Mang0: “This current era of Smash will blow all other eras out of the water”

Earlier today Cloud 9 announced the signing of EVO 2013 Super Smash Melee champion Joseph 'Mang0' Marquez to the team.

onGamers sat down with Marquez for a short Q&A on what this sponsorship means to him, and how this will affect the Smash Bros. community as a whole.

onGamers: Congrats on signing to Cloud 9. How does it feel to become EVO champion and now a sponsored player in such a short period of time?

Joseph 'Mang0' Marquez: It feels surreal to be part of such a big team. As a Melee player, you never really thought this would be possible but this just shows that smash will continue to grow. Just really thankful and grateful for the opportunity to represent Cloud 9 and get some big wins."

Did you ever think you'd get to the point of joining a major esports organization such as Cloud 9?

Smash has always been pretty small but even with the popularity it gained after EVO and the documentary, I didn't think big esports teams would be interested in a Smash player. So it's pretty shocking that Cloud 9 was so willing to work with me.

How did this all come about?

[Smash commentator] Prog had connections that lead to us getting in contact with Jack [Cloud 9 Owner] directly. Jack seemed very interested from the start. The whole process took about 26 hours. It was a pretty easy/smooth process

Do you think with you signing to Cloud 9, Ken and KDJ signing to Team Liquid, this is a new era for Smash players and esports?

This current era of Smash will blow all other eras of Smash out of the water. I always knew if people gave Smash a chance they'd realize that it is a great game that's fun to play and watch. I'm just glad the game is getting the love and respect it deserves.

With all of us getting picked up by teams, it will show lower level players that there are big sponsorships out there if you work hard enough. It can only benefit the community in so many great ways.

This will show people that Smash is more than a "party game" and that now people are getting big time sponsorships for being good at it. I can't imagine the scene not getting bigger after all these sponsorships, it will definitely bring new viewers.

Do you feel more pressure now that you're signed to a major team?

I feel that I'd be lying if I said I probably wouldn't have some jitters at first but I'm hoping to overcome that real quick. I think most of the pressure is going to come with not wanting to let the team down, and I can already feel all the pressure building up.

I love challenges and I'm hoping I can meet the standards that are expected of me.

Do you think there will be increased competition now that several players have been picked up by esports teams?

I believe so. Smash competition before was already super intense. Now you add more money more sponsors more viewers and things are gonna get intense. All the top players already hate losing to each other and now while we're all repping teams, that just gets multiplied. It should make for some great sets coming up this summer.

Do you feel there will be any increased rivalry between top players now that teams are involved?

Yeah I can see rivalries getting more intense. I want my team to beat their team basically. Now as a member of Cloud 9 my motivation to win is higher then ever.

Do you want teammates?

Melee is a solo kinda thing so I'm fine being the lone ranger of Cloud 9 Melee LOL.

What do you think about your chances at MLG Anaheim?

I'm feeling pretty confident for Anaheim. With the sponsorship it gives me more incentive to practice and want to win. I'd only be satisfied with first place. Anything else doesn't meet my expectations of myself.

Do you think you deserve to be invited to the E3 Smash 4 Invitational?

I think I do deserve to be invited considering I've been playing a Nintendo game for about half my life. If they want top players I dont see why I wouldnt deserve an invitation. If I don't get invited it's not the end of the world.

What do you think about the current metagame of Melee?

The current Melee metagame is pretty insane at the moment. The game has reached a point where mistakes cost you tons of percent or your stock. Every decision you make is very crucial especially at top play and on top of all of that the game is super fast.

So you've got to be on point with reactions, reads ,and decision making while moving at very high speeds, and at the same time making sure your spacing is good too.

What are your expectations of Smash 4?

I don't really have expectations at the moment for Smash 4. I'm trying to stay focused on winning all the upcoming Melee events. I am hoping it's good enough for me to want to get good at it so I can play both Melee and Smash 4 at tournaments.