EpikWhale represents NA-West in the Fortnite Invitational: “I am hoping there will be at least one event every year”
EpikWhale represents NA-West in the Fortnite Invitational: “I am hoping there will be at least one event every year”

With six Fortnite Champion Series (FNCS) titles to his name, the most in Fortnite history, Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton has presented fans with an exhilarating career. Being one of the originals within the the game’s competitive scene, EpikWhale has been competing at LAN events since his third-place finish in the Fortnite World Cup.

With Fortnite in-person events finally returning, EpikWhale has quite a bit to express.

EpikWhale on Fortnite, business and working out each day

Becoming a professional Fortnite player is a tough mission in and of itself. For EpikWhale, gaming by itself is not enough. He also owns his own mousepad company called “The Mousepad Company” where he and his brother produce top-tier mousepads for gamers.

JOINED @TSM 😈😈😈 pic.twitter.com/kkzJ3U6MlF

— TSM FTX EpikWhale (@EpikWhale) June 3, 2022

“First off, I have to give some credit to my brother,” said EpikWhale when talking about his mousepad company. “He is my business partner and does a lot of behind-the-scenes work.”

The young gamer, who sticks with the marketing side of “The Mousepad Company,” makes sure to promote his and his brother’s products by sharing them with other professionals and content creators.

Although his day is primarily filled with business and gaming, the professional Fortnite player also shared how he stays active.

EpikWhale. Image via EpikWhale.

“I usually have a tournament from around 3 to 9 p.m. and then head right to the gym,” said EpikWhale. “There is no excuse to not go to the gym each day for an hour or two.”

With the professional esports industry growing every day, making sure to keep oneself healthy is extremely important. EpikWhale is a prime example of someone who takes their physical and mental health very seriously, while also staying the best at his game.

It has actually been pretty tough. I started out the year playing with Arkhram and he was actually the IGL.

Shane “EpikWhale” Cotton

EpikWhale shares his thoughts on switching teammates

One thing a lot of competitors participating in the Fortnite Invitational have in common is that their teammate has been their duo throughout 2022. This is not something EpikWhale is able to say for himself.

“It has actually been pretty tough. I started out the year playing with Arkhram and he was actually the IGL,” expressed EpikWhale, referring to the in-game leader position. “Then I started playing with Reet and so I let him IGL for a while, but just recently, within the last month, I started to IGL again.”

All the best to the #TSM boys as they take on the FNCS Invitational.

Bring it home @Reetlol, @EpikWhale, and @snackyfn 🏆 pic.twitter.com/9BD6zTblRE

— TSM FTX (@TSM) November 12, 2022

Being an in-game leader is a difficult position. Having to keep calm and assess every situation within the game can be taxing, especially when in high-stake situations.

“I haven’t been an IGL for around three years,” said EpikWhale. “It has been a lot to get used to.”

The LAN king is back

With the Invitational being the first Fortnite-run event since the World Cup in 2019, where EpikWhale placed third, having in-person events back is more than exciting for players.

“I’m really hoping there is more since Fortnite hasn’t hosted a LAN in so long,” said EpikWhale. “I am hoping there will be at least one event every year.”

EpikWhale, Kyle “Bugha” Giersdorf and Harrison “Psalm” Chang at World Cup 2019. Image via EpikWhale on Twitter.

With the success of a sold-out Fortnite Invitational, the question is there for fans and players. Will Fortnite in-person events become a staple in 2023?

Zero Build mode becomes a wave in the Fortnite community

With Zero Build becoming incredibly popular within the Fortnite ecosystem, a lot of people are expecting it to become a prime competitive mode. EpikWhale had a bit to say about the possibility.

“If they announce Zero Build as a main game mode, I would definitely still compete,” said EpikWhale. “Although, I wouldn’t prefer it, obviously.”

The possibility has been looming over the competitive scene for quite some time now, as Zero Build becomes more and more popular.

EpikWhale and Danila “Malibuca” Yakovenko. Image via Gamers8.

“I’d be fine with them keeping the regular Battle Royale mode prize pool the same and then adding a Zero Build prize pool,” said EpikWhale. “It would suck though if they decided to take away from the regular mode for Zero Build.”

The great debate of Zero Build mode in competitive has become extremely relevant in the Fortnite community. Only time will tell whether or not it becomes a main competitive mode.

Stay tunred on Esports.gg for more Fortnite news and updates.

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