its also because LG's parent company lost 8.6m in Q1 and are likely doing budget cuts

i saw you being the only one who commented this in the stream

lol

Optic don't play Breeze either.

and Optics best map is arguably Fracture as well.

in 2022: FNC is 2-1, Optic is 7-2

pretty sure boostio is EG's IGL

none of those teams are big in comparison to other valorant teams in their own region though.

Oceania region (australia, NZ, etc.) Are part of the APAC overall region, so thus ORDER has a spot rn in the APAC playoffs that can get them to Masters

also if Valorant isn't out in China how are there actual chinese teams and regions/tourneys?

saadhak is like a young FNS

Yeah I agree that Tex and Hazed aren't top of their role anymore.

Picking up a fragging IGL, someone like Zander immediately comes to mind as somebody that I'd wanna see.

But yeah I'm sure we'll see changes going into next year, but I think they at least make LCQ. They're guaranteed to if they beat Guard next week, not only because playoffs but they're basically guaranteed 20+ circuit points in stage 2 to put them at 50 overall which kinda secures them for LCQ.

Tbh I'm torn about that, just because thus far Tex has been okay at Chamber and has been solid with this core. But I agree dropping Android wasn't a good move even if Ethan is better overall

Optic obviously being a front runner
Fnatic
PRX
those 3 are my top 3 for Copenhagen to win it all. But teams like DRX, 100T, Ghost, Guild, FPX all are imo dark horses for copenhagen (either to go or to make a run at the event)

I agree.
Eeiu is like a top 8 initiator player in NA and probably the best Fade
Ethan is a pretty good flex
s0m and Tex are both really solid players in their roles, but yeah Tex might be the worst chamber main but he's still NRGs best option since he's still the best aimer. With the meta shifting away from Duelists S0m has experimented with non duelist options and its worked at times but more often than not it hasnt.
Hazed good IGL just plays heavy support, moving to assistant coach would prob fit him more at this point of the career.

Overall they're kind of in the purgatory where their roster is good enough to make VCT and better than T2 teams, but not enough to be an international level NA squad.

they dropped android to pick up ethan

Rlly like both of these teams, but gotta have hopium for NRG so they can qualify to playoffs and LCQ

idk ask Riot?

masters only 12 slots for M2 unlike 16 at M3 last year.

NA still gets 3 for champs (counting LCQ)

h2h before map and round diff

h2h primarily, then map/round diff

Hazed is a good IGL, he's just a bit on the older side and can't quite frag out like he used to. Personally unless NRG was picking up Zander or someone to bring in extra firepower they should keep Hazed because he's still an above average IGL.

Group A:
mostly h2h
TSM eliminated
NRG v Guard next week winner gets 4th seed.

Group B:
C9 has to beat FaZe next week (regardless of LG v C9 this week) to make playoffs.

yeah, if NRG won, and a few other things happened next week, then TSM could qualify OVER 100T into playoffs (really unlikely) but with 100T winning and clinching playoffs, it also eliminated TSM as next weeks NRG v Guard determines 4th seed in group A

yeah, TSM already lost and was out. So thus next weeks match between those 2 teams determines 4th seed of playoffs in group A

they clearly had a game plan, thus why they brought the korean comp in. Just 100T are on another level and smoked NRG. Alot of that hinged off Tex underperforming and just 100Ts attack side being really strong in post plant.

TSM is eliminated from playoffs due to losing tiebreakers in h2h (lost to both NRG AND Guard

NRG v Guard determines 4th seed next week.

they just brought in Ethan, their core isnt bad just other teams have been able to outperform them thus far.

On paper the best they were expected to do was 3-2 (realistically) and still can make playoffs if they beat Guard next week. 100T are just playing on another level, Ghost have upset expectations for them, and XSET beating NRG is like TSM beating 100T, it always happens.

still not out yet, winner of NRG v Guard qualifies for playoffs next week.

NRG would beat them. Its not NRG being bad moreso 100T being on another level rn. NRG are still better than TSM and SEN (and V1/PKS since they beat both them to qualify)

Not out yet, them vs Guard next week determines who gets 4th spot in group A (because with a 100T win TSM goes home.)

Half shields gets countered out by phantoms and damaging util. But you get more buys.

Neon on Bind (+ their entire comp) is a Korean comp that theyre testing out. Its just that 100T is on another level right now.

wdym Tex isn't good?

Ever since he's made the switch he's been alot better than traditional sentinels, and the team explained the change because Tex has by far the steadiest/most consistent aim compared to S0m

Probably h2h, aka next week NRG vs Guard will likely determine 4th spot in playoffs in group A.

I think thats his choice to be playing Omen, he does decently on it, just he was getting shutdown with the overextending by 100T

fr fr

Yes they both can if NRG wins next week against Guard, this match doesnt quite matter as much outside of 100T locking it in.

NRG hopium

NRG hopium

Hoenstly i just hope the match is good regardless of who wins. Obviously i want NRG but 100T has looked great this stage. That way atleast NRG and 100T can make playoffs

Its pretty unlikely because they need as much to go their way as sen needed before they played faze.
Aka its probably not happening based on them playing XSET next week

Cheaters exist yeah. But riots anticheat is pretty good at catching it and alot of the cheat makers got sued into oblivion by Riot earlier this year. People that were making and selling cheats got hit with cease and desist orders and what not. So yeah it exists but its either hard to come by and typically gets caught 9/10 times

Marved. Bang, Bdog, Nismo, Dicey, are prob the next bunch of consistently good players in NA

don't give ratzham ideas now. Cause either way SEN are going 0-5

I never said it was being prevented, I meant if Riot opted NOT to implement it that it would suck more than it already is going to

who woulda thought that sucking and exploding would be a great combo

only if they have that during franchising, that would make sense, cus otherwise if the top VCT level scene is the same 10 teams in each region. Its gonna get really boring and shitty real quick.

Like it would make sense if

1. Franchise Leagues are 12-16 teams
2. They have VRLs as the tier 2 scene to keep that scene from falling apart (may or may not also be franchised)
3. Promo/Releg system between VRLs and VCT Franchise to prevent the same top teams every event

nobody mentioned extra spot, i think he means the LCQ spot as the 3rd NA rep

Unless a NA team passes up Optic by winning Stage 2, AND Copenhagen Optic is basically a lock for Champions, then whoever is no 2. (Guard, C9, someone else) will auto qualify, then LCQ would be 3-10 ranked NA teams compete to be the 3rd representative

I hope i encounter you in ranked so i can soundboard thrifty and hear your suffering

same list except MLB > Tennis (i dont watch tennis)

RIP NA Challengers for me

SEN out
TSM out 90%
NRG out 90%
Cloud 9 out 90%
OpTic guaranteed qualified 90% I will see them in masters 2

This makes it zero sense for me to continuo watching NA challengers

unfortunately after the likes of team fokus and other shit teams I moved away from EU challengers

Now its time to also move away from NA challengers

i'll only be watching majors

WE NEED LAN VALORANT STOP WITH THE ONLINE MICKEY MOUSE CHALLENGERS

James aint the goat of basketball