Days after coming home from his Mobile Legends Professional League (MPL) casting workshop duties in Indonesia, Caisam “Wolf” Nopueto is met with back-to-back meetings on a Friday Manila afternoon. Among them was this exclusive online interview that delves into the key lessons he’s learned in his journey as the decorated esports caster he is now.
The MPL Season 11 Best Filipino Caster awardee showed no trace of jet lag or weariness as he recalled how he began as an esports enthusiast. He talked about his love for heavy analysis, embracing the label of what mainstream movies made us believe were the shy, quiet loners who served as mere extras in the background—a nerd.
“Kung nerd na mga players, mas nerd pa ako about the game,” said Wolf, explaining how this goes back to his DotA days when he’d play against younger players who were much faster than him.
Dealing with symptoms of Lupus dating back to 2008, Wolf has been made aware of having a physical disadvantage against other players.
“Because of my condition, hindi ako gano’n kagaling mechanically, so I have to outwit kung sino ‘yung mga nakakatapat ko,” said Wolf.
Adding to his genuine love for game strategies, what also triggered him into pursuing casting was watching analysts make their own predictions in both drafting choices and gameplay, making the young Caisam Nopueto say that he “wanted to be like them.”
Little did he know all those years ago that it would eventually come true.
He did, in fact, become like them in the way that he now brings the same effect of inspiration and praise for his accurate predictions that leave MPL viewers and his co-casters in awe. This time, however, it’s his turn to inspire the next generation with his own identity.
Wearing his nerdiness as armor
Certainly the movie nerd stereotype doesn’t quite fit the now 30-year-old talent who banks on his wit and confidence in front of a camera for a living. He’s nowhere near shy and quiet, but instead a loud and proud gaming nerd unafraid to ride on jokes by his co-casters; and with the great amount of viewers and colleagues in the industry that support and look up to him, fighting his battles alone could be the least of his worries.
A personal battle Wolf talks openly about is against incurable autoimmune disease Lupus which he used to draw inspiration from for his screen name.
“Lupus” is the Latin term for “wolf.” The lifelong disease was named such because of the rashes that resemble a wolf bite appearing on the faces of those diagnosed with it.
For the veteran caster, other symptoms include swollen feet and muscle spasms.
This, however, never stopped Wolf from pursuing his dreams in the broadcast industry where jam-packed schedules could take a physical toll on talents. In previous interviews, the DotA player-turned-Game of Thrones fan referred to a quote that inspires him to not let his condition wear him down.
It was a line from the disfigured dwarf Tyrion Lannister: “Never forget what you are. The rest of the world will not. Wear it like armor, and it can never be used to hurt you.”
Wolf has integrated the lessons well from that quote in the years he’s spent in esports, demonstrating not just resiliency, but also adaptability by wearing his thinking hat as an armor when his duties as a caster call. The best thing about it is, he knows how to wear it with just enough pride to not have others get too blinded by its gleam.
In simpler words, he learned how to make things, well, simpler.
He started to break down his stat-heavy MPL analysis and deliver it in a way that would be easily digestible for the audience. Although, he had to learn the importance of doing so the hard way.
“Sa [mga unang] pagca-cast ang dami kong nakuhang bad comments— bashers sa pagiging boring nga since I’m very analytical,” he shared referring to his early MPL casting seasons.
Wolf even admitted to getting carried away with too much of his nerdiness in his first few casts where he would only spit out the facts he wanted to say without considering the viewers’ interests.
“You can not have that attitude kasi as a talent,” he clarified.
So for Wolf, one of the biggest pieces of advice he can give to aspiring casters is to value adaptability and find a mentor they can rely on.
“I’m very thankful na nakahanap ako ng mentors along the way. Sila ‘yung mga previous talent managers namin and also ‘yung producers and also some of the organizers. Sobrang thankful [ako] kasi nakahanap ako ng mga mentors,” he said as he talked about learning to be receptive with his former mentors and taking the past ‘boring’ comments constructively.
'Kabahan ka na kapag hindi ka kinakabahan.'
Wolf talks highly of his craft as a caster and the people he works with, making it obvious that there’s a high level of passion and respect he has for the esports industry and those who also dedicate their lives to it.
When asked if he still gets jitters when working, the analyst showed no hesitation in responding that “Kaba will always be there.”
“A wise man once said, his name is Manjean, kabahan ka na kapag hindi ka kinakabahan.” he shared with a smile, referring to his co-caster Manjean Faldas. “Those are the moments where we know, okay lang talaga kabahan. Ibig sabihin, it matters so much to you.”
And that’s when another quote Wolf lives by comes in, stressing the importance of preparation and going all in when dealing with things that mean a lot to him.
“No half measures,” he said, citing a line from American crime drama series Breaking Bad.
“Just go all in everytime. Kung hindi ka maga-all in sa isang bagay, don’t even consider starting it.”
Wolf reminisced on his college days when he said he went for the jack of all trades master of none label, but eventually learned to focus only on what he knows he can pour his heart into.
Even when he was starting out in esports, he shared that he would constantly juggle one job with another, which led to spreading himself too thin to the point that it compromised his quality of work.
“You [will] have a phase sa buhay mo na mag-iisip ka talaga ng kung ano ‘yung gusto mong mapuntahan. But you have to commit eventually. And now, para sa akin, whenever I venture into something, I make sure to go all in— be it sa analysis, be it sa website na ginagawa.”
“Kapag nag-yes, you really have to commit to it,” he said, followed by a nod and an echo of the quote once more. “No half measures.”
The best part of esports is not the material perks.
Wolf also shared that the journey he’s trekked as a seasoned esports coach and analyst has been fulfilling in the face of the sacrifices.
When asked about the biggest reward he’s earned in the industry, Wolf didn’t head into replying with the awards, sponsored goods, or travel opportunities he’s received from his hard work. Instead, he pauses.
“Wow,” he utters to himself to break the brief silence.
“Specifically for me, nagkaroon ako ng chance na makausap ‘yung mga pro-players, pro-teams.”
His face lights up and continues, “They trust me enough that they are willing to tell their stories through me.”
Wolf admits that the community and stories in MPL is what made him want to stay as a caster since his Season 1 debut in 2018 after his stint as a DotA analyst.
But when he was asked to compare his Season 1 experience to where the league is at now, he leaned against his gaming chair as if taken aback by how so much has changed since then.
“It’s night and day,” he said.
The situation for talents, particularly financial stability, has definitely made a long jump from what it was like five years ago for Wolf. Aside from that, the environment was also different as casters didn’t exactly make huddling before the broadcast a part of their routine.
“However, hindi nagbago ever is the storylines, ever since the start, rich ang stories in MPL. All you have to do is ask people lang talaga,” he said.
“Kung masipag ka enough, you’ll never run out of stories in MPL.”
For being the one always telling others’ stories, Wolf sure has a whole lot of stories of his own. The knowledge-driven geek he was— and still is— is definitely living the life of his dreams as he stays regarded as one of the best casters and analysts in the Philippine esports landscape.
As he gears up for Indonesia’s MPL-I in Jakarta in November and the M5 World Championships in December, it’s exciting to see what he’ll bring to the casting table that would trigger more fun videos online commending his wit. And who knows, maybe among tens of thousands watching each stream on their screens is another young nerd astonished by Wolf’s seer-like forecasts, saying he’d also “want to be like him.”
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