“I think being an anchor is an honour” – HeavyGod on his roles, time at Endpoint, and G2 at IEM Kraków

Nikita ‘HeavyGod’ Martynenko spoke to Esports News UK before their IEM Kraków quarter-final clash with Mouz.

The Russian rifler reflected on G2’s difficulties following their BLAST London victory, as well as his love of the anchor role and G2’s journey at IEM Kraków.

HeavyGod also reflected on his time at Endpoint, and how the British organisation helped him become the player he is today.

“People are saying you have to be star player to shine, but I just see things differently. I think you can shine in any position, [it] doesn’t matter.” – HeavyGod on anchor roles

I remember last year at BLAST London, you were really popping off. How much are you looking forward to being in front of the crowd here again?

Yeah, I mean, it’s always exciting. Excited to play in front of the crowd. I’m really excited, and I’m looking forward to it.

It was really nice in London. I think the amount of support I got from a lot of British people and a lot of people on top outside the arena, in the arena. It was crazy.

Actually, I really loved it. I hope I can also do the same in this arena and have the same path and It was really nice, and I cannot wait to play already on stage.

“I’m looking forward to this season, because I think you can see more of our foundations, more of our like basics, I would say, and gameplay and environment.” – on G2’s growth with more time together

After BLAST London, what do you think prevented you from going further in other events last year after that?

I think after BLAST, we just couldn’t find some stability in the team, and we were lacking some gameplay under pressure, and we just were too nervous, I would say.

We just didn’t have good teamplay at the end of the season, and we couldn’t fulfil what we really wanted with what followed.

Our team culture, a lot of small stuff in general… I mean, you need to work on everything. We were a young team, six months.

I’m looking forward to this season, because I think you can see more of our foundations, more of our like basics, I would say, and gameplay and environment.

I think everything is evolving in small steps.

“We worked on a lot of foundations in the game, like basics… in the game and also outside of the game, how to react to a lot of different situations. We were preparing a lot of stuff on the mental side, the in-game stuff.” – HeavyGod on what G2 are working on

What would you say are some of the things which have added to your game now?

I think in general it’s obvious that communication is always key.

I mean, this is the easy answer. You always need to work on communication, how to handle pressure, and how to communicate when you’re pressured.

When you’re a bit nervous, when you’re a bit less focused, it really depends on a lot of stuff. But I think basically we worked on a lot of foundations in the game, like basics.

It can be added from A to Z, basically in the game and also outside of the game, how to react to a lot of different situations.

We were preparing a lot of stuff on the mental side, the in-game stuff.

And it was all from the staff and thanks to the staff of G2 because they actually made us to do this stuff and they are helping us also outside of the server.

The staff the coaching staff are putting a lot of hours for us to be in that like try to evolve and improve every time, because it wouldn’t be easy without them, trust me.

“I was just thinking like, ‘What is lacking in Tier 1,’ and I didn’t see a lot of really, really good anchors.” – HeavyGod on carving out an anchor niche

In general, there have not been many roster changes coming into this year. Do you have any thoughts on that?

I mean, it’s fine. I think it’s better in general, that’s how I see it.

When you stick together for a longer time, you have more options to get better results.

But if you don’t see results for a long, long time, then something needs to be changed.

That’s how I see it. We didn’t have the perfect season last season, but it’s whatever, I mean, we are growing together.

So would you say you are glad that there weren’t any changes in G2?

I think I think it benefits us from other teams who made changes.

There was a graphic which showed that you were the ‘purest’ anchor in Tier 1, as in you played the most anchor positions. Why do you think your game developed in that direction?

I don’t know, honestly. I really have no answer for this. I mean, I just like this role.

For me, It doesn’t matter what I have to play because I played every role in my last team.

I was just thinking like, ‘What is lacking in Tier 1,’ and I didn’t see a lot of really, really good anchors. There are some good anchors that I really like, and I follow them, but not too many of them.

People have the mentality of wanting to be maybe a star or a second star, and it’s fine.

I think being an anchor is an honour, you know? It’s great to be anchor.

I know people are saying you have to be star player to shine, but I just see things differently. I think you can shine in any position, [it] doesn’t matter.

It just depends on your personality and the way you see the game and the way you react as a person.

🚨 ANCHOR PURITY CHECK 🚨

HeavyGod is the only 100% PURE anchor on his pool and still posting TOP CT ratings.

Anchor of the Year… yes or no? https://t.co/wNr2P4bpYd pic.twitter.com/rEVGNaOoyr

— Aymeinstein (@aymeinstein) December 24, 2025

It’s not been a straightforward event for G2; you’ve been tested a lot so far. What are your general emotions about the tournament?

We came here open-minded. We just wanted to fight and show what we were practising for and what we were working really hard as a team.

I think it’s really important for us to show what we’re really capable of. We really want to show ourselves not to someone but to ourselves.

Only what we work on, on a daily basis, should have value, and I think this is the most important thing for us, just to grow from every day and just believe in ourselves and go step by step.

Don’t jump over the cliff. Don’t jump over anything, Just believe one step by one step, the things we work on, the things we practise.

This is the most important thing. This is how I see it, and the team also.

Lost to Spirit in a close game , didn’t close it out. We lost too many rounds on our terms. GG’S to them see ya in quarter finals👏

— HeavyGod (@HeavyGodCS) February 3, 2026

You have a British connection through your time in Endpoint. How did that help you become the player that you are now?

Endpoint is, I would say, a bit different an organisation from a lot of CS organisations because… I don’t even know how to describe it.

It was like perfect in any aspect, like it was my first big organisation and they helped me in anything I really needed.

Obviously, they are located in the UK, and it was also nice to go to the UK. I like some people from there, and I made some friends in the UK. It’s really nice.

I mean Endpoint was… they weren’t that big an org, but I think they tried to do anything they could for the players and always sacrificed, and I really like that about them.

They were always seeking new adventures, and they were trying their best to fulfil the players’ demands.

It was really nice, and obviously because of them, other teams saw me. I mean, they just helped me in any aspect