Yes. And it's not like they lost to some random team. They lost to NRG, which is understandable and the main reason why people call their matchups the El Clasico. Every other team had an upset, except LOUD.

SSR-tier: LOUD

S-tier: FNC

No. I am tired off staying up late nights. I need a break.

So it finally ends. LOUD's dominance is unreal. They are winning with actual good teams in such a dominant fashion. They only lose to super teams too. It is crazy how dominant they have been, even after changing their champion winning roster, they still are this strong. Almost instantly adapted.

And they even tried doing new things mid-tournament. Aspas on Neon. Sadhaak running a nerfed to hell Chamber, and making it work too. This team is too OP, much more than FNC

Stopped reading at flair

Not for this league but for Champions you have to come. Brazillian people went to Qatar, right?

I like the whistles. Now, we need those loud drums and drunk people singing, it will be perfect

This is how it's supposed to be, fans of both teams chanting when their team is winning. You want chants for your team then come and chant

I want this crowd but in a much bigger volume of people, it will be so cool

Or just root for LOUD, the real monster unbeatable team (Only loses in El Clasico).

The one team that never loses to random teams, only strong ones like NRG and FNC (now tainted), truly the goat of Valorant

Yes it would but when talking in VLR APAC didn't really mean just SEA, because it makes no sense.

Last year we did count JP and KR on APAC. I was here and I am pretty sure APAC didn't mean just SEA teams, but whole of Asia.

I am seeing some people say that three of our best teams are going to Tokyo.

The question is, are we not counting China because they are getting separate slots? Even if the slots are weird, they are an Asian team so

True. So many outsiders trying to instigate. DRX and PRX have the best relationship with each other. This might be win for PRX but this is also a win for pacific.

Why rip China? I thought EDG is good

Yeah I also think it was a misunderstanding. I also think that the s0m tweet wasn't that bad. And the Chet accusation tweet was posted in May 24, after their loss against EG. That is irrelevant to the players. I think trashtalk like "It will be easy" in interviews and shooting bodies is fine. But Demon1 was being a bit too disrespectful after just one game.

Correct me if I am wrong but the s0m tweet was way before the Chet Potter drama, right? Now, that tweet is more of a friendly banter compared to saying "These guys are the champions" while posting raw stats of a single bad match. He even said GG to them. Demon1 after winning just jumped into it and started insulting (it felt like he was genuinely insulting them) and didn't even take a moment to say GG. A bit too much arrogance for my taste, especially when they aren't living up to the arrogance.

And for the Chet Potter thing, that's for the coaches to decide. You and I are supposed to have a neutral stance on the matter since it's impossible to know if what Chet said is true or if what Potter said is true.

1-2 against NRG while calling their roster shit. Mmm, but that's style, right? 13-0 with this same roster, that's style too?

They have a long way to go until they "deserve it". Rocky didn't start talking like Connor McGregor after his first win. In fact, he wasn't arrogant even after winning. That's why Rocky is called the best underdog of all time. If you're going to go for an underdog image, you should at least live up to it, no?

Also maybe no disrespectful (that is easily discernable as disrespect and not as friendly taunt) behavior towards people with achievements?

My goats

A good example of cool arrogance is Less, FNC's entire roster. Less recently shoots more bodies and has become so arrogant. But every time I see him play, I can say with confidence that he deserves to be that arrogant. He's been consistent from Champions 2022 to now, and has only gotten better.

And FNC, their entire roster has a different feel to it. Like they are a high-ranking guild or something. It is very cool.

Now, if Less was some random guy who started popping off since 2 matches ago, and if FNC was a team that was the DFM of EMEA and only started performing at a high level recently, then, you know, the green race car from Cars.

It's fun to root for the underdogs because

1. Nobody expects them to win vs the top dogs
2. Even in victory, they are humble and continue winning

But when they start acting like that green race car from Cars after having one good series, suddenly it's not fun to root for them anymore.

It's practically impossible to maintain 100% competitive integrity in Sports. Because sports are a business after all. Sacrifices where necessary is absolutely needed, so situations like these won't occur. Is it entitlement? Yes. There is nothing to do about it.

But, there is a way to add a host country slot and not disrupt the competitive integrity that much. It would require some changes in the competition format, but the teams who deserve it, lets say DRX, PRX and T1, the teams who qualified for Masters, will definitely make it, plus an extra slot. That way, teams that deserve to enter Masters will make it there.

I am aware that CR does this too. This Tweet in particular is making fun of ZETA fans who claim CR is the one selling the idol-image, and that ZETA produces real pro-gamers.

It is ironic. It's like watching a Blackpink fan and BTS fan argue with each other.

I am speaking from what I have seen. The "they are idols so they don't have to win" mentality started picking up pace after their loss at Champions 2022. Starting from the day they lost and were sent home, I have never seen them receive criticism in 9 losses. Since they lost to LOUD at the Champions, people decided to not be too harsh. The only reason the 1% decided to open up about ZETA this time around, is because this loss was too shameful even for the genuine supporters. DFM performing atrociously was the cherry-on-top.

The fans of ZETA are proper fanatics. I have already mentioned how they are taking screenshots of slander tweets to report for defamation. I repeat, they do not care about results. It's no longer delusion or stupidity. It's an obsession with the players.

部のファンは結果を求めていないと言っています。それはただ私の観察です

Yes, the scalpers in Japan are crazy. A few days ago I saw a post about Suzume no Tojimari (beautiful film by the way, really recommend it if it's playing in a theater near you), an anime film that released November of last year. Since it's been running for quite a long time, and it's ending it's run soon, there are special events like stage greeting and etcetera. Scalpers are selling tickets for these events for the same price, 700+ USD. Even for premiere of the film, I saw a similar post from a person that was looking for tickets and the price was more than that and absolutely absurd.

There is a significant difference. LOUD fans in Brazil are fans of the Brazillian org, not fans of the players. If LOUD were to consistently perform badly, and if the org were to change the roster, fans wouldn't really make an issue. And if Furia were to be the top team in Brazil, fans would happily cheer for them. LOUD, the org, and Brazillian fans, both of them want results, not idols. It is their pride.

The situation with ZETA is completely different. ZETA fans don't want nor care for results, they want more handshakes from Dep. And if ZETA were to change their roster then the fans will make a big fuss about it.

ZETA didn't start this idol-like treatment, but they do endorse it. Ever since their one good run, they have completely given up on improving. The majority of the fans do not want a roster change because by a stroke of luck, ZETA somehow ended up with a team full of good-looking players. And ZETA, fully capitalizes on this instead of doing what's good for the team. They have been criticised for having cr0w on the team for a long time but they simply do not want to change the roster at all. Unlike DRX, who also don't change their roster much, ZETA doesn't produce any result to keep the same roster.

Their supposed management team that the fans send all the slanderers to so they can be fined, are also a sign of this. Management teams to shut down slander are often seen in the idol scene.

https://twitter.com/ta9orainu/status/1661787321203855360
This tweet appeared in my timeline and I saved it. It is genuinely my first time seeing someone criticizing ZETA just like any normal person would, so I had to bookmark it. It's saying that as long as the players (Who I think are delusional) keep asking the org to not change the roster (which they will happily listen to) ZETA will never win a championship. So ZETA should just stick to their idol-like activities (handshake and autograph booths) and the fans will laud them as heroes for life.

I am not blaming the players. However, I am blaming the org. ZETA is responsible for using these idol tactics. Fans openly admit that they are not players, athletes, but idols, so it's okay if they underperform. ZETA fans are not fans of Valorant, they are fans of ZETA's players. Similar to how in a concert event, if a popular group suddenly announces that they are not appearing, fans are expected to refund. Once again, not blaming the players, but the org definitely has a hand in this problem.

In recent days, discussions regarding ticket refunds have gained momentum on Twitter following ZETA's loss three to five days ago.
https://twitter.com/paaaas33/status/1660612620519628800

Based on my observations, a significant number of tweets indicate that many people are considering refunding and reselling their tickets due to ZETA's defeat. However, there are also those who are voicing their support for the event and urging people to attend.
https://twitter.com/SpiNizzz/status/1660458899613573120

Scalpers are selling tickets for 700+ USD {Refer to the tweet above (I don't even know who is buying that)}. Ticket scalping or reselling has been a persistent issue in Japan, typically noticeable during the release of popular movies. It is not surprising that scalpers are attempting to profit from this event as well but the problem is that the attendance of the event is kind of unpredictable right now. Resellers are only contributing to the problem more.

Meanwhile, there are people who sympathize with those seeking refunds. Criticizing those opting for refunds is not my intention. Their viewpoints hold objectivity.
https://twitter.com/omuomu0527/status/1660601983932456964

I wholeheartedly agree with a particular post that emphasizes the reliance of ZETA (and possibly other JP teams) on tactics of the idol industry. They sowed this, now they're reaping. I wanted to make a post about ZETA turning the eSports scene into idol business, but that's a different topic for another day.
https://twitter.com/6theBrave/status/1660599228228579330

Now, the question arises: how crazy are ZETA fans? Following ZETA's loss against T1, cr0w threw an important round, most important probably, which instantly cost us the entire game, the player in question understandably faced some criticism on Twitter. However, the criticism remained relatively mild as the majority of fans expressed their unwavering support. Certain fans took screenshots of critical tweets and resorted to threatening to report them to the ZETA management team for defamation, which made them delete the tweets :/

So.... yes, things are not looking good. Refer to the tweet about ZETA using idol tactics. Most of their fans are fangirls too. They have created such a situation.

Despite what others are saying, I believe that Grand Finals and semi finals will have a crowd no matter what. FNATIC games will also have a sizeable audience because of FNATIC JP, they have a lot of support. Same with DRX, LOUD. But those are only a few games. It remains uncertain how other games will fare. If anything, the impact will likely be felt primarily by online viewership.

Had ZETA played and experienced an immediate defeat, the situation may have been more manageable. However, the absence of their participation, combined with fan dissatisfaction over the lack of a host country slot, has made the situation much more worse.

He lost to a team called girl kisser. Be serious.

Okay so first of fuck the recency bias. It's time for some real talk. This is the Optic core.

FNS, galaxy brain, there is no better time than now to prove everyone wrong. Sadhaak is waiting for you and Boaster is waiting for you in Tokyo. I trust the champ, no way you lose against T2 Runi (who is that person)

Victor and Crashies, the duo. I have never doubted you guys. It's time for some hero plays

S0m, you may not be Marved, to bh I kind of prefer Marved, but what you are is a W streamer, and FNS's trusty sidekick. Prove the doubters wrong.

Ardis, people doubted you and called you Agent Keith, but you showed up when it mattered the most. Unlock the FPX within you. You can't lose to Leaf, I don't even know what he sounds like, he's a nobody. Go get him scouser.

Chet, king, honestly the goat. Don't let trophyless coaches bring you down. Surely NRG scrims, comms, everything was leaked. That's what happens when you're a top team, everyone wants to bring you down. But no one cares about that anymore, it's time to freestyle, no scrims needed. I'll be waiting for your five head timeouts, king.

We cannot lose to C9, these guys are terrible. You have a lot of people waiting to see you guys in Tokyo. LOUD is waiting for you guys in the upper brackets grand final. You guys need the El Clasico, and I need the money.

I'm going all in, please let's make it happen. Show these no-names the power of the Optic core, the world champions.

I don't doubt that ZETA can bounce back from a tough position. But when you have a horde of people, basically yesmans, who will say "GG" no matter how badly the team performs, it is impossible to improve. Shame, disappointment, expectations, all of these contribute to improvement. This is why those who fail can get back up. But not ZETA.

There is a reason why I play in Singapore server despite Tokyo server being "non-toxic" like most people say. It doesn't matter if you lose 0-13, or 12-14, or 22-24, the game always ends with GG. That's good right? No toxicity at all. No passion at all. It feels like they don't even care about the game and want it to end as quickly as it can.

There is a reason why Blue Lock was made. Some Japanese people realize this but they are looked down upon because god forbid, why would you have a different opinion when everyone is saying GG? They are the 0.1% of people.

Can't believe I have to admit this, but watching North American challengers is more fun than watching any game with a Japanese team. Japanese teams heard "Pro players play a bit slowly" and took it to heart. That's why their games are a borefest and they lost a lot of rounds due to time.

And it hurts more when the scene used to be relevant at one point, and now the teams are losing to T1. ZETA got passed around like a toy and lost to almost all the teams. And DFM?

I give up. I'm beat. There is no hope for this region unless something magical happens and a team steps up who have ego and that relentless to win. And not just look good in front of the camera so all the fangirls can go kyaaaa.

Comparing LoL to Valorant is silly and almost everyone in this thread is doing that. I'm assuming that the team that won and lost both have some story right? Look at how old LoL is and look at how old Valorant is. Teams barely started forming and creating storylines and everyone is saying that in a matter of few months, we'll get the exact same level of crowd as NA. That is sad.

You guys will be lucky if you hear any cheers at all

P.S. on the other hand, if venue is small then maybe it can be done. But venue cannot be this big because there is no way that is being filled.

I did say that seats will be filled. Maybe there will be shouts too. But why would they cry or boo any team? And both of those things make the win much better. Also, LoL and Valorant is not the same.

How? Elaborate. First of all, no NA team good enough to go to finals. Hate the crowd as much as you want, they are the reasons it was fun. Will those guys cheer, cry and scream when LOUD plays FNATIC in champs (just hypothesizing)? Just like Tarik said, home-crowd advantage exists. And when the team that gets booed wins it makes their win so much better. Will the fans cry? That is also one of the things that made it better.
Even if seats are filled in the finals, a lot of things will be missing.

Bro they were crying, fuck off, let them rest

Boaster deserved it man. When they were 11-3, Boaster cam made me very sad. I wished at least it would be closer. But look at them now. Crowd is also emotional, they are so passionate. This is the Valorant I want to see. Fuck the haters and losers calling this a mickey mouse tournament.

Best final, best hero story, best comeback, best crowd, best script

JUST WHEN I THOUGHT IT DOESN'T GET BETTER THAN NRG VS LOUD

THIS IS FUCKING INSANE

Pele of Valorant

What is up with this trend of well-off streamers buying Valorant teams?

Can someone explain what is this Squid Game think? It's an event?

I was not familiar with your game. Superteam finally created? Also now I admit, EMEA >>> NA. Sadly, NA carried by Optic comp and C9 carried by y0y. Meanwhile FNATIC, most handsome British person Boaster, 1 cracked Russian, most handsome bald man in this event, 1 initiator top fragger, chad Turkish 17-year-old (why does he look 21?)

How will NA compete when NRG is busy with LOUD? It is over

He got proved wrong a long time ago, realized cannot win this argument and looks incredibly dumb so he started trolling.

HOLY REVERSE LOGIC OWN WWWWWWWWWWWWW

if he has any shame he has to stop now

It is and you can cry and cope about it. Gran Turismo and racing games are already in the Olympics. Esports is a real sports. Get over it.

LMAOOOOOOOOOOO