’s raw shooting skills to help reach the next level.