We should support this. So much more fun to watch this style of gameplay than most of the teams currently playing.

You're right, but PRX still beat DRX on bind in M1. My point is that Bind is almost every elite team's best map, or close to best map and PRX has turned that on its head.

Maybe, they're also the closest thing to an EMEA PRX, living or dying off of chaos at times. I don't think Liquid would beat them though, PRX still have fantastic team play on top of all this, not so much Liquid.

PRX just force aim duels. Most teams have that 1 player that can win those aim duels (Derke and yay most notably), but PRX has 2.

Also I think one key success to PRX has been their ability to counter Optic/EMEA/DRXs comfort pick. The amount of chaos forsaken brings just makes this so hard for teams to deal with. Not to mention Jingg on Raze is fucking crazy in his own right.
I'll be interested to see if optic is willing to ban bind to avoid falling into the same trap everyone else has.

Lev has to make FNC uncomfortable to beat them, they are scrappy enough to do it, but they'll have to win aim duels. I just don't know if they're at that level yet.
FNC 2-0
Suygetsu has to come up huge for FPX to overtake DRX. DRX absolutely controlled game 1, and I don't think Ange1 opening his mouth and talking about DRX being lucky is good.
Closer than the first series, but DRX take down FPX 2-1.

I think changing anything on DRX could set them back from all the progress they've already made. They're on the cusp of being a championship team, they just need to get past optic.

They need to beat FPX for sure though, another middling performance would be devastating.

Any changes need to be made after champions though. Make the changes after franchising is started.

Xerxia beat optic in game 1 last masters. Optic slow starts are typical.

Fusion and Xolos have both taken games off of kru/lev. It's more like a 4 team region.

Both latam teams still finished above your trash team.

I know, I'm simply saying it's Sentinels fault for not following meta, not yay's for following it

I'm not gonna hold my breath because every time I root for Guild they lose.

G2 flair needs to quiet down

Then why not put tenz on chamber. Sick is plenty good enough to play duelist.

EMEA still has G2. Automatically knocks the whole region down to Tier 2

Yay has 2 negative series for Optic ever (and they were just mediocre instead of bad)

Tenz has a ton more games that were bad. I don't fully blame tenz though, sen has been living/dying off of tenz' performance.

I won't count optic out of the tourney, they are a very beatable by any team though which people often forget. They also can beat any team.

Isn't this what you guys were screaming when Xerxia beat Optic? Nothing it decided yet.

In an actual serious answer. They are solid, I don't think they're quite the level of Kru yet, but Tacolilla is definitely a top player, and the addition of Shyy has been really good. I'd say they likely go 0-2, but with the right draw they can make top 6.

Yep

Actually I was wrong, Kru is better than LLLoud

You have got to be complete delusional to think this won't be a stomp.

KRU is garbage and they got stomped by leviatan. LOUD is at least 2 tiers above KRU on every single aspect of the game.

Not saying this as a fanboy or anything, it's just facts.

Lol, yes must avoid the curse

Should've been 9-3 , but Kru will always lose a couple rounds due to mistakes.

Looks like I was right.

Proof?

I can't I'm blind I just listen to them

Proof?

Especially since both Korea and Japan have higher support for esports in general.

Valorant sitting at 350k rn. Majority of the views are watch parties. Valorant is fine.

I would take crashies over stax, but that's about it.

American is not synonymous with just North America.

1. Kru was not taking stage 1 serious enough. They routinely played Phoenix and doing other dumb shit that obviously kept them out of form.
2. Kru still has the same roster as champions and still has the potential to go off in any game.
3. Kru played Optic and TL (2 teams that aren't pushovers)
4. Kru has nothing to lose. Everyone expects them to lose this game
5. Keznit

There is definitely potential for Kru to pull off the upset.

Optic*
My brain put LOUD for whatever reason.

Optic*
My bad

Also what makes me delusional? Care to elaborate? I'm still picking LOUD 2x0, I just think Kru won't get 13-6ed or worse.

Registered: June 29, 2022
Last post: July 1, 2022 at 4:32 PM
Posts: 5

This is the same Kru team that fought Optic and TL hard on Ascent. And the team is much better now than they were last stage. Also there is a definite rivalry here that will bring out the best in Keznit and Mazino (Mazino has been great as of late).

This doesn't mean I think Kru beats Loud, or even takes a map off of LOUD, but something like a 13-8 loss on LOUD's pick and overtime coinflip on Kru's pick is what I expect.

And a week before that everyone in Brazil was talking how NIP were gonna crush KRU.
I think this just proves you guys are a fickle bunch.

If kru upsets loud Brazil will probably just cease to exist.

Loud should 2-0 though

Xerxia 2-1 hopium

This is a hell of a first draw for both teams. I think Loud wins it, but I also think it's closer than most expect.

https://twitter.com/ValorantEsports/status/1542956290774913024

Group A
Optic Gaming vs. Guild Esports
LOUD vs. KRU Esports

Group B
FunPlus Phoenix vs. Xerxia
DRX vs. Northeption

man I love fwogs

Loud didn't choke, they just had to beat Optic twice, and that doesn't happen. FNS probably had your whole playbook memorized by game 2

Yes I am sure Valorant Japan decided to spend money on a massive venue, the set up, AND the fans, because that's a great way to make money.

Need to see Alfajer on LAN first, but the man is one of the best new player of the year.

You acting like they didn't just play in front of a crowd of 18k.

TL has not been good this season. Don't really know the answer to fixing it, but if it wasn't for FPX's problems, their season would be a complete disaster.

At least sentinels won something before their fans ran their mouth. Fnatic hadn't even won emea until this stage. It's fine to be excited for your team, but not act like fnatic has won it before they even stepped on the stage.

This. I want NA to win since that's my region, but I also don't want dominance to make the esport predictable and boring.
I hope a "minor" region wins it soon, and cements valorant as one of the most competitive esports in the world, and I think it's pretty close to that since any team can win it right now if they get hot at the right time.

Only way they fail to make it out of groups is a bad draw.