“Emerikson is one of the most popular Czech console game streamers. He has been playing regularly in FIFA since 2002 and his biggest achievements include 3rd place in the V4 tournament in Budapest in FIFA 18, 1st place in the third year of the COOL League in FIFA 21 and he is the first electronic representative of the Czech Republic when he managed in 2021 to win the entire qualification. He became an esportsman of Sparta in January 2019.” so describe the current career of their teammate Jan “Emerikson” Krupicka on the website of AC Sparta Prague, the first football club in the Czech Republic to enter the then uncharted waters of EA Sports’ FIFA series professional play. It is most commonly played in FIFA Ultimate Team’s competitive mode, where players collect cards of real football players, which they then control on a virtual field. Each card has different skills, so each player behaves slightly differently in the game itself.
What is it like to represent a famous Czech football club? Is it possible to make a living playing FIFA professionally in the Czech Republic? And what does Honza think about the current situation in the world of football games? He talked about all this in an interview.
Hi Honza, you have been playing FIFA for over three years on behalf of Sparta. How has the FUT name or competitive mode changed over this time?
I have to say that the game changes a lot every year, especially the style of the game. Every year there are things that work more or less. Be it lineups, game elements or meta players. That’s why you need to adapt as quickly as possible at the beginning of the year to gain the confidence you need in your game and have a potential advantage over other players. This can only be achieved by playing regularly.
When you started at FIFA, did you ever have any ambition or did you ever think that you could one day play professionally for a club like Sparta?
I confess, when I started playing, it never even crossed my mind that I could make a living from this and someday in the future play for the biggest club in our country. The game was more of a hobby for me and a kind of distraction from real football. However, I ate every year, played many hours, and eventually, after the injury, I started a little more and managed to break into the competitive scene.
Is it possible today to make a full-fledged career in professional FIFA, or do players still have some auxiliary professions?
Everyone is different. In my case, I am grateful that I can make a living doing this and not look for another job. There are still only a few full-time players in the Czech Republic, but their number is increasing every year. I think it’s a natural process. In four or five years, and maybe even earlier, dozens of players will be playing at the professional level with a contract.
Do you have a number of achievements in your profile on the Sparta website that you are most proud of?
Czechoslovak record in WL 117-0 (WL = Weekend League Game Mode, aka FUT Champions Editor’s Note), 1st in COOL League Season 3, 3rd and 4th in V4 in Hungary, won the qualification for the position of the first e-representative. These are the achievements that I am most proud of.
What exactly is a top for a professional? What is the greatest success that can be achieved here in the Czech Republic, and is there a foreign tournament that is an imaginary pinnacle?
The biggest success for FIFA players is to win the Global Series, which is the FIFA World Cup for individuals. In my opinion, this is the biggest peak that a professional player can reach. In our country, these are slightly smaller tournaments than the mentioned GS. The official Czech league, which is also licensed from the game’s publisher, is the e:LIGA, organized by the League’s Football Association. From there, players can enter European competitions, which are part of the game’s official competitive structure. Then there are other slightly smaller tournaments like COOL Liga, iSport Liga, eLEAGUE or MČSR from Topgaming. These are probably the most famous tournaments in our country.
How does it work among FIFA professionals in terms of individual FIFA years? Do you have to have the latest game every year? Is professional FIFA played on a platform other than the Playstation?
FIFA is released every year in September-October. A player must always have a last game if they want to participate in tournaments. You can’t do without it. This year, EA is actively promoting the Playstation. It used to be played on the Xbox. As far as I know, all major tournaments are also only on the Playstation.
How does the club, in your case Sparta, support the players? For example, do you get a new game every year?
Of course, this is due to the provision of a new game every year and a certain number of FIFA points. (premium game currency for which players buy cards for their set, approx. ed.). You can’t do without it at the beginning of the year if you want to play at a competitive level.
What is the difference between playing for a club and playing alone? Can players without a club, and therefore without such support, be competitive at all?
They definitely can. There are some talented players who may not get that kind of support, but they can still play even against the biggest names in our country. At the beginning of the year, of course, it is more difficult for them in terms of building a quality team for a little longer than players with the constant support of their clubs or organizations.
When is FIFA high season? The season is divided into the main part, like in football, and then, for example, a transfer period, a summer break or something like that?
The season of a professional FIFA player lasts quite a long time. Start is always September/October. The last tournaments usually take place 2-3 months before the release of the new year of the game, but last season we played several tournaments in the summer. I hope there will be a big break this summer, I also really like the F1 racing game that comes out these months and I’m looking forward to it too (laughs).
So, this year’s season for professionals is almost over? What changes would you like as a professional player for the new FIFA year?
I would like the game to speed up a bit. It would be nice if the AI was less defensive (automatic control of players by artificial intelligence during obstruction, ed.) and more useful players who try to defend and attack manually.
Are you comfortable with FIFA being more arcade-like, or do you prefer a more realistic style of play like eFotball, formerly known as PES?
I wouldn’t go overboard with real football. Many people are calling for it. I think that the game should be mostly fun. The half-life lasts six minutes in real time, so it simply has to be part of the arcade. I like the combination of real football with arcade elements. I have seen eFotball, although I have not played it, but in my opinion, it is, unfortunately, very far in quality compared to FIFA.
What do you think about the renaming of the entire series from 2024 to EA SPORTS FC and reports of other football games in development? Do you think it could happen that another game becomes your main game?
I don’t think it’s a big deal for this rename. It’s more of a cosmetic thing. I saw that next year we can play five football matches here, which is great for me. EA needs competition. This can be a driving force for them to make the game better. I was thinking about moving to another title, and it is quite likely for me. This is then agreed upon with the team and tournament organizers. However, I think we’ll still be playing the game that has the biggest name and the best marketing, and for now it’s EA’s game.
Thanks for the interview, good luck.
And thank you.
Source :Indian TV
