Author: Andrew "Rambutanz" Ki

In just two years since its entry into the esports scene, VALORANT has made leaps and bounds in its growth as a captivating competitive game. However, Riot Games’ FPS is still a young and fledgling esport — as such, there is still room for improvement. Here is a shortlist of things Riot should work on heading into the second half of 2022 and in the coming years.More Spots for Masters and ChampionsWith only three international tournaments per year, global matchups are scarce. VCT features seven regions who vie for limited spots at these exclusive events. The recent Stage 1 Masters…

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CS2

Two Look to Progress to Legends TomorrowThe first day of the PGL Antwerp Major saw teams from the EU RMRs win all of their Round 1 matches in convincing fashion. Bad News Eagles took down Eternal Fire 16-14 in the only EU vs EU opening matchup; but the Turkish superteam quickly bounced back with a 16-2 victory against Renegades in the 0-1 pool. With the first day of action concluded, four EU teams look to battle it out in the 2-0 pool to progress to the Legends stage tomorrow. Here’s a look at the upcoming Round 3 High Matches:ENCE vs.…

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CS2

The attendants of the PGL Antwerp Major are a diverse collection of players composed of old veterans and new blood. As the biggest event of the season comes into their line of sight, the spotlight shines on the next generation of Counter-Strike competitors that fought their way to battle it out in Belgium. Qualifying for the Major is no small feat — and a few players of note must be recognized. Here are the Antwerp participants to look out for who previously played in academy teams and are now looking to make a statement in the most competitive Major yet.m0NESY…

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CS2

The opening day of the PGL Major Antwerp Legends Stage featured competition among the established Legends and the top 8 of the Challengers stage. Action-packed matchups led to viewership highs and underdog upsets during sixteen best-of-ones across two rounds. Here is a recap of the day’s events:Spirit, Copenhagen Flames Defy ExpectationsTeam Spirit — the third lowest-ranked team in the Legends Stage — beat the odds and set themselves up for a solid chance at playoff qualification. The promoted academy duo Robert “Patsi” Isyanov and Pavel “s1ren” Ogloblin led the charge with their respective 1.33 and 1.17 ratings across the team’s…

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The dust is settling on OpTic Gaming’s victory at VCT: Stage 1 Masters – Reykjavík and teams are looking onwards to Stage 2. Accordingly, it is the perfect time to retrospect on the triumphs and tragedies that each region faced in the first international tournament of the year.Reykjavík’s results stand in stark contrast to the norm of regional performance. For the first time ever, the top six teams at the tournament represented six unique regions. As mentioned in our Takeaways From VCT: Masters, this newfound diversity in global competition was mainly a product of the Asian and Brazilian scenes fulfilling…

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