Austin "Gate" Yu: League of Legends Ex Pro Player, Coach, Game Analysis | Emil Tokaev Podcast #1

In this episode, I'm joined by Austin Yu, better known in the League of Legends community as 'Gate.' Austin is a former esports head coach turned game analyst at Riot Games. We discuss the art and science of competitive League of Legends, the challenges of proplay and coaching, and Austin's current work in shaping the future of the game. A thoughtful and introspective conversation with a true student of the game. If you enjoy this episode, please consider sharing the podcast with friends to support it. Enjoy!

0:00 Introduction
2:05 Origin story
5:34 Family reaction to progaming
8:21 Amateur to professional
10:45 Collegiate system
13:38 Player scouting in Korea
17:23 A day in the life of a pro
21:23 Pro mindset tips
25:52 Team setup
27:45 Early pay issues
33:39 Pro player comp range
37:45 Misconception of progaming
41:11 Real sacrifice
41:50 What it takes to succeed
44:33 The beauty of competitive LoL
46:15 Favorite match types
47:51 Username story
50:49 Does age matter?
55:15 Best LoL player
57:17 Retiring from playing pro
59:54 What makes a good coach?
1:02:25 Advice to younger self
1:05:20 Evolution of the scene
1:08:08 Game Analysis
1:10:45 Balancing LoL
1:16:15 Enjoying at low-level
1:20:12 Playing League casually
1:23:03 Healthy casual mindset
1:26:35 Favorite match/moment
1:34:15 Mindgames in pro play
1:48:43 Current interest in League
1:40:12 Can NA win Worlds?
1:42:31 Advice for pro players
1:43:50 Intagibles of high-level players
1:47:28 What would you change about esports?
1:54:12 Austin's socials

Austin's Twitter: /Gate_LoL

My socials

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Instagram: emil_tokaev