
Giants Gaming in 2021 has, to put it simply, been very different to its 2020 self. While its roster has remained identical, the team's results have taken a sharp dive.
Where the Singaporean roster had won the Six November 2020 Major for APAC North, had been top in Stages 1 and 2 of the regular season, and had been second to Cloud9 in the August Major and the APAC North Finals, 2021 has been far more difficult.
Across the seven games in APAC South in Stage 1, the Giants could only manage two regular-time victories and one overtime victory. Outside those, they lost the other four games in what were almost all upset losses at the time.
Of the teams headed to the Six Invitational next month, Giants Gaming are possibly the only team that has part-time players. Matin "SpeakEasy" Yunos and Jordan "Jrdn" Cheng are both schooling, while star player Jeremy "HysteRiX" Tan is only midway through his mandatory two-year National Service with the police.

HysteRiX at the Six Invitational 2020, with a recently-shaved head after his enlistment approximately a month prior.
Team captain Glen "Lunarmetal" Suryasaputra and Adrian "Ysaera" Wui are the only two full-time players on the roster, with the duo stretching back to their first competitive appearance at the Six Invitational 2017 as part of the first APAC team to win a map against international opposition.
The Giants are, like the two Thai and one Taiwanese team alongside them, new to APAC South. The four Southeast Asian teams had been part of the APAC North Division in 2020, playing against teams such as Fnatic and Cloud9 regularly.
With the game being massively popular in Japan, games against the Japanese teams -- even though against organisations that are lesser-known internationally -- saw large viewership numbers.
APAC North would also gain the titanic organisations of T1 and DWG KIA in 2021, further boosting commercial attractiveness. As a result, the Giants had suddenly 'lost out' on that opportunity.
At the same time, the postponement of the Invitational had an adverse effect on the players, with the part-time trio having had put in great amounts of effort to obtain leave and shift other commitments to ensure their attendance.
As such, in hindsight, it is clearer to see just why the Giants fell so spectacularly short in Stage 1.

SiegeGG spoke to Lunarmetal to find out more about what happened and how the Singaporeans are shaping up for their second Invitational in a row.
Obviously, it's not been a great season for you. Talk us through what exactly went wrong for a team that was 2nd in APAC North and the August Major, and won the November Major?
With your team at the event being one of the few that won't be entirely full-time, how much of an effect has that had on your season so far and how will it affect your Invitational run?
Last year, your team was on the ascendancy, yet came away from the Invitational winless. Is there a concern that that will happen again, especially with your currently shaky form?

How does a team pick up from its current state, back to where it was last year, and to a level where it can challenge the best in Paris? Is there a real risk of missing out on the 2022 Invitational?
Speaking of Paris, will the entirety of your team be in attendance, given potential clashes with the schooling and NS schedules of the players?

What is your opinion on the changed format for the Invitational and how do you rate your chances in the group?
What is your goal for the Invitational and how confident are you that you'll achieve it?
Is there anything you want to say to your fans and maybe your competitors?
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Catch the Giants in action next on the 12th of May at 5 PM SGT (UTC+8), when they take on Ninjas in Pyjamas live from Paris.