Sure..?.. but for a player like Derrek there isn''t really an incentive to rush into a tier 2 team like this (Which is likely to be unsalaried).
| Flag: | Wales |
| Registered: | March 18, 2022 |
| Last post: | December 7, 2025 at 10:36 AM |
| Posts: | 10376 |
Sure..?.. but for a player like Derrek there isn''t really an incentive to rush into a tier 2 team like this (Which is likely to be unsalaried).
Derrek: Too many initiator IGLs, hence why a player of eeiu's calibre can end up on furia.
Off season tournaments are often misleading.
Mainly due to differences in format, environment, motivation and most importantly the meta (Which often changes just before the season).
I believe most of your opinions should be formed outside of the offseason results although I can understand tweaking things slightly.
I've heard sheydos will be igling, which was surprising to me. Although the pickup makes a lot more sense now (especially with the engh link).
If avez and dos9 can perform at a strong level then I can definitely see KC push their way up.
S:
A: TH, FNC, VIT
B: TL, GX, NAVI, BBL
C: KC
D: M8, FUT
Unranked: PCIFIC, ULF
--------------------------------------------
Fnatic: slight downgrade (it was impossible to replace a player of chronicles calibre that quickly). The success of this team will live and die by alfa's performances, at his best he's uncontainable.
Heretics: Comeback is a top duelist player, just need to see a bit more consistent and reliable output from the likes of Benjy/wo0t/boo. Riens is still the best initiator in the world.
Vitality: On paper its an incredible lineup, doesn't seem to have the issues prior "super team failures" had. (actually picked up an established structure from bbl). For now, I will be reserved.
Team Liquid: Might be the most interesting lineup. nAts has risen into a good leader and there is a lot of firepower around him. Purp0 didn't perform that well in GiantX but was always a monster in tier 2. Wayne is a fragger but he has big boots to fill.
GiantX: Lowkey, I think they might have peaked with this 5. But they'll still perform at a strong competitive level, just won't peak as high or as low.
NAVI: The firepower on this roster is still ridiculous, although the questions around the IGL still remain.
BBL: Arguably the best "actual" tier 2 team ever? They kinda felt untested last year, so i'm feeling a bit reserved of their standing.
KC: Really hard to place this team, it has shades of KC 2024 and that team was inconsistently great. Lewn is an underrated pickup, he is a proper space making duelist which could unlock sheydos and dos9. Maybe engh doeshas another trick up his sleeve?
M8: This feels like if GE built an EMEA roster. If they can get the ball rolling then they could achieve something. Minny off IGL is a good start.
FUT: The team has been trending down. They've missed the boat on the next big Turkish talents.
BBL Academy: Can't rank because they don't have a roster.
Unpaid Labour Force: Still waiting for them to decide on the s0pp/echo replacements but the core is really underrated.
thoughts?
If primmie or invy is available... it's an opportunity they can't miss.
Either way they were not getting paid.
I'd expect riot will blame the lack of a domestic TO as the reasoning for the shutdown.
It was ridiculous that riot let LPL organise the region for as long as they did.
The main question is what even goes on during these riot games background checks?
Delayed payments in another riot esports seems like very obvious grounds to deny entry to the league.
Cool to see TL get revenge for GCC 2023.
(aswell as Jelly getting revenge for GCC 2024)
Dodonut that is insane impact on the last round.
They've become a really nice casting partnership.
I think Mimi is a lot better suited to doing colour casting (the more analytical bits between rounds, which is what she is doing now)
She had done a bit of play by play casting in the past but some of the hype moments felt a bit too strenuous for her.
I've been enjoying Enders play by play work this event quite a lot.
And as a duo they are flowing off each others points well.
Currently:
Americas 4 slots.
EMEA 3 slots.
APAC 2 slots
CN 1 slot.
Riot doesnt prioritise meritocracy, rather they prefer diversity. This has always been the case, even before franchising. I don't think riot will change their philosophy.
It's incredibly corny, the whole putting valorant down to appease CS fans is so tiresome.
I know its all engagement bait but still, if you are arguing with random fans in the comments you're just digging yourself in a hole.
Although they aren't "burning bridges with riot" because riot barely care about the tier 2 organisations.
You can’t burn a bridge that was never there to begin with.
It's a bit of a shame, I think he could've played in tier 1 as a controller.
Is that the Barca roster finished then? It looks decent.
Fit1nho - Guardy - Stonezy - Kajuks - Globex?
We are in this weird predicament, where an org was promoted based on competitive merit and has had their entire roster poached.
I don't think (afaik) its actually against the rules to not retain a roster as the promoted team, as the rules are largely in the favour of the orgs rather than the players.
The main "issue" people are having lies with the affiliate relationship between PCIFIC and BBL.
When an affiliate team wins, or is otherwise promoted to the vct, the relationship between the team entity (VCT Partnered Org) and the affiliate team must be terminated.
What makes this interesting is the insistence of the PCIFIC players to stay together, either on PCIFIC on another partnered team.
Certain players like Lar0k and Loita were gaining interest with other VCT teams, but were there any other VCT teams (outside of BBL) that were willing to sign the entire PCIFIC roster?
If Riot deems this as a breach of the roster construction rules due to the failure to terminate the relationship between the orgs, could we see riot block the roster move?
Riot has blocked roster moves before such as Twisten to Guild and KennyS to OG (due to contractual reasons).
BBL could instead be fined, or we could see the repercussions during the new era of partnerships
Now what happens with PCIFIC?
Well if Riot deems them as a eligible guest team they will have to rebuild from scratch.
Awkwardly, with how bad the ascension format was for EMEA there is no distinctive 3rd best team as Mandatory and DNSTY never got to play against each other.
So in the instance that Riot do not deem Pcific as eligible its likely that riot would select a team based on another selection process.
This is all speculation and an incredible odd situation for riot to be in.
It's a farce and another example of the flaws of the ascension system.
There's not really a point of promoting a team based on competitive merit if they can be stripped of the merit like this.
If they wanted to go full Indo, they shouldn't have sold splash.
FUT
BBL (assuming they get a Turkish core)
ULF
PCIFIC (assuming they win tomorrow)
TH (Turkish core)
Spear 🙏
But he might not be obtainable since he just signed with ef.
Isn't he just a substitute at the moment?
But yeah I agree, the timing of the leak/report is pretty bad.
Although Nbs already had reports linking him to 100t already.
Wow that's a blockbuster move.
It felt like zekken was sentinels' franchise player.
Crazy last couple of rounds gg.
Honestly, Keiko makes a lot of sense and it's actually feasible given NRG's finances.
Reduxx is an option aswell given his past experience with Bonkar.
If Less goes, I could see Vitality try to get Hiro.
Neither of the teams play sunset.
This is going to be such a weird final map.
Channelling his inner c0m.
Crashies is getting builled.
Surely an event this good can't end this anticlimactically.
Termi does not get the respect he deserves.
Fixed their lotus so quickly for this match up.
Some pretty easy slam dunks here, like expanding masters.
Triple elim does slightly worry me, hopefully its just a "weird swiss stage".
I can definitely see that ascension change being a temporary thing as they reveal a deeper integration with tier 2 for 2027+
I also think you have to realise the current ascension model is incredibly flawed.
The tier 2 teams, for the most part, do not have the financial muscle to sustain in tier 1 especially in EMEA.
Relocating to Berlin is very costly, I know riot does help the orgs out but its still a big investment for what was potentially 1 year of VCT.
Not to mention the fact the ascension winners were often picked apart (like Apeks this year).
Considering how rough they looked in split 2.
This was a very good performance for MiBR and a strong platform to build upon for next year.
Hypoc has covid, so its sideshow standing in for him.
https://x.com/hypoc/status/1972295526927171824
Generational defense side from fnatic.
Incredible adjustments on the fly, incredible individuals, incredible team plays.
Boo is averaging 1 defuse, 1 kill and 1 team kill per round
The players wont be leaving for a "payrise", unless G2 are drastically dropping their salaries for next year.
The current g2 salaries have been boosted by the fact G2 practically "bought the players" to get a spot in the Americas.
I still think its likely we see a couple of the players/staff leave, as the team/org will be aiming to win international titles.
Discord