https://x.com/anonimotum/status/1790783486158086498

That is a big move.
Reportedly a strong possibility that Gorilla (AC) is promoted to be the head coach.

I did like a lot of what I saw from vitality in the last 2 years, a lot of very nice site execute and ideas.
However, with the way the team had seemingly crumbled recently some changes were needed.
The quality of this roster should be contending for international spots.

Vitality were just inconsistently brilliant in a game where consistency wins.

Its time.
The world is finally ready.
Unleash super sub NiesoW.

Damn thats a shame, two of my favourite casting pairs not at shanghai.

Also this will be the first time since Reykjavik 2021 where the grand finals will not be casted by either brenshow or panpoc.

A statement victory from UCAM.
What a clutch by olizera to close it.
Nice to see Azury back playing after his stint in fokus was cut short.

Seems like pretty sensible moves.
Palla has been frying in tier 2.
Richzin aswell was someone i liked, he looked good versus mibr/furia in the off//season.

Mibr don't really have much to play for so I kinda see these moves as trying out players for the long run.

Mibr quick to squash the no investment allegations.
Maybe they are using CS money to fund these moves.

Its actually hilarious.
https://www.vlr.gg/97146/rebels-gaming-vs-team-heretics-valorant-regional-league-spain-rising-stage-2-group-stage-r14
https://www.vlr.gg/97098/team-heretics-vs-rebels-gaming-valorant-regional-league-spain-rising-stage-2-group-stage-r5
https://www.vlr.gg/68798/rebels-gaming-vs-team-heretics-vrl-spain-rising-season-r4

3-0 record vs Heretics (in the vcl, he has lost 1 off//season game) and he's MVP every game.
25+ kills every game.
Ratings of: 1.57 , 1.54, 2.79.

Slight continuation on this thread: https://www.vlr.gg/227003/mena-promising-players

Another super interesting change happening in MENA.

OuTLaW has decided to retire, regarded as the greatest IGL in MENA valorant.
His replacement being izuki from the academy line up.
Unsure who is going to be the IGL going forward, although it seems like it will be KHaalid.

GCC + IRAQ: A lot of promising players are emerging from MENA recently, especially from the GCC region.
Akai, is still probably the biggest rising star with the 17 year old having huge success in the region.
Exit, 17, has also had a good season individually for twisted minds.
mabuchi, 18, Qatari player played an important role in helping his team reach top 3 in his region.

LEVANT + NA: A few young domestic players , mostly Egyptian, popping up in what has become an import filled region.
yassien, at 16 years old and finally being able to participate he has been a promising spark in what has been a disappointing season for RAAD.
Next closest would probably be block, who is 16, and black, who is 17, both of which primarily playing smokes.

ASCENSION:
The format for ascension qualification has the top 2 teams from the subregion compete at a Lan with the top 2 then making ascension.
LEVANT + NA: Is likely to both R8 / NASR , both teams have a lot of strong CIS players.
GCC + IRAQ: Falcons and probably the The Ultimates, both have been the most consistent contenders in the region.
MENA LAN FINALS: There is a real possibility that it might be both LEVANT teams, it really depends on how good this new falcons roster looks.

Very one sided.
100t are a fun watch though, inside and outside the server.

Also having two differing fanbases would make it more fun.
Both 100t and G2 kinda overlap into NA fans.

This being the rumoured dvm roster? Kadavra Marctylinho Foxie Szimpli Pa1ka
Honestly, looks pretty good.

Any idea where he might be going?
He made tier 2 with falke but left before the split started.

Stage 2 playoffs is based on overall record though so that should reward consistency.
If it leans too hard into playoff points than you are likely to not see the most in form teams.

LEOOOOO IM POURING HONEY ON YOU GOAT

HOLY SHIT
HES A TURRET

They don't play this map enough.
If they try to play the standard comp, heretics will just win due to having more familiarity.
May aswell play something else to try and cause some discomfort.

EG did the same thing at tokyo versus fnc on bind, which actually worked pretty well.

More of a Saadhak replacement.
Raafa is seen as a good igl in Brazil.
He's done well in Tier 2, with the Union and now Hero Base.

Holy shit, that move would drastically change the americas landscape.
Now that would make +raafa even more likely.

I did hear that there was some confusion around premier.
The Mongolz didn't play this split because they thought they had already qualified.

but yeah hopefully the success of Kobolds making it to the VCL will encourage more teams to grind through premier. I reckon Chinggis warriors would have a good chance of making it.

Lets go!!
Congrats Kobolds for qualifying for the VCL HK/TW, the first ever Mongolian team to make a VCL.
This was the first split after Mongolia was moved from Turikye to HK/TW and a team has qualified already.
It was a tough event but qualification is all that matters.

123 looked really good mechanically, especially on the OP.
Answerz aswell looked great on cypher.

Hopefully HK/TW continues to provide a better path for Mongolian valorant and that things continue to improve.

Navi definitely fell victim to the issues that plagued this split, especially in the playoffs.
Losing to BBL almost certainly prevented them from making Shanghai.

I was just annoyed about the narrative that "FNC got in at the expense of NAVI" when in reality it should be "NAVI fell victim to a flawed playoff system"

I would also probably still favour heretics in the rematch however I am pleased to see fnatic regain their form.
Things seemed very rough at the start of the stage but everything has been flowing well recently.
It's just building upon this and having a nice run at shanghai.

Since Leo + Chronicle has come in, fnatic has flattened the choking allegations.

anyways... th vs fnc tomorrow who do you got winning?

1

Mibr have already came out to deny those claims:
https://x.com/MIBR/status/1789093098137501818

That bold claim seems very unlikely. Even Bruno Povoleri who broke the news about the mibr roster decisions in 2023 has came out to distances himself from those claim. https://x.com/brunopovoleri/status/1789133533019075052

Though I do think MIBR could be seen as "not investing enough" into their valorant division, its unlikely they are siphoning money out of it.

Nice bounce back from FNC.
That fake at round 18 was cute, using the wingman plant conditioning to send a fake wingman in.

Showing some more proactiveness in their defense which is having some success.

It's a defence side smoke.
A viper orb which covers the default plant area on A site.
Useful in denying plants.
Works very well in tandem with other util to break wingman or kill people trying to plant.

my bad. that was a hard jinx.
g2 played that really well though even after losing both pistols.

He suffers from Crohns Disease and has Arthritis.
being a pro gamer probably doesnt help either.

Haters can't stand a little guy being goofy.

If teams don't respect them then they have a very good chance.
100T bind is arguably the strongest is the world, also probably the most reliable map pick in vct rn. (hopefully i havent just jinxed this one)

Based on what I am hearing, its unlikely that MIBR will significantly improve unless there is a change of management.

What do you think the "ME" in EMEA stands for.

After FNC pulled NAVI through the mud just for them to bomb out at tokyo & champs it's about time that Navi got the short end of the stick.

Perhaps losing to BBL was sub optimal.

I agree though format has been rough due to the inability to properly seed teams.

PRX are already a big title contender for Shanghai.

With Shanghai being played on patch 8.08 this only helps to improve PRX chances of winning considering that prx mostly play comps that don't include either viper or cypher, which is unlike most of the other teams at the event.

Dapr was good back then, but sentinels weren't great on split.
I specifically remember them struggling on that map especially towards the end of 2021.

life game that occurs every other game?
More life i guess.

he might be the best A site split anchor of all time (super specific LOL)
wtf... so many clips from this spot

#FNCNATION we are back

People calling him a baiter because he's not anchoring sites as a sova...
of course he is saving when KC were successfully creating 5v3 post plants scenarios.

How are they going to decide the order that the first seeds will pick?
Because picking first will be very advantageous.

Not sure why they didn't just let that last goal play out, it was a very tight call to blow early may aswell let it go to var.

how does real manage to come back everytime and a brace from joselu of all people
THAT MAN WAS PLAYING FOR STOKE

I was happy for him to have a year in tier 1 because he has the perfect mentality for a pro player.
I've only heard good things about him from former teammates in val/fn.

His confidence is probably his strongest asset.
Especially in a game like valorant where confidence has such an impact on performance and decisions.

Kinda crazy how fast he has become a top sentinel, I remember watching him play for EP thinking he could do well in valorant but being this good this quickly is some feat.

He has been getting too much value, its scary.

To be fair, hes been excellent the entire split.

That is just how info initiators play.
No point dying with impactful util.

Still some ways off from qualifying, although progress is being made.
Nice to see riot relax on the nationality restriction to allow for the top GC team to try and qualify.

I will always respect the teams like SR/G2 for actually attempting to break into the t2 circuit, even if their attempts aren't fruitful.

They won premier, same as permitta and dortmund.

What the hell was that?