Introducing Polar Squad, Kanaliiga's CS:GO sponsor

For the DevOps consulting firm Polar Squad, CS:GO is part of everyday life to such an extent that the decision to sponsor Kanaliiga’s CS:GO games has been natural. Polar Squad is playing its ninth season in Kanaliiga, and almost half of the company follows matches and CS:GO news.

According to Mikko ‘meppi’ Piuhola, the captain of Polar Squad’s CS:GO team, playing has always been part of what we do together, and CS:GO has been at the center of it: “We have a few really enthusiastic people who have made this a great collaboration for us. There are 9 people in the gang this year, and the activities are visible, for example, in the company’s Slack, in weekly meetings and until Christmas.”

CS:GO is a weekly event – ​​team members play and train together several days a week, and matches provide excitement. “There is a strong atmosphere in the matches, because Janne “Veli-V” Väisänen, who has been involved in the e-sports scene for a long time, streams several matches. He is a gifted commentator and the short-sleeved pineapple jacket that has been seen in the commentary booth for a long time is an institution”, says the meppi.

Live events are also organized - this year the third LANs are organized, where non-members of the CS:GO team can also try out gaming and play other games: “The LANs act as a nice unifying event where non-gang members can join in the game. At the same time, the event has always been a fun after-work event, where part of the group meets up with friends, listens to Janne’s streaming performance from the location with beach-like commentary and feels good atmosphere”, says meppi.

Especially during the corona period, CS:GO has brought people a way to spend time together, when the company’s other activities - futs, fatbiking, downhill cycling, climbing, etc. - have been on hiatus. “You don’t always have time to spend as much time together as you’d like, and CS:GO is a great support for that. This is where you get to know your friends: games are played with good humor and appropriate acknowledgment of game performance. Before you know it, you know a surprising amount about the other person’s way of thinking,” Meppi says.

CS:GO’s goal setting is high: “Every year we set out to win. As the season progresses, the game starts to be more and more involved and the whole team gets fired up. We also spend some time, for example, scouting the opponents, which brings a new dimension to the game,” says Meppi.

Gaming isn’t limited to doing CS:GO with Polar Squad - other esports teams are also being formed, and the team is constantly looking for competent DevOps-savvy gamers.