The Piltover Post

With the end of the North American Challenger League’s regular season, not everyone was fortunate enough to secure a spot in the promotion tournament that takes place in Mexico City, starting this Saturday October 4th. Supernova finished in 1st place before playoffs. After a less-than-stellar playoff run, the team found themselves in fourth place. In spite of this, Chris “Horder” Feng found himself winning the “Rookie of the Year”. With that declaration, he reflects on how the year went and what he looks forward to most next year.

Q: What initially drew you to League of Legends, and what keeps you inspired to play and continue improving as a player?

A: I originally started playing League of Legends at a very young age, just to play with my sister. Slowly over time, I got a lot better, and what keeps my fire to keep improving and playing is winning. I love the feeling of slowly progressing, getting better and better, and at the end of the day, there’s really no feeling like winning and being the best.

Q: At the end of the regular season, you and Supernova found yourselves in a three-way tie at the top of the table. Many players I have spoken with previously have expressed their dislike of the best-of-one format. Do you think it would have made a difference in your team’s standings?

A: While best of 1’s are not a great display of a team’s actual strength, I do think that we worked hard and played really well in most of our games. I think the difference would have been negligible.

Q: With the valid criticism regarding format, a lot of teams found themselves climbing through playoffs even after finishing at the bottom of the pack. For example, Blue Otter finished 8th place with a 3-6 win record before ultimately knocking your team out of the playoffs, first sending you to the losers’ bracket and then completely in your rematch. Do you think having a best-of-3 format during the regular season would have helped you prepare more for the playoffs?

A: One thing I always appreciated about last split’s NACL was the bo3 format. I believe it gave the players, and especially rookies like me, more stage experience, which I believe to be really crucial for the playoffs. It’s hard to say, and I do believe there were many other factors at hand, but maybe if we had those extra stage games, our fate versus Blue Otter would have changed.

Q: Despite the playoffs not going the way that you and your team wanted, you still won Rookie of the Split! Not only were you the only rookie on Supernova’s squad, you were paired off with three former LCS/LTAN players in Joshua “Dardoch” Hartnett, Nicholas “Ablazeolive” Abbott, Jeremiah “ScaryJerry” Leathe, and a seasoned NACL veteran in Brindon “Breezy” Keesey. Did this add pressure to your debut in the tier two scene? Who did you look up to the most for advice on navigating your first year? 

A: Playing with 3 EX-LCS players and a seasoned veteran definitely put some pressure on me; I felt like I had a lot to prove. Every scrim and stage match felt like a tryout. The last thing I wanted to do was be another face in the crowd, getting backpacked by 4 vets, so I really tried to give it my all every game. I’m very glad for all this pressure because if I hadn’t felt the need to prove myself, maybe I wouldn’t have gotten ROTY. In terms of advice, I’d say I managed pretty well on my own, but my teammates gave me really good insight into the game. I learned a lot about picks from Josh, and I think Nick helped me be a better teammate.

Q: NACL viewers have high hopes for you in the upcoming years after a fantastic rookie year. Are you one of those players who caves under expectations, or do you think you’ll take that faith and use it as motivation to grow and become a shining star and promote to tier one?

A: There is no doubt in my mind that I will live up to expectations for the following year. Ever since tier 3, I’ve always thought that I’m not a particularly good player; everyone else is just worse. This gives me the constant motivation to improve and eventually play at a level where I can be satisfied with my performance, which I think I’m far from; I’m not even close to my ceiling yet. All the support I’ve received on my journey to tier 1 has been incredible, and I refuse to let anyone down.

Q: What advice do you have for newer players just starting and wanting to rank up with a chance to play competitively?

A: For new players, my best advice is to focus on your own gameplay. The most important thing to even get your foot in the door is a high ranking on the ladder; mixed with solid gameplay, you can make a great debut.

Q: Last but not least: With NACL finished for the year, and nothing on the horizon until 2026, what are your plans for the off-season? What are your parting words to your fans, your coaches, and your teammates?

A: For the following off-season, I’m looking to hone some of the weaker aspects of my gameplay. I’ll be looking to play in any showcases and get in my comp practice wherever I can. I’m really grateful for my teammates on Supernova for teaching me so much this split and all my fans for supporting me throughout the year. My run is far from over, and I’m excited for the next year!