APAC here means the entirety of Asia. You do know how large the whole region is, right ? If China starts playing this game probably, they alone will probably get 3 seeds.

They combined East Asia and APAC LCQ last year, but this year China is joining. It's fair to give them a more manageable chance at least.

Don't know much about their level, but KR or JP will probably still get the slot.

FPX has just returned to form. At their peak, FPX is basically the best team EMEA has produced (seeing how the sport is constantly improving), and they've just beaten FNC to prove it.

Saying that Optic loses to FPX because of mental is super dumb. There might be some stylistic reasons here and there, but Optic lost because they were the worse team (at least on the day), period.

Stems from the fact BR is basically the last region playing CSGO other than EU/CIS.

Riot was trying to promote it there because BR was not up to expectations last champions. They wanted to have a contender from there, judging from its hypothetical potential.

Turns out Riot doesn't have to try so much after all. Regions are quite balanced in VLR. South America, as of now, deserves 3 seeds at best imo.

It's a bit disingenuous to argue against NA's third seed. They have won a few Masters thus far, and is clearly a frontrunner. Even APAC has 3 seeds.

The obvious place to cut 1 seed from is LATAM/BR LCQ. There's no reason why South America should have 4 seeds in total (other than Riot wanting to pander).

Are players sabotaging the gears ? Why the fuck are there so many tech pauses in Valorant ?

Ange1 is literally dogshit, a huge liability for FPX. Dude has shit for aims but fancies himself a karrigan.

FNS is also shit, but at least he knows he's shit, so he doesn't try to match the enemy's picks. Ange1 will ego it and leave the team to 4v5 everytime.

As a neutral, I'd like FPX to squeeze through for narrative reasons. They are probably the most unfortunate team both Masters.

They shoot bears, not school kids. Definitely better practice than in burgerland.

Acoustics are not very good I'd agree. Crowd seems a little dry. Sound guy should put some reverb on it for the epic factor.

The Malaysian dude didn't know, and he seemed to ask.

Dude's been bailing FNC out of so many losses so far. FNChoke would have dropped to Leviatan if not for him.

If you don't survive last as a smoker, you are trolling your team. Peanut brain take.

Well, Jing is enlisting, and Forsaken probably moves westward for franchising. Let's hope APAC gets some proper org like in Dota, so the talents could stay.

He is quite cute as well, no homo.

These smokers are most likely the last one to drop, so they obviously are in the position to clutch. They often have the tools to do so as well. It's becoming clear that a clutch controller is vital for a roster. The same had applied for CSGO.

I don't even like DRX, but they have good reasons to think so. This team goes 12-0 one map and literally does fuck all the next.
It has to be consistency issue, no way such a dominant team can't perform at least respectably every other game.

Or perhaps Leviatan was just that good. After all, they did beat XSET.

DRX showed horrible form yesterday, I don't think you should rejoice so.

Boosted monkey sub me in

Well, KR is really a one team region for now. We'll see if they have the talent pool for more. Once SEA/China get in on the action, it will be tougher for KR, those regions have way larger playerbases.

Looks horrible. The entirety of America should have at most 6 slots, EMEA at least 4, seeing how it also encompasses MENA, Turkey & CIS. If CSGO is any indication, CIS will grow huge.

Brazil and LATAM getting way pampered here. They wouldn't be around on their own merits, I'd say their top teams are decent, but that's it.

APAC and East Asia 3 each seems appropriate for now.

Melser will fuck them up.

I'd like to you wet it

Where did you get the idea ?

No doubt, but still too soon for VLR I believe.

And I hate the idea of 3 'Super-regions'. Putting the entirety of Asia together is a big wtf. We don't even know how China is coming along yet, at least separate it into East Asia and SEA.

Franchising is going to fuck over this game. So many fraud teams will get insured. Real teams that grew from zeros will probably be left in the dust. Next year Jing will enlist, hopefully without him PRX can still retain this level of spontaneity.

Youve never seen Yoru like this before. Forsaken is everywhere it seems. How no other team is picking this up is beyond me.

It's just a legacy flair.

It's super dumb how the first seed gets free top 8 and the Circuit Point that comes with it. Might as well compound it with the points for winning Challenger then ?

Literally loses every game and still gets awarded 100 points for free compared to the Group teams. Super unfair imo. Skipping the entire Group Stage is already dumb enough.

It's not really just Astra, dude has magnetic aim. Almost looks like he's walling, so satisfying to watch.

Well, Xerxia is probably better than either of these teams, but XSET is not playing their best, and LEV is obviously coinflip.

He's right, but let's not pretend it was a sure win. 3-0 but 2 OT Maps.

Either way, why the fuck would one name their org LLL.

They are just braindead theories. Even in DOTA, multiple regions can compete on equal footing. If you want something closer, then PUBG. As long as there are opportunities, there will be talents. In fact, the best talents are not even playing the game. Good reflexes and dynamic vision are valuable in many sporting disciplines. For all you know, the best potential Valorant player could be doing Muay Thai right now. There is always someone better.

Talent pool is overrated. It's mostly about how serious the regions are about the game.

I mean, even JP fans would admit that their team is on the weaker side of the Asia spectrum. BR has never been able to contest KR and APAC, despite having however many seeds.

KR + JP with 2 seeds are fine. LATAM + BR with 3 is obviously too many (for Champs). That's the whole EU + Turkey + CIS combined, and seeing how competitive both Turkey and CIS have been, it makes no fucking sense, other than the fact Riot is trying to nerf the region.

LATAM + BR 2 seeds, let the other go towards EMEA. I'm an APAC fan and even I'm not that delusional.

It's your fault if you're losing to literally Japan and APAC every other event while having as many seeds as EMEA for no fucking reason.

Latam + BR 2 slots, KR + JP 2 slots. I think that's fair. The last slot should honestly go towards EMEA, seeing how CIS is literally so good it's topping every Challengers so far, they deserve 4 slots at Master at least.

Not good enough, tbh, it should belong to EMEA.

Cry about what ? Getting raped by SEA lul, wildcard teams btw.

Dumb distribution aside, sucks to see China not playing yet.

They didn't get very far in CSGO, but definitely a cut above the rest of the Asians. And they've been tearing it up in PUBG for years now. Definitely looks like a top tier developmental region.

Instead Riot is pandering Brazil and Japan lul. Cringe as fuck. EMEA robbed. CIS should at least have its own 1 slot at this point, if they are going to rob EMEA.

Pander.

You are from BR, you don't get to justify EU's loss. Admit it, one slot from SA, not NA, should go to EU.

Bullshit reason. Every country in SEA speaks a different language. Riot wants to pander to SA, that's why. EU prob don't give them much viewership.

Quite sure because Riot wants to pander Japan. 4 slots SA makes no fucking sense either. 3 at most.

Well, dude is 29, and has been terrorising SEA Faceit for the last decade or so. He knows his roster.

Hardly indicative of a region's strength though. Despite their performances, I think it's still fair to say KRU and X10 are not contender-level. NA is looking rough this round.

Hardly indicative of a region's strength though. Despite their performances, I think it's still fair to say KRU and X10 are not contender-level. NA is looking rough this round.

Hardly indicative of a region's strength though. Despite their performances, I think it's still fair to say KRU and X10 are not contender-level. NA is looking rough this round.

Fun tournament with some fat upsets so far. Though I can't help but feel it's weird to have Double Elim in Groups then only Single Elim in Playoffs.

Riot usually does this shit in their tournaments to reward upsets, since in League, regions have huge rifts in level of play. If Riot gives more chances, usually the 'better' teams will fix their shit and stomp the dark horses.

What do you think ? I think it's not appropriate here, teams are already very close. Single Elim would be a missed opportunity. Of course, cramming it all in 12 days doesn't help as well.