The Tragic Tale of Oasis Gaming and the VCT PH Stage 1 Challengers

Oasis Gaming is one of the Philippines’ brightest stars, one which should have made the APAC Challengers.

In a field full of unknowns, Oasis Gaming showed reason to believe them as a certainty to qualify for the APAC Main Event, together with the country’s highly regarded Team Secret. But instead, a series of unfortunate events led to Oasis Gaming finishing just out of reach of the APAC Challengers invite.

We will take a look at our Blind Horse candidate, with the insights of their very own Head Coach “Flufee” to understand what exactly happened during the team’s tragic run in the VCT Philippines Stage 1 Challengers.

Oasis runs a revamped six-man roster, completed in December 2021, when Wild0reoo was signed to the lineup. The team had an apparent goal – to reach success greater than their previous lineups during the 2021 season.

And oh, it started, with a bang.

Promising Momentum

“The team felt very strong going into VCT because we were sitting at a 10-0 record since our changes from the start of 2022 in Intel Rivals and open Qualifiers. We felt very well put together and had the momentum going in.”

Oasis had all the confidence heading into the event. The team had looked ready and set, with great chemistry oozing from their performances coming off of a 10-0 win streak (without dropping a map) starting in the Intel Rivals Series to the open qualifiers. In the open qualifier, they had already secured victories against fellow PH Challengers qualifiers South Built Esports.

It was their promising performances – despite the short month of preparation with the lineup and Flufee himself – that made the team seem magical. But maybe, it was too magical. The team had looked complete, but of course, the challenges, and the Challengers Stage, were just beginning.

Unfortunately, Oasis had more than just opposing teams as their challenges.

Out of Their Control

Out of your control – one of the worst feelings. When you do everything right, yet you still fail because of something out of your control, it stings. And yet,

“The VCT group stages, in particular, had a lot of difficulties that we couldn’t necessarily control. Firstly we were the only team in our group that had to play two series a day, giving us double the load and half the prep as the other teams, but despite that, we played strong. “

Oasis were put in a schedule that had them play two series’ and more games a day than any other teams in their group. These were on day two and day 6 of 8 Playdays during the Group Stage. This put them at a significant disadvantage when it came to time. As Flufee said, they now had twice the load, yet half the prep of any other team in the group. Now how is that a fair playing field? But it’s just a maximum of 3 games a day, right? so let’s say it’s “all good.”

Oasis started the group stage with a 1-2 loss against Action PH, a team who had looked bright by the latter part of their open qualifier run and played unsurprisingly well in their first series against Bren Esports. A close loss like that would hurt, but Oasis had to shake that off- that was just their first series of the day.

Next up was the debut of the fan favorites, Team Secret. Oasis was the first to show the weak links in the performance of Team Secret, as they had taken down the Philippine Juggernaut 2-1, winning their two maps with dominance. A surprising win, but looking back in hindsight, Team Secret would have been expected to lose this series, but that’s a story for a different time.

Oasis would end the first half of the Group stage, at the top of the group, on a single map lead over Action PH. The first four days would only strengthen the narrative that they were favorites to qualify.

But as the latter half of the group stage would come,

“We were required to get passports for 4 of our players by Riot, and it conflicted with our first scheduled game vs. Team Secret (TS), and after trying to adjust the repetitive schedule repeatedly, we were given a choice to fulfill the requirement if we can’t move it or default our game vs. TS. “

They had no other choice but to play despite the conflicting schedule, and they delivered in their first map with style, winning 13-6. But,

“during the said TS game, we were unfortunately disconnected after our great first map and were forced to default that game despite asking if we could speak to our opponents about being late for 1min due to the DC.”

In the official VALORANT esports rulebook, the postponing, suspending, canceling, or disqualifications are at the Tournament Admin’s discretion, and it is decided on a case-to-case basis. Despite that, after facing disconnection errors with the official Tournament Client and being only a single minute late, admins chose to forfeit the second map, tying the series 1-1 against Team Secret. Well, what else is there to say but unlucky?

“Unfortunately, the admin proceeded, and we defaulted the game; we later found out from the TS coach that they were willing to wait, but we were never given the chance.”

Oasis players were still shaken up by the decision and would get 13-0’d on the third map, garnering their second group stage loss.

This was one of several frustrating situations met with the Tournament Organizers.

Inconsistency Amongst The Rules

“This is my first VCT, and I heard international teams were getting DQd for a variety of reasons that involved coaching, so to make sure I didn’t cross any lines, I clarified the rules with the admin, and long story short, came out puzzled about the rules because some rules implemented weren’t in the official ruleset given to us or were implemented wrongly.”

So not only had several instances of map forfeits already happened during the group stage, Flufee had found out, through his want of being extra careful, that the same ruleset given to them was implemented wrong. From rules not even in the ruleset to some enforced incorrectly. It seems a little silly that the official VALORANT CHAMPIONS TOUR Qualifier is being administered with inconsistent regulations. That is everything but a fair playing field.

Despite the frustrations, Oasis continued strong and finished the group stage at the top of their group, qualifying to the playoffs alongside Action PH and Team Secret, who made a comeback run during the second half of Groups.

“Some teams might have been aware of it and could have used it to their advantage, and some teams didn’t know that some things were possible, so after I notified Bren esports about it, Bren, Oasis, and TS confronted Riot directly about it, and it was sorted out for playoffs.”

A Loss is A Loss

Thanks to their top placing in the group, Oasis were placed directly into round 2 of the Upper Bracket, where they would await the winner of the Action PH vs. Zeal Esports matchup. And as destiny would have it, Action PH was their first challenge of the Playoffs. The team who would drop our main character into the lower bracket.

Action PH would advance in the upper bracket, seemingly a class above Oasis.

Over in the lower bracket, a rematch between Team Secret and Oasis was now set. And all of a sudden, it was the Philippines’ finest out of contention.

Oasis would need to win their next series, just one more series to get an invite to the APAC Challengers and secure first a spot in the play-ins. A long-fought two weeks had painted them as favorites, placed them in a favored upper bracket position, despite all the struggles and “unfortunate” happenings. But they were now at the edge, hanging on for their hopes, hopes of just qualifying for the APAC main event, to the next step in their VALORANT journey.

“I think APH was the team that challenged us the most, and it’s reflected in the match results; I do believe, however, that the gap between all ph teams is not that far, and it’s really about who shows up that day, for whatever reason, fatigue, or otherwise we had some challenges going into their interesting comps and close games, but at the end of the day I believe a little adjustment was all we needed.”

A loss was a loss. Oasis ends their run on two intense overtime brawls against South Built Esports.

The Future

With their loss against the eventual PH Challengers Stage 1 Champions, It may have been a rough experience for everyone regarding organization; it was a strong showing for the Philippines.

It’s tough to say how “fair” the scheduling, ruling, and administration of this event truly was, but there’s nothing that can be done now but to push for a more competent administration for upcoming events.

“All I wanted was a fair playing field & standardized enforced rules. I hope that they have a clear goal and communication between riot and our local organizers to have a smoother tournament overall; many teams have also expressed this concern as consistency was not apparent. It felt bad to be on either end of that stick.”

Strive For More

In a country whose CS:GO scene was forsaken, the VALORANT scene is a glimmer of hope for many. With the future of VCT in the Philippines only looking brighter, Oasis will do all in their power to push past their “unlucky” experience in Challengers 1, to become a team that represents the potential of Filipino VALORANT on the international stage.

“I think it shows that we are a growing region with huge potential, and TS paved the way last Champions to get us noticed, but it’s up to us and the other amazing PH teams to light our way to the international scene. I genuinely believe we have some of the strongest teams and players, and in time our actions will show the world what we can do if we remain consistent.”

“I’d also like to mention the hard work put in by my teammates in Oasis Gaming; I don’t see them as my players as a coach, they’re smart, and they put in the work. At the end of the day, I’m team support, and we win, lose, and improve as a team. More to come from this stack in 2022.”

Imagery: Oasis Gaming

The Full Interview

Q: How confident was the team heading into Challengers Stage 1?

The team felt very strong going into VCT because we were sitting at a 10-0 record since our changes from the start of 2022 in Intel Rivals and open Qualifiers. We felt very well put together and had the momentum going in.

Q: Were there any outside/external factors that affected the team’s results?

In particular, the VCT group stages had a lot of difficulties that we couldn’t necessarily control. Firstly we were the only team in our group that had to play two series a day, giving us double the load and half the prep than the other teams, but despite that, we played strong.

Secondly, We were required to get passports for 4 of our players by riot, and it conflicted with our first scheduled game vs. Team Secret (TS); and after trying to adjust the repetitive schedule repeatedly, we were given a choice to fulfill the requirement if we can’t move it or default our game vs. TS.

Lastly, during the said TS game, we were unfortunately disconnected after our great first map and were forced to default that game despite asking if we could speak to our opponents about being late for 1min due to the DC. Unfortunately, the admin proceeded, and we defaulted the game, we later found out from the TS coach that they were willing to wait, but we were never given the chance.

Q: Were there any specific problems with the organizers that were addressed late, or would you like to see addressed for future events?

This is my first VCT, and I heard international teams were getting DQd for a variety of reasons that involved coaching, so to make sure I didn’t cross any lines, I clarified the rules with the admin, and long story short, came out puzzled about the rules because some rules implemented weren’t in the official ruleset given to us or were implemented wrongly. Some teams might have been aware of it and could have used it to their advantage. Some teams didn’t know that some things were possible, so after I notified Bren esports about it, Bren, Oasis, and TS confronted Riot directly about it, and it was sorted out for playoffs.

All I wanted was a fair playing field & standardized enforced rules. I hope that they have a clear goal and communication between riot and our local organizers to have a smoother tournament overall, many teams have also expressed this concern as consistency was not apparent, and it felt bad to be on either end of that stick.

Q: What team was, in your opinion, the hardest challenge? Or the team you believe could be the next International representatives of the Philippines for Masters 1?

I think APH was the team that challenged us the most, and it’s reflected in the match results; I do believe, however, that the gap between all ph teams is not that far, and it’s really about who shows up that day, for whatever reason, fatigue, or otherwise, we had some challenges going into their interesting comps and close games, but at the end of the day I believe a little adjustment was all we needed.

Q: Any general thoughts on the experience playing against the PH scene’s best teams?

I think NAOS has a very international playstyle, and TS given more time will always be strong. APH Can be explosive, but in my heart, I think Oasis can take it, but again it boils back to who shows up on the day.

I think it shows that we are a growing region with huge potential, and TS paved the way last Champions to get us noticed, but it’s up to us and the other amazing ph teams to light our way to the international scene. I genuinely believe we have some of the strongest teams and players, and in time, our actions will show the world what we can do if we remain consistent.

I’d also like to mention the hard work put in by my teammates in Oasis Gaming, I don’t see them as my players as a coach, they’re smart, and they put in the work. At the end of the day, I’m team support, and we win, lose, and improve as a team. More to come from this stack in 2022