https://twitter.com/Nivera__/status/1768267964086734980?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1768267964086734980%7Ctwgr%5E1a0f3028f4b1af0012e9a058562083f62205e708%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.hltv.org%2Fnews%2F38482%2Fnivera-announces-cs-comeback-i-want-to-leave-my-mark-on-this-game

Seems Nivera is leaving Valorant to play CS again , probably a good move for him tbh.

Not for IEM no, a couple months ago you could have called them dark horses but ever since BetBoom Dacha and even potentially before that people knew donk was cracked. Sh1ro was also already considered a good awper though he had a slump before his recent form. The rest of the team were all good/average players and zont1x definitely proved he is a great player too this event.

I don't think Spirit were considered the favorites to win compared to teams like Faze/Vitality, however a lot of people knew they had the potential to do great if they could handle the pressure. This tournament was more of a prove you weren't a one hit wonder situation than them being true dark horses imho

I know there are a lot of different region rivalries, especially on vlr, but it's honestly very cool to see an EMEA, Americas, and Pacific team in the top 3 at masters.

It goes to show that each region can compete at the highest global level, which lets more people have a team to root for as the tournament goes on. Having a diverse pool of competition is also good for the global fanbase, attracting advertisers, and the health of the esport as a whole.

Good luck to all 3 teams this weekend, and lets hope to see some new historic moments made!