Maximizing Efficiency and Cementing Your Style: An Interview with Moth From the San Francisco Shock

2019 has been a banner year for the San Francisco Shock. After a so-so 2018, the team has quickly cemented itself in the “Big 3” of the Overwatch League, alongside the New York Excelsior and their budding top-of-the-pile rivals, the Vancouver Titans.

Every member of the Shock has their part to play in the team’s success, and Grant “Moth” Espe is no exception. After being signed mid-season last year, Moth has quickly become one of the most stifling Western main supports in the biz – no easy feat when you look at the talent pool OWL has to offer.

We sat down with Moth to catch up on old interviews, discuss life outside the game, and the intricacies of his work on stage. Enjoy!

Right around selection time for the World Cup last year, I interviewed your parents about how they’ve been taking all of this in. How has your relationship with your parents evolved since you joined the Overwatch League?

2018-04-28 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

I don’t really think it’s changed at all. They’ve supported me all the way through. When I got the offer, and all the way through [to today]. So I’d say it’s been the same.

What is a goal you have for yourself this year, outside of Overwatch?

Outside of Overwatch? Ooh, I don’t know…I’m not sure how to answer that. Overwatch is kind of… everything. (laughs)

Do you want to travel anywhere? Learn a language?

No, not really. I think as for travel, most of the time I have off I either stay here or I go visit my parents. I did a lot of traveling growing up, so that’s not really something I feel like I need to do right now.

What is the favorite non-Overwatch activity that you have done since joining the Overwatch League?

I’d say just ping-pong. We have a ping-pong table at the house, and we play a lot.

Photo Courtesy of Tom Casey, box24studio.com

Does being the Shock’s only signed main support make you nervous, or confident, or feel different in anyway? Many teams often field a pair of main supports, but the Shock rely on you and you alone.

I just treat it as seriously as I would if there were a second main support. I don’t think it makes any difference to how I do my job. It’s impossible to tell how [having a second main support] would change how I treat it, but I don’t think it would change at all. I would take the job just as seriously.

What are your responsibilities in game, in terms of communicating and shot-calling? Obviously main supports, as far as I understand it, tend to take kind of a leading role. Is that true for you, too? How are those duties distributed amongst the team?

2018-04-04 / Photo: Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment

I do a little bit of everything. Ult tracking, ult management, macro-calls and so on. I’d say this year I probably do a little bit less than last year. In the GOATS meta, everyone needs to be communicating. There’s certain things that only the Reinhardt can call, and certain things that only the Zen can call. So, in this meta, maybe a little less communication than last year. But I still probably talk the most out of everyone.

Is this your ideal shot-calling meta? Or have you preferred other systems in terms of what you’re able and allowed to call?

I don’t really mind it, actually. I don’t think I have a preference to what meta I call in. My main thing is that I just try and figure it out myself, and see how I can maximize the efficiency of my own calls – I don’t think I’ve really had a preference. There’s probably more macro-play involved in GOATS, so there’s less pop-off potential, but I don’t think that changes how I call at all.

I was just gonna say – do your calls really change too much over the course of a meta swap? Are the things you’re calling as Lúcio, for instance, really change between a meta like double-sniper versus a meta like GOATS?

The calls I make change, but the style of calling doesn’t change – if that makes sense.

[It definitely does! Thanks to Moth for a great interview, and good luck to you and the Shock this season!]

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