HLTV.org sat down with FireGamers captain Bruno "bit" Fukuda and asked him about the current state of his team.

Fukuda left Made in Brazil in December 2008 following a series of mixed results, being picked up by FireGamers the following month. His team now resemble the successful line-up that captured the ESWC title in 2006.

However, the first big tournament for the new FireGamers squad, KODE5 Brazil, did not go as they expected as they finished runners-up to mibr, who qualified for the finals in Moscow.

FireGamers are now looking for an improved campaign at GameGune Mexico, an event that will take place from 10-13 September, and Fukuda is hoping this competition will go their way.

Are FireGamers going to GameGune Mexico? Is everything taken care of?

We are doing our best for everything to work out, there are still some things left but the most important thing, the plane tickets, we already have, so yes, we will probably go.

You guys have gone from a team where you had all the support one could ask to one with little support. How has life after mibr been?

Hard. Our desire to play is tremendous, it is not easy to watch tournaments happening and not being able to play them like we used to, but I guess that is one extra motivation.

Have your team been approached by organisations? What is the state of negotiations?

We have been contacted by some organisations, but none of these approaches have produced a happy ending. Some organisations have folded because of the crisis, some are still checking the possibility of having us, we are still searching.

bit and nak

After being in a team that had a big support behind it, what are your demands when you address an organisation?

I think the main thing are the trips for sure, our focus is on playing in tournaments outside Brazil, so that is what we are asking for.

Did you expect it to be this hard to find an organisation?

I was not expecting it to be this hard, I think the crisis has really made it harder, fortunately Firegamers is helping us travel to GameGune [Mexico], I hope some more sponsors or organisations will show up to help with hotel, food, and visa costs, for example, for everything to work out. 

In the first big tournament of the team, KODE5 Brazil, things did not go very well and you winded up placing second. What do you think that went wrong?

I think we did not win a tournament that was in our hands, we lost some crucial rounds that cost the match, but mibr also played well.

bit with mibr

How will the team practice for GameGune?

We are training online on a daily basis here in Brazil and we will make some bootcamps before the competition in Sao Paulo, also to practice for the WCG qualifier, which will be right after GameGune.

What are your goals for the tournament [GameGune]?

Our goals are for sure high, we have always done very well in the GameGune events we have attended, we hope we will continue doing well like in 2007 and 2008.

There are rumours that Made in Brazil are going through a bad financial moment. What can you say about your former team?

They are going through the same moment as other teams, like for example WICKED, MYM, etc. Fortunately they have not had the same fate and they are still on, I am sure Paulo [Velloso] will still help CS a lot in Brazil, at least I hope so.

Do you have any other events planned for this year?

We are waiting for the ESL Global Challenges, we probably have high chances of attending stops such as Los Angeles and Philadelphia like last year if they happen, and also WCG if we win the qualifier.