Posts

,

VCT 2023 Pacific: PRX & Talon Pick Up Wins

It was week number 7, day 1 at the VCT 2023 Pacific League. PRX took on the mighty ZETA Division and Talon Esports went up against Gen. G Esports. PRX and Talon walked away with wins from the night. Check out how the action played out!

VCT 2023 Pacific: Week 7 Day 1 Results

PRX vs ZETA Division

Rosters

PRX
  • Aaron ‘mindfreak’ Leonhart
  • Jason ‘f0rsakeN’ Susanto
  • Ilya ‘something’ Petrov
  • Khalish ‘d4v41’ Rusyaidee
  • Wang ‘Jinggg’ Jing Jie
ZETA Division
  • Koji ‘Laz’ Ushida
  • Tomoaki ‘crow’ Maruoka
  • Yuma ‘Dep’ Hashimoto
  • Shota ‘SugarZ3ro’ Watanabe
  • Tenta ‘TENNN’ Asai

Map Picks & Bans

  • PRX ban Haven
  • ZETA ban Pearl
  • PRX pick Split
  • ZETA pick Ascent
  • PRX ban Fracture
  • ZETA ban Bind
  • Lotus remains
Map 1 (Split)

We started off the series with PRX’s pick of Split. PRX started off their map pick by winning the first two pistol rounds. They failed to follow through on the bonus round but later picked up round number four. The rest of the first half kept going back and forth as both teams failed to keep momentum. The first half ended 7-5 in favor of PRX.

As the sides were switched, it was now ZETA on attack. Hoping to turn the tide around, they regrouped hoping to take down PRX. But PRX proved to be too strong on defense taking on picks early in the rounds. ZETA could manage to scrap only one round while on attack. With that, PRX won the first map 13-6.

Map 2 (Ascent)

ZETA’s map pick of Ascent seemed to start of well with the team picking up the first two pistol rounds. But soon after, it seemed to be PRX’s playground. They won 5 straight rounds after as ZETA could barely stand straight. While ZETA did manage to win two more rounds in the first half, it ended 8-4 in favor of PRX.

It was now PRX on defense and they won the first two rounds. They did win the fourth round after conceding the bonus. Soon after, ZETA seemed to be picking up the pieces and striving forward towards a comeback. Despite their efforts, it was PRX that picked up their two remaining rounds and won the map 13-10. And that is how they picked up the series 2-0!

Talon Esports vs Gen. G

Rosters

Talon Esports
  • Thanamethk ‘Crws’ Mahatthananuyut
  • Itthirit ‘foxz’ Ngamsaard
  • Patiphan ‘patt’ Chaiwong
  • Apiwat ‘garnetS’ Apiraksukumal
  • Jittana ‘JitboyS’ Nokngam
Gen. G
  • Yeom ‘eKo’ Wang-ryong
  • Lee ‘k1Ng’ Seung-won
  • Kim ‘Meteor’ Tae-O
  • Yu ‘TS’ Tae-seok
  • Kim ‘GodDead’ Sung-sin

Map Picks & Bans

  • GEN ban Pearl
  • TLN ban Split
  • GEN pick Fracture
  • TLN pick Lotus
  • GEN ban Bind
  • TLN ban Ascent
  • Haven remains
Map 1 (Fracture)

We began the series with Gen. G’s pick of Fracture. But it was Talon that won the first round right off the bat. However, Gen. G made amends by winning the second round. While Gen. G seemed to be the better team in the first few rounds, Talon soon made a comeback as they picked up a streak of four dominant rounds. The first half ended 7-5 in favor of Talon Esports.

The roles were reversed and it was Talon now on defense. This time they looked just as sharp and won the first two pistol rounds. They won another two rounds after conceding the bonus round. At this point, it was a tough ask for Gen. G to make a comeback and Talon picked up the map 13-8.

Map 2 (Lotus)

Before the second map commenced, Gen. G made a bold move by substituting Sylvan on for eKo. This wasn’t much of a surprise as eKo didn’t meet the expectations on Fracture. It was now time for the two teams to show up at Talon’s map pick of Lotus. But to their demise, Gen. G won the first two pistol rounds of their map pick. However, they couldn’t maintain consistency as Talon then reminded why Lotus is their map pick by winning the next 5 rounds. Gen. G responded for a while but it wasn’t for long as Talon were ahead 7-5 at the end of the first half.

Talon started the second half winning the pistol rounds this time. Gen. G did snatch away their bonus but Talon picked up the next 3 rounds with ease. With one more round left to win, Talon picked it up sooner than later despite an ace from Meteor. And with that, they won on Lotus 13-7. Rest assured, Talon Esports clinched the series 2-0!

Despite the result, Talon Esports are currently placed 9th on the standings. Meanwhile, PRX are sitting pretty at 2nd place, right under DRX. Things will surely get tight as we’re not too far away from the playoffs of VCT 2023: Pacific League.

/by
,

Fnatic & NaVi Pick Up Wins On Week 5 Of VCT EMEA

We have just been done and dusted with the final day of week 5 of VCT EMEA 2023. As we had already predicted before, Fnatic & NaVi will be walking out of the arena as victors and that is exactly what happened. Let’s check out how the matches turned out here at Gamopo!

Fnatic & NaVi Get The W

FUT Esports vs Fnatic

Rosters

FUT Esports
  • Buğra ‘mojj’ Kiraz
  • Doğukan ‘qRaxs’ Balaban
  • Konur ‘qw1’ Alp Şahin
  • Furkan ‘MrFaliN’ Yeğen
  • Ata ‘ATA KAPTAN’ Tan
Fnatic
  • Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett
  • Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev
  • Emir ‘Alfajer’ Ali Beder
  • Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson
  • Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov

Map Picks & Bans

  • FNC ban Pearl
  • FUT ban Fracture
  • FNC pick Icebox
  • FUT pick Lotus
  • FNC ban Split
  • FUT ban Ascent
  • Haven remains

The Series

Map 1Β  (Icebox)

The first map of the night was Icebox which is Fnatic’s favorite playground. Fnatic started the map off just the way they wanted- winning the first two rounds. However, FUT Esports was quick to respond as they won the next four rounds at a stretch. The rest of the first half was pretty much Fnatic making a comeback. The first half ended 7-5 in favor of Fnatic.

As the sides were changed, Fnatic really put their game faces on and put up a way better performance on attack. They needed only 6 more rounds to pick up the map and that’s exactly what they did. Fnatic picked up all of the rounds on attack and won on Icebox. It was none other than Alfajer that put on a stellar performance for his team.

Map 2 (Lotus)

It was now time to show up at FUT’s map pick of Lotus. Fnatic stuck by their game plan and chose not to go for an atypical team composition. Fnatic started Lotus on the right foot by winning the first two rounds yet again. While they couldn’t follow up by winning the bonus round, they made amends by making sure FUT can’t pick up consecutive rounds. The first half ended 8-4 in favor of Fnatic.

Heading into the second half, FUT was in a rather uncomfortable position. They had to recollect themselves and get their strategies right in order to make a comeback. But that’s quite the herculean task against this Fnatic roster! Fnatic kept their composure and won Lotus 13-5. With the second map done and dusted, it was a comfortable 2-0 victory for the Turkish giants.

Team Vitality vs. Natus Vincere

Rosters

Team Vitality
  • JokΕ«bas ‘ceNder’ Labutis
  • Santeri ‘BONECOLD’ Sassi
  • MichaΕ‚ ‘MOLSI’ Łącki
  • Tomas ‘Destrian’ Linikas
  • Karel ‘Twisten’ AΕ‘enbrener
Natus Vincere
  • Kyrylo ‘ANGE1’ Karasov
  • Mehmet ‘cNed’ Yağız Δ°pek
  • Dmitry ‘SUYGETSU’ Ilyushin
  • Andrey ‘Shao’ Kiprsky
  • Pontus ‘Zyppan’ Eek

Map Picks & Bans

  • VIT ban Pearl
  • NAVI ban Haven
  • VIT pick Split
  • NAVI pick Fracture
  • VIT ban Icebox
  • NAVI ban Lotus
  • Ascent remains
Map 1 (Split)

Vitality’s first pick of Split wasn’t a surprise at all as they have tons of experience on that map. But NaVi’s start on Split surely made Vitality scratch their heads. A determined NaVi roster made sure that they won the first pistol rounds. While they did concede their bonus round, they kept the momentum on their side throughout the first half. And that is why the first half finished 9-3 in favor of NaVi.

The second half saw Vitality recollecting themselves and putting on a better show. CeNder and Twisten tried their level best to bring their team back into the match. An impressive comeback was on the horizon as Team Vitality almost equaled the scores at 10-11. However, the NaVi team made sure not to drag it any further and picked up two rounds to win their first map of the night.

Map 2 (Fracture)

It was now time for the two teams to play on NaVi’s map pick. With Vitality starting on defense, they picked up the first two pistol rounds. But NaVi soon leveled the score 2-2 by winning the next two rounds. It was Vitality again in the driver’s seat as they won two rounds of their own. But the rest of the first half saw NaVi dominate. The first half was over with NaVi up 7-5.

The second half came with intense neck and neck competition. Vitality won the first round but couldn’t follow it up with the next round. The following rounds saw things go back and forth as both looked desperate to win on Fracture. But Vitality eventually caught up to Natus Vincere with the score line reading 10-10. At this point, one of the teams had to step up and it was NaVi.Β  They picked up the next three rounds without flinching and won the map 13-10. As expected, NaVi came out on top!

The VCT EMEA 2023 action returns on Wednesday with Team Vitality set to face Fnatic. NaVi will face Team Liquid next in about a week’s worth of time. Can both Fnatic & NaVi continue their domination at the VCT EMEA 2023?

/by
,

VCT EMEA 2023 Week 5 Final Day Predictions

We are heading our way into the final day of week 5 of VCT EMEA 2023. With FUT Esports facing Fnatic and Team Vitality going up against Natus Vincere, who will be our winners of the night? We bring you our VCT EMEA predictions of the day!

VCT EMEA Predictions

Our two matchups of the day are FUT Esports vs Fnatic & Team Vitality vs Natus Vincere. Check out the timings and be sure to tune in!

FUT Esports vs Fnatic

Rosters

FUT Esports
  • Buğra ‘mojj’ Kiraz
  • Doğukan ‘qRaxs’ Balaban
  • Konur ‘qw1’ Alp Şahin
  • Furkan ‘MrFaliN’ Yeğen
  • Ata ‘ATA KAPTAN’ Tan
Fnatic
  • Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett
  • Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev
  • Emir ‘Alfajer’ Ali Beder
  • Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson
  • Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov

Prediction

Let’s kick off our VCT EMEA Predictions with our prediction on FUT Esports vs Fnatic. According to the current standings of the tournament, Fnatic are at the top of the table thanks to their unbeaten run. Meanwhile, FUT Esports are sitting currently on fourth position. The biggest flex for Fnatic so far at the tournament is the fact they have lost only one map so far. They have been spotless despite not being able to play with their preferred lineup in the opening week. But Alfajer is back after his visa issues have been sorted. Their confidence is further boosted knowing that FUT is heading into this match after losing their last one 2-0 against Giants.

The two teams have not faced each other in a competitive match before. A lot will rest on the shoulders of qw1 today as his team hopes that he puts on a terrific show. Keeping Fnatic’s dominant form in consideration, we honestly don’t see how Fnatic will bottle this matchup. We’re predicting a rather comfortable 2-0 victory for Fnatic.

Check out more esports news at our blog!

Team Vitality vs Natus Vincere

Rosters

Team Vitality
  • JokΕ«bas ‘ceNder’ Labutis
  • Santeri ‘BONECOLD’ Sassi
  • MichaΕ‚ ‘MOLSI’ Łącki
  • Tomas ‘Destrian’ Linikas
  • Karel ‘Twisten’ AΕ‘enbrener
Natus Vincere
  • Kyrylo ‘ANGE1’ Karasov
  • Mehmet ‘cNed’ Yağız Δ°pek
  • Dmitry ‘SUYGETSU’ Ilyushin
  • Andrey ‘Shao’ Kiprsky
  • Pontus ‘Zyppan’ Eek

Prediction

Our second VCT EMEA prediction is of the matchup between rivals Vitality and NaVi. Natus Vincere is currently sitting pretty at second on the table with Team Vitality on fifth position. So, it goes without saying that NaVi have turned more heads at the tournament so far. They are on a four-match winning streak and don’t look to give that up any time soon.

These two teams have only faced each other once before at the G-Loot Valorant Clash where NaVi won 2-0. On paper NaVi are definitely the better team on Valorant and their current form certainly says so. Vitality is expected to put up a fight but Zyppan & co. should walk away from this series with a 2-1 win over their opponents.

 

/by
,

Fnatic & Karmine Corp Finds Wins At VCT EMEA 2023

It was day 5 of week 1 at the VCT EMEA 2023. The mighty Fnatic faced BBL Esports and Karmine Corp went up against Team Heretics at VCT EMEA. Which teams came out on top and how did the action pan out? Find out more only at Gamopo!

Fnatic & Team Heretics Winning At VCT EMEA

With Champions & Masters qualifications on the line, the teams can only hope of picking up wins. With Fnatic facing BBL Esports and Karmine Corp vs Team Heretics, things can go any direction on the night. Let’s check out all the action!

Fnatic vs BBL Esports

Rosters

Fnatic
  • Jake ‘Boaster’ Howlett
  • Nikita ‘Derke’ Sirmitev
  • Leo ‘Leo’ Jannesson
  • Timofey ‘Chronicle’ Khromov
  • Maks ‘kamyk’ Rychlewski
BBL Esports
  • Ali ‘AsLanM4shadoW’ Osman Balta
  • Doğukan ‘QutionerX’ Dural
  • Mehmet ‘Turko’ Γ–zen
  • Eren ‘Brave’ KasΔ±rga
  • Δ°brahim ‘SouhcNi’ Sağır

Map Picks & Bans

  • BBL ban Fracture
  • FNC ban Pearl
  • BBL pick Ascent
  • FNC pick Haven
  • BBL ban Icebox
  • FNC ban Lotus
  • Split remains

The Series

Ascent

Fnatic started off their first map winning the first two pistol rounds. However, what followed after was ruthless destruction by BBL. They won nine rounds straight without flinching and the first half ended 9-3 in favor of BBL Esports. A 9-3 curse loading? With four rounds away from a map win, there wasn’t a lot that Fnatic could do. BBL Esports picked up their map pick winning it 13-6. It was now time for Fnatic to make a comeback to their VCT EMEA 2023 run.

Haven

Haven was Fnatic’s map pick and they sincerely hoped they could turn the tide in their favor. They started on defense on their own map pick. From the get go, Fnatic looked pretty solid while defending their sites. They won the two pistol rounds but conceded the bonus round. In the following rounds, Fnatic had to give up the site for BBL to plant but they soon got their defuses down. The first half ende 8-4 in favor of Fnatic. BBL started the second half winning two pistol rounds but failed to follow up. It was neck and neck after that but Fnatic was always one step ahead. They won the second map 13-9.

Split

It was now time for the decider. Fnatic started off the map on attack and won the first two pistol rounds. The first half of the map was absolutely level pegging. Both the teams showed immense levels of promise as they saw out rounds. The first half ended with the scoreline levelled at 6-6. Fnatic started off the second half on the strong foot. They picked up the first four rounds at a stretch. BBL tried their level best to make a comeback but was an inch or two short. Fnatic won their second map 13-11 and thus won the series.

Karmine Corp vs Team Heretics

Rosters

Karmine Corp
  • Ryad ‘Shin’ Ensaad
  • Alexis ‘Newzera’ Humbert
  • Adil ‘ScreaM’ Benrlitom
  • Nabil ‘Nivera’ Benrlitom
  • Alexandre ‘xms’ FortΓ©
Team Heretic
  • Wassim ‘keloqz’ Cista
  • Γ“scar ‘mixwell’ CaΓ±ellas Colocho
  • Aleksander ‘zeek’ Zygmunt
  • Ričardas ‘Boo’ LukaΕ‘evičius
  • Auni ‘AvovA’ Chahade

Map Picks & Bans

  • TH ban Fracture
  • KC ban Ascent
  • TH pick Icebox
  • KC pick Split
  • TH ban Haven
  • KC ban Pearl
  • Lotus remains

The Series

Icebox

The series started off with the Icebox pick of Team Heretics. As they should, Heretics won the first two pistol rounds of the first map. Karmine Corp did win the bonus round thought but Heretics continued to dominate the first half. Heretics was determined to get the plant down and made sure it exploded. The first half ended 9-3 in favor of Heretics. The roles were reversed and it was Karmine Corp on attack now. They started off well winning the first two rounds on attack but that did not stop Team Heretics. They picked up four more rounds straight and thus finished off the first map 13-5.

Split

It was now time to play on the map pick of Karmine Corp. Team Heretics won the pistol rounds this time as well. While they did concede their bonus round, they outshined their opponents in the following rounds. Karmine Corp could barely pick up two rounds in the first half as it ended 10-2 in favor of their opponents. In the second half, all Heretics needed to do was win three more rounds. And they just took three rounds to do that. They won Split 13-2 and thus picked up the series win against Karmine Corp.

 

Fnatic are now top of the table with two wins out of two. Team Heretics are now on joint fifth place along with Natus Vincere.

/by
,

Global Esports Valorant Roster’s VCT Debut At LOCK//IN

The Indian franchise team, Global Esports’ Valorant roster performed at an S-Tier tournament for the first time. The SEA representatives faced Team Vitality in a round of 32 match of Group Omega. How did the Asian team perform and did they meet the expectations? Find out!

Global Esports vs Team Vitality

It was an Asia vs Europe affair asΒ  the Valorant roster of Global Esports faced Team Vitality. This was the first match of Global Esports at a tournament of this scale. On the other hand, Vitality is an organization that is well accustomed to playing top tournaments. Both the teams have fresh rosters with new recruits, so it was surely exciting to see the two teams clash.

Map Picks & Bans

  • GE bans Ascent
  • VIT bans Icebox
  • GE picks Split
  • VIT picks Pearl
  • GE bans Haven
  • VIT bans Fracture
  • Lotus remains

Rosters

Let’s take a look at the lineups of the two teams of last night.

Global Esports

  • Jordan “AYRIN” He (IGL)
  • Ganesh “SkRossi” Gangadhar
  • Kim “t3xture” Na-ra
  • Park “Bazzi” Jun-ki
  • Cahya “Monyet” Nugraha

Team Vitality

  • Santeri “BONECOLD” Sassi (IGL)
  • JokΕ«bas “ceNder” Labutis
  • MichaΕ‚ “MOLSI” Łącki
  • Tomas “Destrian” Linikas
  • Karel “Twisten” AΕ‘enbrener

The Series

Let’s check out how the series went between Team Vitality and Global Esports at Valorant Lock In.

Map 1 (Split)

The first map of the series started with Global Esports on defense. They won the first round with a successful defuse. But Vitality didn’t seem to be bothered as they picked up the next four rounds with ease. Global Esports showed little resistance picking up only two other rounds for the rest of the first half. The first half ended 9-3 in favor of Team Vitality. Global started the second half winning the first pistol round too- a ray of hope for the Asian fans. But Vitality buried all of those hopes and dreams for Global Esports as they didn’t take long to reach 13 round wins. The first map ended 13-4 in favor of Team Vitality.

Map 2 (Pearl)

Pearl began with Global Esports now on attack. This time, they managed to pick up the first two pistol rounds showing quite the determination. Vitality then responded picking up two rounds of their own as the scores leveled. Vitality started to pick up pace on defense and the first half ended 7-5 in favor of the boys from Europe. The second half started in favor of Global Esports yet again as they again won both the pistol rounds. From that point onwards, Global Esports looked like a more refined roster as they kept dominating Team Vitality. They got down a bunch of defuses in the second half as they picked up the second map.

With the map score being 1-1, it was now time for the decider. Can the Indian organization cause a Global upset (see what we did there?) or can Vitality pick up the expected result?

Map 3 (Lotus)

Global Esports just seemed to be dominated pistol rounds as they started off Lotus winning the first two rounds yet again. But Vitality responded when it was needed the most. They showed everyone who’s the boss with sheer firepower picking up round after round in the first half. The first half ended 8-4 in favor of Vitality. The second half started with Global yet again picking up the pistol rounds. And while they were hoping to gain some momentum, Team Vitality turned the game around again. They took the next four rounds without pause as they closed the decider map 13-6.

With the series closed, Team Vitality moves onto the round of 16 of VCT Lock In.

With their win in this series, Vitality aren’t the only victors of the night. Their next round opponent, Leviathan also picked up a 2-0 win over ZETA. The round of 16 also welcomes two other teams- FUT Esports and 100 Thieves. Team Vitality will be facing Leviathan tomorrow night in the round of 16.

/by
,

VCT Lock In: DRX vs C9 & EG vs Talon Predictions

We are just hours away from the Round of 16 matches with DRX vs C9 and EG vs Talon Esports. Who will be joining NRG and LOUD at the quarter finals of VCT Lock In 2023? Today, we predict the two winners of the night as we move towards the business end of the tournament.

Round Of 16 Predictions

DRX vs Cloud9

South Korean Giants will be facing the representatives of NA on our first match of the night.

Probable Lineups

DRX
  • Kim “stax” Gu-taek (IGL)
  • Goo “Rb” Sang-Min
  • Kim “Zest” Gi-seok
  • Yu “BuZz” Byung-chul
  • Kim “MaKo” Myeong-kwan
Cloud9
  • Anthony “vanity” Malaspina (IGL)
  • Nathan “leaf” Orf
  • Erick “Xeppaa” Bach
  • Jordan “Zellsis” Montemurro
  • Jacob “yay” Whiteaker

Our Prediction

It’s the North America vs Asia in the first match of the night. DRX have defeated BBL Esports 2-1 to make it to the round of 16. On the other hand, Cloud9 steamrolled over another Asian team, Paper Rex. Both teams have shown similar levels of confidence so far in the tournament.

A lot of this DRX vs C9 match boils down to the rosters. Cloud9 now has a pretty much new roster thanks to the Riot Games partnership program. With Zellsis and yay now in the squad, they surely are a force to be reckoned with. But the same DRX roster has been playing together since VCT 2021. There are few teams that come close in terms of co-ordination and that was well displayed at Valorant Champions 2022. This should be a close encounter but we feel like DRX is making it into the quarterfinals from here.

Don’t believe us? We got both our predictions right last night!

DRX is confident they can avenge PRX with this hilarious post tweeted earlier today:

Evil Geniuses vs Talon Esports

We’ll be finishing the night off with the last match between Evil Geniuses and Talon Esports.

Probable Lineups

Evil Geniuses
  • Kelden “Boostio“Pupello (IGL)
  • Corbin “C0M” Lee
  • Alexander “jawgemo” Mor
  • Brendan “BcJ” Jensen
  • Ethan “Ethan” Arnold
Talon Esports
  • Itthirit “foxz” Ngamsaard (IGL)
  • Thanamethk “Crws” Mahatthananuyut
  • Apiwat “garnetS” Apiraksukumal
  • Jittana “JitboyS” Nokngam
  • Panyawat “Sushiboys” Subsiriroj

Our Prediction

Both Evil Geniuses and Talon won their opening matches 2-0, against Heretics and MIBR respectively. The teams seem quite equal in terms of the performance they have displayed so far in the tournament.

The most impressive aspect about Evil Geniuses is the fact that they have a stacked 9-man roster. So, for Talon it’s gonna be hard to predict the lineup of EG. Ethan and BcJ brings a wealth of experience in the lineup which will be crucial for their run here. But let’s not count out Talon Esports. The Thai boys have showed nothing but courage and co-ordination in their opening match against the locals, MIBR. Former XERXIA man, Sushiboys was crowned the MVP of the match. A lot rests on his shoulders tonight as they’ll try to see it through at the series. Evil Geniuses on paper have more experience and firepower, so they should be clinching a spot at the quarterfinals.

Guess only time will tell if we get our predictions right tonight as well!

 

/by
,

VCT Lock In 2023 : Round Of 16 Day 1 Predictions

It is the comeback of the Valorant competitive season and things are burning up in Sao Paulo. The VCT 2023 Lock In is underway already with the round of 16 kicking off tomorrow. Today at Gamopo, we make some predictions on who’s winning on the first day of the Ro16.

About The VCT Lock In

VCT Lock In Round Of 16

The VCT Lock In is the first tournament of the VCT season and takes place early in the year. The Lock In is meant to help teams get into top form for the rest of the season by providing them with an opportunity to compete against other top teams. Lock In is featuring every team from the Americas, Pacific, EMEA leagues as well as two invited teams from China! The winning team that secures the championship will earn their region an extra slot at Masters 2023.

VCT23_LOCKIN_Primer_Article_Qualified_Teams.jpg

The round of 16 will be featuring NRG vs. Giants and LOUD vs. Karmine Corp on the first day. Visit the link to learn more about the event.

Round Of 16 Predictions

NRG vs Giants

NRG beat KOI 2-0 in a pretty tight series to make it to this round. On the other hand, Giants beat DetonatioN FM convincingly with a 2-0 score line.

But let’s move onto the first round of 16 matchup for now. NRG is walking into this series being one of the tournament favorites. They have a well-balanced team composing of the core players of the previous OpTic lineup. While there were some doubts about s0m, he buried that in the last match against KOI with a stellar performance. Giants has a decent lineup as well but they seem to be quite reliant on nukkye, the former G2 man.

The two teams have not played against each other before. With all of that being considered, we give the edge to NRG.

LOUD vs Karmine Corp

LOUD also had a bit of a hard time making it to the round of 16 beating Gen. G in a close series. Their opponent, Karmine Corp had to try hard too. They beat FunPlus Phoenix in a series that went all the way, on a score line of 2-1.

The victors of Champions 2022 will be looking to decimate Karmine Corp. While the Brazilian team has let go of Sacy and pAncada, they are still a formidable lineup with tuyz and cauanzin. With ScreaM as the IGL, KC looks promising as well. Shin and Nivera have shown form in the maps they have played at thus far. But we don’t think it’s enough to take down LOUD. We’re going for a LOUD win tonight.

Both the matches should be quite exciting tonight. May the best teams win!

/by
,

Riot Games Announces The Franchise Teams of VCT 2023

We have drawn the curtains on the VCT 2022 season earlier this week with LOUD securing the Valorant Champions 2022. The end of the season marks the hype for the next season and things are already getting hot. With Riot Games declaring the franchise teams of VCT 2023, social media has erupted with mixed reactions.

During Champions 2022, Riot Games announced that they will be introducing a franchise-like event next year. This means that only a select number of teams will be able to join upon invites into the competitive ecosystem. There will be a total of three leagues across the world based upon location. A total of 30 teams will be participating with 10 teams for each of Americas, Pacific and EMEA. The esports organizations are legally partnered with Riot to allow them to compete in the event while providing their intellectual property to the developers. Teams that are not partnered with Riot will have to qualify for the event through the amateur scene.

Franchise Teams of VCT 2023

Here are all the franchise teams for the VCT 2023 season:

VCT Americas

  • 100 Thieves
  • Cloud9
  • Evil Geniuses
  • FURIA
  • KRU Esports
  • Leviatan
  • LOUD
  • MIBR
  • NRG
  • Sentinels

VCT EMEA

  • BBL Esports
  • Fnatic
  • Team Vitality
  • Team Heretics
  • NAVI
  • Team Liquid
  • Karmine Corp
  • Giants
  • FUT Esports
  • KOI

VCT Pacific

  • Zeta Division
  • Gen.G
  • DRX
  • Paper Rex
  • Talon Esports
  • Detonation Gaming
  • T1
  • Team Secret
  • Rex Regum Qeon
  • Global Esports

You can learn more about the franchise teams reveal here.

Teams Missing Out

Unfortunately, some big names are missing out from the franchise event. OpTic Gaming, the team that finished top 3 in the last three top tier Valorant events have been left out. Their former IGL, FNS and yay have both announced that they are up for grabs as a restricted free agent.

Deeming themselves the best EMEA team in a recent announcement, FPX are also disheartened to not be a part of the plan. They not only won Copenhagen but also finished top 4 at Champions 2022. The organization announced that they will be focusing on “taking care of their players” in the near future.

The winners of Valorant Champions 2021, Acend Club are also missing out on a franchise spot. Their founder, Benjamin Rolle took to social media assuring fans that he’s still proud of what the organization has achieved. Bencb went on to state:

We’re disappointed, but we’re determined to build a powerhouse.

You can check out the full statement here:

Well, it surely is disappointing that some big teams will be missing out on the biggest stage of Valorant next year. We hope that these teams do make a comeback and perform on the main stage!

 

 

/by
,

LOUD Crowned Champions of Valorant Champions 2022

It’s been three weeks since the Valorant Champions 2022 kicked off. After 33 intense matches, we have finally witnessed the grand final between LOUD and OpTic Gaming. With the finals now done and dusted, the action surely lived up to the hype of the finals. How did the maps turn out? Keep on reading to find out only at Gamopo!

LOUD vs OpTic

LOUD and OpTic Gaming have faced each other a total of five times before, of which the latter has won thrice. This gives OpTic Gaming a slight edge over LOUD.

Rosters

LOUD

  • Matias “saadhak” Delipetro (IGL)
  • Erick “aspas” Santos
  • Felipe “Less” Basso
  • Bryan “pANcada” Luna
  • Gustavo “Sacy” Rossi

OpTic Gaming

  • Pujan “FNS” Mehta (IGL)
  • Victor “Victor” Wong
  • Austin “crashies” Roberts
  • Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker
  • Jimmy “Marved” Nguyen

Map Picks

  • LOUD ban Pearl andΒ Fracture
  • LOUD pick Ascent
  • OPTC pick Bind
  • LOUD pick Breeze
  • OPTC pick Haven
  • Icebox remains

The Series

Map 1 (Ascent)

The first map of the grand finals began at Ascent. LOUD started off the map just the way they wanted picking up the first two pistol rounds. OpTic then began a scary streak of winning six straight rounds with some filthy plays from yay. The first half ended 7-5 in favor of OpTic. In the second half, it was OpTic that picked up the pistol rounds. LOUD picked up some pace winning the next three rounds but OpTic responded well…. for a while. LOUD made a comeback right after forcing the game to be taken to an overtime. The overtime was just as nail-biting and LOUD took the first map home 15-13.

Map 2 (Bind)

OpTic needed to make a statement on Bind and their start surely did. They picked up the first four rounds without a sweat. LOUD responded but only for a few rounds. OpTic ended the first half well in their favor ending it 10-2. LOUD recollected themselves and started the second half of the map really well. They won the first four rounds and looked to make a comeback. But with only two rounds needed to pick up the map, OpTic picked up the pieces and won Bind.

Map 3 (Breeze)

LOUD’s map pick didn’t start in their favor at all. Without a sweat, OpTic picked up the first five rounds with ease. LOUD made a solid comeback though with the first half ending 6-6. All hell broke loose in the second half of Breeze. Both teams kept going back and forth and both teams barely picked up consecutive rounds. The scores were 12-12 and it went to yet another overtime. Both teams went neck and neck in overtime but in the end, LOUD took their second win 16-14. LOUD was now one map away from being crowned the victors of Valorant Champions 2022.

Map 4 (Haven)

OpTic’s pick of Haven started very, very well for LOUD. The boys from South America not only picked up the pistols but the bonus round as well. First half did not fail to deliver the expected level of action as it ended 7-6 in favor of LOUD. The second half started with LOUD steamrolling over the entire roster of OpTic. OpTic couldn’t pick up a single round in defense as they fell prey to LOUD’s aggressiveness. In the end, LOUD won the map and the series 3-1.

Well, good news for Brazil fans as the trophy finally comes home as LOUD have been crowned Valorant champions. All we look forward to now is VCT 2023!

 

/by
,

Final Day of Valorant Champions 2022 Group Stage

It was the final day of the group stage of Valorant Champions 2022. We’ve witnessed jam-packed action even before making it to the playoffs. With just two seeds left in the upper-bracket quarterfinals, who were the final two teams to make it? Let’s find out!

Final Day of Valorant Champions 2022

The final day decided the destiny of two teams that’d be joining the playoffs of Champions 2022. The stage was set for KRU taking on FunPlus Phoenix and 100 Thieves going up against Fnatic. Both teams were pretty neck and neck on paper and it was tough to pick a winner. But eventually, we had our winners with the course of time.

KRU vs FunPlus Phoenix

KRU vs FunPlus Phoenix was the first group stage match of the final day. The two teams met last week as well where FPX picked up the series 2-0.

Rosters

KRU
  • Nicolas “Klaus” Ferrari (IGL)
  • Roberto “Mazino” Rivas
  • Juan “NagZ” Pablo Lopez
  • Joaquin “delz1k” Espinoza
  • Angelo “keznit” Mori
FunPlus Phoenix
  • Kyrylo “AGNE1” Karasov
  • Andrey “Shao” Kiprsky
  • Pontus “Zyppan” Eek
  • Dmitry “SUYGETSU” Ilyushin
  • Ardis “ardiis” Svarenieks

Map Picks

  • KRU ban Fracture
  • FPX ban Breeze
  • KRU pick Icebox
  • FPX pick Ascent
  • KRU ban Haven
  • FPX ban Pearl
  • Bind remains

The Series

Map 1 (Icebox)

KRU’s pick started off with pistol round wins for FPX. KRU responded by winning the bonus round but FPX picked up pace again. The first half ended pretty much evenly with scoreline reading 7-5 in favor of FunPlus. KRU executed what they had hoped for by winning the pistol rounds in the second half. The scoreline was even 7-7 at that point. The game could’ve been anyone’s but the team of FPX showed up winning the first map 13-9. It was a commendable team effort for FunPlus Phoenix as four players ended with a ACS of above 220.

Map 2 (Ascent)

On the 2nd map, it was FPX again who won the pistol rounds. They kept up the momentum by winning the next three rounds as well. They ended the first half of their map pick going up 9-3. Was a 9-3 curse loading? Not at all. FPX made sure they continued to dominate as they picked up a few more rounds with ease in defense. They picked up the second map as well as the series ending Ascent with a whopping score of 13-4. An ace by ardiis in the final round surely was the cherry on the top for FPX.

100 Thieves vs Fnatic

This was the final match of the final day of group stage at Valorant Champions 2022. The Thieves picked up a 2-1 win over Fnatic just a week ago.

Rosters

100 Thieves
  • Brenden “stellar” McGrath (IGL)
  • Peter “Asuna” Mazuryk
  • Derrek “Derrek” Ha
  • William “Will” Cheng
  • Sean “bang” Bezerra
Fnatic
  • Jake “Boaster” Howlett (IGL)
  • James “Mistic” Orfila
  • Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev
  • Enzo “Enzo” Mestari
  • Emir “Alfajer” Ali Beder

Map Picks

  • FNC ban Haven
  • 100T ban Icebox
  • FNC pick Bind
  • 100T pick Ascent
  • FNC ban Breeze
  • 100T ban Fracture
  • Pearl remains

The Series

Map 1 (Bind)

Picked by Fnatic, Bind was the first map where the two teams met. With Fnatic on attack, the start couldn’t have been any better for the European side. The entire roster looked polished but it seemed to have been a walk at the park for Alfajer and Derke. They ended the first half up by 10-2. They started the second half winning the two pistol rounds as well. The Thieves showed some resistance though by winning three rounds straight but their efforts were in vain. Fnatic picked up round 18 and sealed Bind with a comfortable 13-4 scoreline.

Map 2 (Ascent)

Ascent was the first map pick for 100 Thieves. The boys from NA won the pistol rounds of the first half. Fnatic, as expected, were quick to respond winning the next two rounds. The EU team got their momentum and ended the first half winning 8-4. In the second half, it was Fnatic who picked up the bonus as well as the pistol rounds. 100 Thieves responded well, putting in a solid effort and winning three rounds to try and turn the match around in their favor. But Fnatic showed their grit and won the series picking up Ascent 13-7.

Playoff Teams

All of the teams that are joining us at the playoffs are:

  • DRX
  • FunPlus Phoenix
  • Leviatan
  • LOUD
  • Optic Gaming
  • Team Liquid
  • XSET
  • Fnatic

The playoffs will begin today with Leviatan facing LOUD at first and DRX vs FunPlus Phoenix taking place later.

Who have you picked as your winners from the first day of playoffs? We know our picks! Check out our day 1 picks of who is making it to the upper bracket semi-finals.

/by