It also doesn't make any sense.

Each team has 5 matches per split. This framing of two groups suggests that teams from group A have 6 matches in the first split and then 4 in the second split.

Finally a win for portable document format 🙏

That's probably the tradeoff for not having a buyout.

You're in a coma, StyrofoamOne. Please wake up. Please, the kids and I miss you so much

Say what you want about the 8 team format, but honestly I feel like this tournament will be such a banger. I haven't watched too much APAC and China, so I don't know how PRX, EDG, FPX and Gen.G are looking, but from the little I've seen, I feel like besides maybe FPX, every single team at Madrid has a decent chance at winning. Not saying they all have equal chances, but I don't think there'll be any game where you can guarantee in advance who will win.

The only correct analysis of this game

Chronicle missed all of 2022, he's not near the top in terms of appearances.

It's a pretty good game, but there's also plenty of mistakes on both sides. Honestly NRG's map theory looked much worse than various other teams. Even Heretics had better postplants on Sunset

They were favourites for the Americas league last year and won though

I've never been so hyped to watch an international tournament as an EU fan. Sure Americas look unbeatable, but KC and TH are so much more fun to watch than FNC/TL/NAVI, and I'm so tired of those teams going in with high expectations and going out while playing the most boring Valorant on earth.

Even if KC and TH don't win any games (and honestly they are looking more than capable of beating anyone) I feel like it'll be so much doper than EU at internationals in the last two years.

Enggh is a great coach, and so handsome too 🤤

They could, yeah. Loud would obviously be favoured in either duel though.

I mean they lost one bo3, while playing the exact same strats they've played for the last 14 months. Against a team that is looking very good.

CoJo said on Twitter that the plan was for FNC to peak at Champs, which makes sense given last year's trajectory. Saadhak also said that he wanted to do so much more stuff at Champs and he just didn't have the time. The schedule is tight and teams that do deep runs in masters won't be able to come up with much new stuff for Champs.

So this year FNC went with "we think we're good enough to win kickoff with old strats", which they were clearly wrong about. But also they will have other stuff cooked up for the rest of the year. Whether or not those things will work is up in the air, but reacting to this one bo3 like they all fell off and are shit players now is a bit silly.

based off of what exactly

The entirety of last year as a precedent

Americans interpret any result within EMEA as EMEA being shit, it's nothing new. If FNC had won, the reactions would be the same.

Yeah of course he was frying, he played OREsports and DSG. Put Qwerty against those and he drops 90

All it took for N4rrate to become good was a proper team of European chads around him

Stop thinking bro, it's clearly not working for you

He wanted a less stressful job

Until I find a smarter specimen I'm gonna have to go with you tbh

smartest american

They are tier 1 players.

unless on phantom

Surely a Viper who is about to ult doesn't buy a Vandal unless it's carried over from a previous round, right?

In his personal streams he's super annoying, constantly malding and whining about opponents and teammates and how bad everyone else is at the game.

I think on the broadcast he's fine though. Not the best we've got, but acceptable.

I think the biggest problem is that SA tier 2 can't scrim the tier 1 teams, which kind of prevents the region from developing properly. It's not that apparent yet, but after a few years of all the good SA teams being based in LA, it'll probably become more pronounced. IIRC Leo said Riot considered a rotating league which moves every year but decided against it for logistical reasons. Personally I think for the development of the scene that could have been a very good solution. EMEA teams (excluding sub-Saharan Africa, but there's nothing there in terms of Valorant anyway) can all scrim the partnered teams with a reasonable ping.

Lost to this team btw: https://www.vlr.gg/298697/bilibili-gaming-vs-wolves-esports-champions-tour-2024-china-kickoff-opening-c

Doping, it literally says it in the post bro

Americas - Chaadhak & Goatzin
EMEA - Vitality
Pacific - PRX
China - DRG

Yeah, because Loud knew exactly how to best set up qck and how to counter aspas.

yay also diffed everyone in 2022, but the second he left optic, he didn't diff anybody anymore. Almost like it's a team game :o

There's literally not a single player in the world who could replace Jinggg. No matter who they sign, if they just put him on Raze and don't change anything, they're gonna be much worse. Jinggg is the best in the world at the specific things he does. They HAVE to change if they want to be succesful without him.

no

Yeah the only chance EG win maps is by good antistratting, but Loud have only shown three maps so far, and they have definitely cooked on at least three more

This is not a courtroom

yeah but why not just use G2 flair?

"E in GEN G doesn't stand for EMEA" 🤓

Nah signing Monyet was a good move, they just need to not have him replace Jinggg 1:1, that's obviously not gonna work. Just look at what Loud did with qck. He's obviously not as good as aspas, but as a team they don't look worse than last year, because they just changed their approach a bit.

Heh. You said victor. Get it like the player from NRG. Like NRG Victor. Hehe. Hehehe

Why tf do you want to use the flair of the org that almost cucked your favourite team out of a VCT slot?

Don't worry, I'm already seeing a psychologist, I'm aware of my issues

If you perceive any of these comments as flaming, you might genuinely have some issues with narcissism (not even joking, like none of these comments is even remotely flaming, I obviously regard NRG very highly, they clearly have the potential to be the best team in the world). Like if you read my reply saying, "take a breather", took that as a personal attack, went through my comment history, saw these tame ass comments, and then proceed to view those as attacks on your favourite team as well, that's actually concerning. If I were you, I'd try to look through an article such as this one and maybe consult a specialist. Good luck

Okay, let's go through it.

"NRG will be SENt home unfortunately" - obviously just a silly pun

"In contrast to NRG of course, who were very consistent in 2023" - obviously about last year's team

"Remember, every time Bilibili loses, NRG's 0-4 only becomes more embarrassing" - obviously just making fun of the people still obsessed with BLG, and also about last year's team, not the current team

"Yeah but it's a new IGL, we don't know what their Bind looks like. FNS calling was absolutely critical for their success on Bind.

And even last year, NRG wasn't great on Bind, they lost a lot of Bind games." - this one was just talking about their map pool and why they might not be feeling as confident about Bind as Optic/last year's NRG was.

Those were all my comments mentioning NRG (I skipped two because they were just about brackets)

Again, which one of these is shit talking NRG?

What does that even mean? Where am I downplaying NRG? Also my favourite teams aren't even playing internationally, there's nothing to worry about lol. You seem a bit agitated though.

Take a breather

NA isn't Sodium, Na is

So EG get the freest group in Champions history, NRG get FNC and two bottom feeders, which is free as hell even if they lose to FNC, and Loud get DRX and NAVI (who were actually decent at Champs, hell even TL clear Zeta/Billy Billy and all the teams in EG's group).

Optic at Reykjavík had KRÜ and Xerxia in their group. In Copenhagen, it was KRÜ again and Guild (with Koldamenta and Russ btw). At Champs it was Boom and Zeta. Sure they lost to some mid ass teams but those groups couldn't possibly get any freer.

Now there are three NA teams in a four team bracket with a 50/50 draw and some people call it rigged because the wrong two NA teams are playing against each other? Actual schizophrenia.

NRG will be SENt home unfortunately

In contrast to NRG of course, who were very consistent in 2023

They just did the exact opposite of last year. Instead of signing washed up ex-CS stars, they signed promising tier 2 players and actually tried to build a coherent team with a clear philosophy, no egos, and also a good caoch.

Mistic was the free agent from EMEA with the most international experience by far, both Enzo and he are definitely more expensive than players like marteen/tomaszy or miniboo

I feel like unless they make a run at one of the international tournaments, Emil is definitely getting nervous up there. But we'll see how this year goes for TL

I'm Sayf's cousin and work in a data center in Qatar. I can confirm that Mohamed Salah paid me many, many moneys to make Kmao's PC go stinky mode (that's what we call it in the biz)