Lyssan: From radio to esports, he found his true voice in Counter-Strike

Emotion, analysis and passion. The work of a caster involves much more than just narrating. In Latin America, we have historians who have accompanied games since their inception, but there is also a growing interest in the profession. This is not an exclusive opportunity for broadcasters and journalists, but esports enthusiasts also resignify the value of commentary and discover a new avenue. Lisandro “Lyssan” Mora is in the middle and combines his fondness for radio with his love for Counter-Strike. The official caster for LVP in Unity League Flow, the Argentine CS:GO league, found a purpose and a way to go.

Lyssan worked in different productions of Counter competitions. Since his beginnings in the Game Season leagues, and his time at Peek Studios, he took a big step forward as a caster in face-to-face events such as Argentina Game Show. In a personal stage of uncertainty and lack of direction, the possibility of developing as a caster was much more than a job opportunity: “Every time I sat down with a microphone to tell Counter-Strike, I was happy and forgot about my problems.”

Although not everything is roses, he recognized that both casters and everything in life, are all about streaks. “The phrase would not be how much you endure suffering, but how long it takes you to get up. I fell down many times and in all of them I got up very quickly.” Lyssan presents himself as someone who after a bad day tries triple to do better, ambitious and restless. “I became strong from my mistakes.”

He always liked doing radio and doing journalism. His first experience in a radio studio came from the hand of a co-worker of his mother. He got the chance to participate in a sports program, where he took care of the football segment and reviewed the highlights of the week. He continued his ties to the profession on RBD Radio and an independent program called RBD Show. “I was also a host at my school's talent shows,” he recalled.

Interestingly, his first approach to casting came with the League of Legends in 2018. In the framework of the final between Fnatic and Worlds Invictus Gaming, Alan Polo, current COO of Nocturns Gaming, was interested in holding a tournament and inviting players to assemble teams. “With Young Roman, (current League caster in the Master Flow League), we said we wanted to cast and Lucius Hellsing accepted us and gave us the opportunity.”

But, what really convinced him was the Counter-Strike. “It was something that I was passionate about and that happens to me to this day.” Lyssan considers himself a fan of the “good” Counter, which leads him to stand out as an impartial caster against the teams. But what is it about CS:GO that made it so special to him exactly? “I ended up loving how exciting it is, the suspense it has and because I was able to get my true way of casting”, he says. His journey in the shooter began with an invitation from Lucas Benaim to cast in a two-on-two Shux Team tournament, also in 2018.

A moment that was a pivot for his career, he lived it in the face of the Argentina Game Show 2019, working together with Temporada de Juegos. Lyssan cast the Pro League final between 9z and Malvinas Gaming. “I was shaking, I was afraid,” he says about that moment. The stands and the entire venue around the match were copied by fans and fans of Counter-Strike, in a match that ended with 9z champion. “I finished casting and I cried, I fell to the floor on my knees and I was left crying, because it moved me so much,” he recalls.

In addition to the love of the game, esports and the scene changed the course of his life. “Casting gave me friendships that I didn't have throughout my life, I had a really hard time in primary and secondary school,” he acknowledges. Lyssan was very grateful to those who trusted him, extended a hand to him and advised him on his way.

Although his thanks were not enough, he made sure to highlight the courage, opportunities and influence that Marian of Heaven, Manager at Leviathan; Nerakk, Caster and LVP Analyst; H1ro, Caster and Analyst in the FireLeague; Kovak, Manager of Maycam Evolve; and Emanuel Nieto , who is responsible for Flow Gaming XP. He also appreciated the opportunity extended to him at the time by v4lky, founder of Game Season: “He told me 'I came to cast you' when there were better casters than me at that time.” A special mention was also reserved: “I am grateful to Lalu, he was a person who appeared in my life, changed the way I see everything and today he is being one of the people who is helping me a lot alongside my friends”.

Lyssan stressed that he is a person who seeks to grow and that he is very competitive, both with his peers and with himself. “I sit down to practice, I sit down to see, I find resources, I look for ways,” he says. He also highlighted the role played by the comments he receives: “I think what other people see in me is my way of working and being.”

Regarding what the scene and Counter-Stirke have in store, he was very optimistic. Aware of the journey and the story that leads to the game, he had no doubt: “The Counter-Strike is never going to die. The word would be 'hold on', because the Counter is coming for real.”

Lyssan also highlighted the moment that the scene is happening in the region, in which he believes that “there is a lot of professionalism”. In addition, he encouraged himself to anticipate a great future for Latin America: “It will give us a lot of joy and I think this is the year to take the leap. Next year is going to be the year we've been looking for so long.”

On his own path forward, the long term aspires to hold international casteos, and to be called to make coverage in Spanish or Latin America. “To live from what I love is something I want, that one day my girlfriend will be my wife and with children, to tell them 'che, today I have to go to work' and to be seen in a studio or in a face-to-face, it's my dream”, he closes.

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