Interview: Mentally Unstable

After seven completed rounds in the Nordic Championship 1st Division, the title has been decided: Mentally Unstable from Finland are the Nordic Champions in PUBG.

The Finnish squad finished the season on 395 total points, just ahead of Cooked Units on 379 points, after an extremely close title race. With both teams ending on seven wins, the championship was ultimately decided by consistency, kill points and the ability to handle pressure in the final weeks.

For Mentally Unstable, the victory was not only about raw firepower. It was also about staying composed when the race tightened, adapting as a team, and finding enough points when every match could influence the final standings.

“We managed to keep our mentality straight”

For team captain m4lk1k1, who was also MVP of the team with 72 eliminations, the final weeks were not only about the pressure of the tournament. He also had to deal with hardware issues during the decisive part of the season, making it harder to stay fully focused during the matches.

“I mean, it was kinda hard to focus on the games because I was having some hardware problems during the last weeks, but we managed to keep our mentality straight and fought right till the end.”

That ability to stay composed under pressure became one of the key stories of Mentally Unstable’s title run. In PUBG, a season can turn quickly. One bad rotation, one early crash, or one missed opportunity can change the entire standings. When the fight is for the top of 1st Division, the mental side of the game becomes just as important as the mechanical one.

m4lk1k1 also made it clear that Cooked Units pushed them all the way.

“It was not easy to play against Cooked Units. It felt like they were always able to find some big games and good positions, while we were struggling on some maps and threw away many good opportunities. But overall, I’m happy with the result.”

Cooked Units from Sweden were one of the strongest teams of the season, finishing on 2nd place with 379 points, 7 wins, 138 placement points, 241 kills, and 47,367 damage. Their ability to find high-value games week after week kept the pressure on Mentally Unstable until the end.

Respect between the title contenders

Even after such a close title fight, the message from the winners was one of respect.

“Big respect for Cooked Units and for my teammates. They were insane, and I certainly hope that our paths will cross in the future as well. See you next season, hopefully.”

That kind of rivalry is exactly what makes a championship season memorable. Cooked Units forced Mentally Unstable to perform at a high level every week, while Mentally Unstable answered by improving as the season went on and finding the points they needed when it mattered most.

The numbers show how close the race was. Mentally Unstable finished with 7 wins, 139 placement points, 256 kills, and 47,360 damage. Cooked Units were almost identical in several areas, but Mentally Unstable’s slightly stronger kill total and one extra placement point gave them the edge.

Denner--: “We played better as a team towards the end”

For Denner--, who secured 70 elimination points in total, the victory was the result of a team that grew stronger throughout the tournament.

“Of course it feels good to win the tournament, and it was a really even competition against Cooked Units basically every week.”

He also pointed to the team’s development over the course of the season as one of the reasons they were able to finish the job.

“I think as the tournament moved on, we played better as a team towards the end.”

That improvement became especially important before the final week. With the championship still on the line, Mentally Unstable knew they could not afford to simply defend their position. They had to fight for it.

“Before the last week started, we just wanted to fight for the 1st place. And as I said, I think we played better as a team towards the end.”

In a long PUBG season, that kind of progression can be decisive. Teams often start with strong individual skill, but championships are usually won by those who learn how to solve problems together: when to take space, when to fight, when to reset, and how to recover after mistakes.

Mentally Unstable did not have a perfect season, but they had the ability to adapt and stay in the race when the pressure was highest.

A championship decided by pressure

Playing for the top spot in a tournament is different from chasing points lower in the table. Every decision becomes heavier. Teams know who they are fighting against, which teams can still catch them, and how much a single strong game can change the standings.

That pressure was visible throughout the 1st Division title race. Cooked Units kept finding strong games. Mentally Unstable had to answer. Other teams, including Grindr, Skara Sommariand, MEMO, KUPARI KARTELLI and EGKT, added more danger to an already difficult lobby.

In that environment, winning the Nordic Championship required more than one strong round. It required consistency over seven rounds, strong communication, and the ability to perform while every other team in the lobby had something to fight for.

Mentally Unstable managed to do exactly that.

The champions

The title-winning roster delivered strong individual numbers across the season:

Player
Kills
Damage
Knocks
DBNO
Revives
Assists


m4lk1k1
72
12,789
74
74
10
46


Denner--
70
11,689
62
62
17
43


Puli-Arska
56
11,119
56
56
14
27


Sydeep
34
6,800
36
36
13
24


Lozeh
24
4,963
18
18
8
16

The numbers underline how complete the team performance was. m4lk1k1 and Denner-- led the way in kills, while the full roster contributed across damage, knocks, revives and assists. It was not only a title won by individual firepower, but by a team that managed to stay together through difficult moments.

What comes next?

As for the future, Denner-- was careful not to make any promises yet.

“What comes next season, we can’t really say yet. We will see then.”

For now, Mentally Unstable can enjoy the result. They entered the final stretch under pressure, fought through technical issues and a relentless challenge from Cooked Units, and ended the season as the team at the top of the Nordic Championship.

After seven rounds of PUBG, the conclusion is clear:

Mentally Unstable are the Nordic Champions.