Sentinels win North America Stage 2 Challengers Finals – How did they do it?
Sentinels kicked off the event with a best of 3 series versus Version1’s newest roster. V1 won the first map, but what followed was a dominating session of 2 maps by Sentinels, winning the series 2-1. This got them into the upper bracket Semifinals versus the 100 Thieves. This was overall a close series, which in the end, finished 2-1 in favour of Sentinels.
Upper Bracket vs Cloud9
The Upper Bracket Final was quite different than usual, as this time round Cloud9 Blue managed to be somewhat successful. Unfortunately this successful run was short-lived, as Sentinels quickly shut them down with a 2-1 victory. What’s surprising is that Cloud9 actually won the second map (Split) 13-1, definitely not a result anyone expected.
Credits: Riot Games
Grand Finals
During Sentinels heroic run through the upper bracket, Version1 had been climbing slowly through the losers bracket. They beat teams like Andbox, NRG, Team Envy, as well as Cloud9 to reach the Grand Finals. Overall the Final series came close, but in the end, the dominant Sentinels reigned supreme once more. With this win they’re crowned champions of the North America Stage 2 Challengers Finals and they got a spot at Masters Reykjavík.
— VALORANT Champions Tour NA (@valesports_na) April 28, 2021
Tournament’s background
The Stage 2 Challengers Finals are the final step of qualification for the Masters event to be hosted in Reykjavík. The Masters event will feature teams from multiple regions, and will be the first international event for VALORANT esports. There’s a lot on the line for the teams participating in the Stage 2 Challengers Finals, and it’s going to be exciting to see who comes out on top!
How to qualify for the main event
All of the teams participating in the VCT 2021 Stage 2 Challengers Finals have qualified through their results in the Challengers 1 or Challengers 2 events. In some cases, teams had to go through other qualifiers to make it to the Challengers Finals.
Prize distribution
A total of $381,214 will spread out between all regional events. This is how the prize money will be distributed:
North America – $100,000
EMEA – $106,794
Korea – $54,165
South East Asia – $50,000
Brazil – $31,818
LATAM – $20,000
Japan – $18,437
Tournament Format
Each region has its own tournament format due to the amount of teams they have. Here we will only list out the North American and European event formats, however if you’d like you can check the appropriate liquipedia page for more formats:
North America:
8 teams battle it out in a double elimination bracket.
All matches in the brackets are best of 3.
The Grand Finals are played in a best of 5.
EMEA:
Group Stage
The top 2 teams from the group stage advance to playoffs
All matches are best of 3
Playoffs
Semifinals are best of 3
Grand Finals are best of 5
Teams Participating at the VCT 2021 Stage 2 Challengers Finals
In North America and Europe we have a total of 8 teams each participating. If you would like a full list of each team participating in the Challengers Finals, check out the respective liquipedia pages for those events. Here is a list of all teams participating in NA and EMEA:
North America:
100 Thieves
XSET
Team Envy
Version1
Sentinels
Cloud9 Blue
NRG
Andbox
Credits: Liquipedia
EMEA:
FunPlus Phoenix
Guild Esports
Fnatic
Team Liquid
Futbolist
Oxygen Esports
BBL Esports
Gambit Esports
Credits: Liquipedia
Schedule list
In North America, the event kicks off tonight, but in some regions the event has already started. Here’s a quick run down of the tournament schedule for the North American VCT Stage 2 Challengers Finals:
Watch the VCT 2021 Stage 2 Challengers Finals stream on esportsguide.com
You can also watch the VCT 2021 Stage 2 Challengers Finals live stream via our very own website. Providing an extensive list of the biggest esports together with streams for each esports match live today or upcoming matches.
With Sentinels being the most recent victors, we have to put our odds on them for this event. Even though they have the highest chances of success, we’ve seen them lose against some underdog teams like Andbox. Meaning that anyone can beat anyone at the very highest level of competition. We’ll just have to wait and see how it all plays out in the end!
Be sure to keep yourself updated with www.esportsguide.com for all your esports news!
Episode 2 Act 2 is over, and now it’s time for Act 3 where we’ve got some new additions to VALORANT. Some competitive updates, as well as a new map named Breeze. Here’s everything you need to know about VALORANT Patch 2.08.
Patch 2.08 brings Act III. You get a Breeze-only Unrated queue (for two weeks), Coach slots for custom games, and HRTF updates.
As stated in the VALORANT roadmap, a new map will release with every 3 Acts (6 months). Breeze will be the game’s 6th map, and oh boy will it be exciting to see in pro play. The map is set on a remote island, it is lit, bright, playful and filled with exciting colours. It features very open and wide areas which will be prone to long range duels.
Credits: Riot Games
As is usually done, because Breeze is a new map for the major part of the community, it will be disabled from competitive play. This is done to allow players to get comfortable with the map before they take it to a higher level. If you would like to watch an in-depth guide and overview of Breeze, check out the video below:
Coach Slots
Another important feature that Riot have added to VALORANT is the option for coach slots during custom games. Previously, coaches had to spectate the player’s perspectives through a stream on discord or twitch, but now, they are getting a dedicated spot on the server.
The coach slots allow the coach to solely spectate the team he chose in the custom game lobby. Coaches have prohibitions from using map pings, team chat or in-game voice chat, but they can use all chat as well as party chat. An added bonus is the ability to pause a custom match (if the players already have that function).
HRTF Update
A few weeks back we released a news piece regarding HRTF (Head-related transfer function). This time round Riot Games have updated it so that weapon drop sounds are also affected by it. A minor change but certainly a necessary one.
As can be seen in the announcement, Immortals have left out the exact reason as to why the organisation parted ways with NaturE. That being said, we must look onto their recent results in the North America VALORANT Champions Tour. The team was struggling to find its foot before First Strike, however in 2021 they had some pretty decent results.
The team managed to place 2nd in the Stage 1 Challengers 1, and 3rd in the Stage 1 Challengers 2. These results qualified them to the Stage 1 Masters, the biggest event to ever happen in North America. Unfortunately they had a premature departure from the event, as they got 2-0’d by 100 Thieves in the upper bracket, and then eliminated by Luminosity in the lower bracket. This meant that the team only placed 7th-8th, grabbing just $7,500 in prize money. This upsetting loss probably caused the decision for this change.
Definitely not the Masters run we were expecting, but we won't let it happen again. Nowhere to go but up – we'll get some rest and see you in Iceland. GGs @Luminosity#WeAreIMT#IMTVAL
We all expected the parting ways of NaturE, as he announced a temporary break due to personal reasons. This is where up and coming player Daniel “Rossy” Abedrabbo joined the team. Since his arrival, the team has had a significant increase in performance, placing 5th-6th in both Stage 2 Challengers 1 and 2. Unfortunately, this wasn’t enough to get the squad into the Challengers Finals, however, it is surely an improvement from previous results!
Rough day to end our run toward Reykjavik, but we won't let it keep us down. There's a lot to be proud of from our performance in this stage, and we can't wait to build on it. GGs, #VCT. 📈#WEAREIMT // #IMTVAL
It has been made public that Gen.G benching HUYNH from VALORANT team. Here is the announcement:
As of today, @HUYNH_CS is benched from the #GenGVAL starting roster.
Everyone, continue to show your love and support for Huynh as he’s been an integral part of our roster since the beta. From winning our first tournament to now, we appreciate all that you’ve done for us! 💛🖤 pic.twitter.com/QKlRrHf3JV
It’s no secret that Gen.G hasn’t had the best results in the recent VCT tournaments. In the Stage 2 Challengers 2 qualifier, the team only placed 5th-8th, and in the 1st Challengers 1, the team only got 9th-16th. They’ve got some decent placings at the Stage 1 Masters and Stage 1 Challengers 3, but now they’ve opted to bench HUYN to improve these results.
I want to add that I enjoyed my time with the team and have nothing but good things to say about the org. I will be streaming in the meantime!
Here are the three most recent tournament placing for Gen.G:
5th-8th at VCT 2021: North America Stage 2 Challengers 2 – Qualifier – 18th April 2021
9th-16th at VCT 2021: North America Stage 2 Challengers 1 – Qualifier – 4th April 2021
3rd in VCT 2021: North America Stage 1 Masters – 20th March 2021 – $15,000
Who will replace him?
No rumours have indicated that a particular player is the direct replacement. However we can conclude that Gen.G will opt to go through a trial period for their next 5th man. They also have the option to try and bring on someone from CS:GO with experience to boost the team’s level. Someone like Tarik, which has recently left Evil Geniuses, would be a perfect option for Gen.G!
Today, the New VALORANT map, rumoured to be named Breeze, has leaked. In the footage below you can see the map design, as well as it’s texture. Here’s everything you need to know about it:
On April 20th, Riot Games released a quick outlook of Breeze on their VALORANT twitter account. Then, the next day they showed a couple more images captioned with “Discover”, “Escape” and “Wander”. This indicated that this map had this paradise, cobblestone, sandy vibe, a different atmosphere than what we’re used to in VALORANT. Here below are the images they released:
New VALORANT map Breeze leaked – Community Reaction
At first people were quite excited with the map’s outlook and layout, however many were comparing it to Icebox. This is because of the high-ground areas and the potential long distance duels which will certainly take place at some point during a match. Icebox was the 5th map to be released to VALORANT and to be quite honest, it wasn’t the most loved. As it stands, Bind and Haven are the most favourite maps in competition, closely followed by Split. Who knows, maybe Breeze might slip its way through the rankings.
This new map is definitely a shake-up from the usual pace that a game of VALORANT has. Hopefully we get more information about the upcoming patch, and hopefully get an opportunity at trying it out soon! Visit www.esportsguide.com for more esports news.
Cloud9 have just announced that they opted to welcome Floppy and Xeppaa back to the organization, but not for CS:GO, this time round it’s for their VALORANT team.
Cloud9 welcome Floppy and Xeppaa to VALORANT – Why?
As you may have seen recently, Cloud9 has decided to part ways with CS:GO as an esport, and put its main FPS focus on VALORANT. They now field 2 teams in the esport, one being Cloud9 Blue (Male team), and Cloud9 White (Female team). Both have had solid results and are continuing to invest in the esport. With regards to their male roster, the team hasn’t been doing so well. This led into Tenz parting ways with the team, and a couple of others, namely Vice and Relyks. The team has adapted and made multiple changes, transforming completely from the original Cloud9 roster which was made in summer of 2020.
So, why pick up Floppy and Xeppaa? These 2 have established themselves as prominent figures in FPS esports in North America and will certainly be beneficial for this Cloud9 team.
There's about to be a whole lot more Chaos in the server 😈
— VALORANT Champions Tour EU (@valesports_eu) April 18, 2021
Fnatic win VCT EU Stage 2 Challengers 2 – How did they do it?
Open Qualifiers
Fnatic kicked off the event with a clean ride through the open qualifiers. Their first opponent was Ovation Esports, which they beat 2-0 to get into the round of 16. Then came Portuguese team sAw, which was also beaten 2-0. Fnatic then played Stage 1 Masters champions Acend, and unfortunately lost the series 2-1, to finish in 5th-8th place. Despite this result, they were still invited to play in the main event.
Main event playoffs
In the Quarterfinals they met G2 Esports, another strong team from Europe. G2 were the definite favourites, but the new Fnatic lineup pulled off an excellent upset, winning Bind (13-5) and Ascent (13-11). This win got Fnatic into the Semifinals versus Team Vitality, which had just beaten Team Acend. Again, Fnatic had a very challenging series, but in the end they were better, and got the 2-0 victory.
Grand Finals
This win got the team into the Grand Finals versus the very talented Team Liquid. This series was super fun to watch with both teams giving their all, but eventually, it was the Fnatic roster that won it all. Here are the last moments of the Grand Finals:
Team BDS just announced that they are acquiring the OpportunistsVALORANT roster to represent them in upcoming tournaments and the VALORANT Champions Tour 2021. Here is their announcement:
Successful people are often the opportunist ones. Please give a warm welcome to our new #VALORANT roster:
As you may have seen recently with the DfuseTeam drama circling around the VALORANT scene, 7 individuals were without a home. These 7 individuals are split into 5 players, a coach, and analyst. Since their departure from the org, they’ve been playing under the name, Opportunists. Now after a promising performance in the Stage 2 Challengers 1, finishing in 3rd/4th they’ve been picked up by the European organization, Team BDS.
These are the players that Team BDS have signed:
Players:
Rodolphe “rodeN” Bianco
Logan “logaN” Corti
Dylan “hoppY” Aube
Jonathan “TakaS” Paupard
Alex “AKUMAAAAA” Lo Bello
Coach:
Flavien “wallax” Lebreton
Analyst:
Maxime “Max0b” Jacob
Team BDS Acquiring opportunists VALORANT roster – What’s next?
The new Team BDS roster eyes themselves on the VCT Challengers 2 tournament. Their first match up is against the Ninjas In Pyjamas in the Quarterfinals. They need to try and achieve a top 2 placement as this gets them a seed at the Challengers Finals. There are already 4 teams confirmed for the Challengers Finals EMEA, and they are: FunPlus Phoenix, Guild Esports, Futbolist, and Oxygen Esports. 4 more slots left, and BDS are itching to be part of it, to hopefully reach the Masters Reykjavik.
Fnatic have just announced that they opted to finalize their VALORANT roster with new players Magnum and Derke signing onto the new team. Here is their announcement:
Fnatic finalize VALORANT roster with Magnum and Derke Signing – Who are they?
18-year-old Martin “MAGNUM” Peňkov is a professional player from the Czech Republic. He started his career last June with Avenue Esports and then went on to play for Enterprise Esports, and now recently, Homeless. His best results in VALORANT were a 2nd place in the Grunex Masters event, and a 1st place in Nicecactus Valorant Launcher tournament.
Nikita “Derke” Sirmitev is 18 years of age as well, and is a professional player from Finland. He hasn’t been a professional for long as he started his first signing with team CrowCrowd. Now just 2 months after he’s looking to improve himself alongside the talented and experienced players on the Fnatic lineup.
Who will they replace?
Magnum and Derke will be replacing Tsack and Moe40 from the original SUMN FC roster. The team had some pretty good results, especially the 2nd place in First Strike. Unfortunately under Fnatic, the team wasn’t as successful, and also failed to qualify for Stage 1 Masters. Hopefully with these changes the team adapts quickly and shows a better performance in Stage 2 of the VALORANTChampions Tour.
