shut

Missing Bangkok will be a blessing in disguise for teams like KC. They have a high ceiling.

AI slop

ok rascal

FNC, or at least they did with Derke

rossy on lev

Recon and Primordium for me

Mystbloom and Nocturnum are good niche skins imo

RB is still an outstanding player but isn't he trapped in TEC for the rest of the year?

Shr1mp was on Q9 right? I remember him being decent

Honestly I thought Foxy9 was better playing senti on DRX, his team chemistry with GENG was not good. He had some good maps but the cohesion was just not there. He's a good player but GENG doesn't feel like a top team right now so it's understandable why they're scouting for a stronger player.

Buzz is great but I feel like he's never proven he can get it done when it was his moment to do so. I'd put Jawg over him.

Based on what we've seen, I don't think Governor had a very high ceiling. There's definitely upgrades out there.

Political/social reasons aside, FPX really do need a change. NathanD and Berlin have not been cooking since Shanghai. As bad as Berlin has been recently, I really don't think this should be the end of the road for him. I think a team like All Gamers could benefit from picking him up.

He's a very good aimer that worked well in the EG system. His agent pool is bad and from what we've seen from his time on NRG and LEV he looks incapable of playing at a very high level without being in a system like EG had. Put Aspas or KangKang on any team and they'll cook, Demon1 not so much.

Team peaked 2022-23. Their drive and hunger to win feels gone. They weren't great with Monyet but they look arguably worse now. Their performance against T1 and DFM this kickoff were horrendously bad. All of their players are mechanically excellent but they've become too complacent and Jingg/Something are both incapable of flexxing other agents.

KangKang over John, no?

EMEA:
KC/VIT (best match of kickoff)
KC/GX

CN:
BLG/XLG
EDG/TE Grand Final

APAC:
RRQ/NS (second best)
T1/GENG
T1/DRX

Americas:
LOUD/SEN (third best)
MIBR/SEN
G2/SEN Grand Final

I feel like times have changed since FNS lifted a trophy. In 2025 you're going to need a fragging igl imo. If FNS is going to drop -30 every game you're asking mada and Sam to consistently deliver crazy performances to make up for a teammate that can't clutch or win an aim duel. Like even Boaster is performing better now.

In order for them to win an international at this point it's going to take more than a "change of playstyle" or Jingg playing Cypher. Their drive to win feels gone, they've become complacent. A roster and role change needs to happen before Stage 1 or else they might not make an international this year.

Cursed org

derke, mako, kangkang

Uhhh Scales from TYLOO I think

-something +hyunmin with jingg moving to the senti role looked good on paper

-FNS +Rossy should've been the move, FNS going 5/17 every 2 out of 3 maps will not get you a trophy he needs to be moved to a coaching role

After their horrific performance at Kickoff it's undeniable that they need a roster change. It would suck seeing them breakup but it needs to happen. They are complacent at this point and removing either Something or Jingg could bring greener pastures for PRX. Their drive to win feels gone.

Please keep Kai off Neon and put him on Jett

MIBR making top 4 this kickoff kind of redeemed them, but FURIA still needs to go. C9 is also a terrible org that does not care about winning and will be forever mid.

Crashies also needs to go tbh

EMEA
VIT 2-1 FUT
FNC 2-0 M8
TH 2-1 BBL
GX 2-1 TL

AMER
G2 2-1 LEV
SEN 2-0 LOUD
EG 2-1 MIBR
NRG 2-1 KRU

APAC
DRX 2-0 GENG
RRQ 2-1 NS
PRX 2-0 DFM
T1 2-0 TLN

I like how a lot of people have come around to Primordium, the variants of the skin are pretty ass (except the white) but the sound design is ridiculously good

Should be a PRX 2-0 but might be a 2-1 if they throw a map/meiy goes nuclear

Banger game, RRQ 2-1 but NS could just as well win

Odds for GENG feel too high, I think DRX actually look like the stronger roster right now. I'll say DRX 2-1

I got nothing against the guy but I have no idea how he's in tier 1, he played bad in the offseason too

He missed like 15 op shots during the GE/TS match lol not surprising

paycheck stealer

KC were actually playing some high level valorant, like the GX and KC game might not have had the best players in the world in the lobby but both teams were playing great valorant and it was a really fun watch

TL vs Apeks was pure comedy lmao no one wants to see TL at bangkok

I think only Demon1 can be included in the "system player" conversation but it's too early to tell what LEV is going to look like going forward

GENG just beat RRQ and you put RRQ above them, hello?

This is an impossible list to make until kickoff finishes but my ranking as of this minute is:

1. T1/DRX
2. GENG
3. PRX (their performance against T1 was disgusting tbh)
4. NS
5. Talon
6. RRQ
7. Boom
8. GE/DFM
9. TS
10. ZETA

I don't think there's a huge gap between RRQ and Talon but Talon made it to champs last year, I guess we can't really say unless we get a RRQ/Talon rematch but RRQ are still an underwhelming team despite their talented roster

how did he fall off as bad as he did this kickoff?

APAC: DRX, PRX
CN: EDG, TE
AMER: G2, SEN
EMEA: VIT, KC

If PRX is ever going to be serious about winning a trophy, either Jingg or Something need to go. Your idea is actually pretty good and looks a lot better on paper than when ppl said "PRX should pickup primmie" (PRX don't need another duelist, they need an igl/initiator)

if EDG and Trace are playing with their secondary rosters I'll go with an FPX redemption arc
https://www.vlr.gg/pickem/6e48cd87

Gather the 4 or 5 best Japanese talents on one team and import an outstanding coach, then maybe there will be a great Japanese team. Language would be an issue though. Nothing can help the region as a whole. Esports isn't really apart of Japanese culture like it is in China or Korea. Current DFM is the best we're going to see anytime soon. Maybe the Riddle core is better than Fennel but I doubt they'd perform highly in t1.

EDG
TE
BLG
XLG
DRG
NOVA
FPX
JDG
WOLVES
AG
TEC
TYLOO

Wolves were really a disappointment this kickoff but at least they didn't get stomped

Hell of a talent

They need a new igl, it's unacceptable that Jemkin/Kush/Monyet is a C tier team

ZETA 2-1 win, I saw it in a dream