Rainbow 6
SCARZ and DPLUS maintain their superiority in their regions; CYCLOPS returns to compete in an international tournament, while Talon and Crest Gaming make their first appearance in international R6 tournaments.
DPLUS
Once again, DPLUS secured direct qualification for the Six Major, this time in Atlanta. The team's dominance wasn't quite expected by South Korean fans; especially considering their early elimination in the South Korean preseason tournament, the R6 Summer Cup, where they lost 2-0 to BlossoM. The start of the South Korea League wasn't the most promising for fans either, as the team began with an overtime loss to LAVEGA. Despite this initial setback, the team recovered and clinched the group's top spot, setting up a showdown with Talon for a spot in the Six Major.
In the playoffs, the team secured a comfortable victory over Talon with a 7-4 and 7-3 score, advancing to the grand final against SANDBOX, traditionally their toughest regional challenge. For the second consecutive time, DPLUS emerged victorious, securing direct qualification for Phase 2 of the Six Major Atlanta and positioning themselves well for a shot at the Six Invitational 2024.
Expectations for Atlanta
At Copenhagen, the team's performance wasn't at its best — they were eliminated in the second phase with only one win. That lone victory came against a smaller region (Team Falcons, MENA), while in larger or similarly skilled matchups, the team suffered defeats. For instance, their match against Soniqs ended in a 7-2 loss to the North Americans, mirroring their defeat against the Japanese squad SCARZ.. They also lost 2-0 to Spacestation.
The South Korean team has the potential to improve their performance for this Six Major, given their strong individual players. However, tactically, DPLUS have room for improvement in certain aspects. The expectation is they’ll deliver a better performance and contend for a spot in the playoffs, even though securing a spot might be challenging.
SANDBOX
The team once again secured qualification for the Six Major, but this time they need to put on a better performance to secure their spot in the Six Invitational. In this edition, the team was a force to be reckoned with in the first phase, achieving significant and crucial victories against BlossoM, Talon, and Before & After. They finished the group stage with a remarkable round difference of +15. Additionally, they clinched the title in the offseason tournament against BlossoM, signaling a different mindset this time around.
SANDBOX at the Six Major Copenhagen (Image Credits: Ubisoft/itsmeERROR)In the playoffs, the team faced Beyond Stratos, taking a convincing win to seal their spot at the Six Major Atlanta. However, in the season's biggest upset, they suffered defeat to DPLUS in the grand final, with Chalet (the decider) tilting heavily in their opponent's favor.
Expectations for Atlanta
At Copenhagen, SANDBOX were eliminated in the first phase. After winning their initial match against FURY, they went on to face Team Falcons in the Winners Bracket and suffered an additional loss. Following that defeat, they played against the European team MNM, who had more experience and preparation, and sent SANDBOX home. However, the expectation for Atlanta is the team will perform better this time, possibly contending for a playoff spot. But securing a spot will still be challenging.
Talon
For the first time in international competitions, Talon has finally achieved the position they've been striving for. The team hasn’t made many player changes since their inception, but they've always sought good solutions for building their roster. This season, they were rewarded with a Six Major spot.
Their qualification came through a strong campaign, even though it was via the Last Chance Qualifier. Throughout the season, Talon only lost four official matches, one of which was in Stage 2 when they were already eliminated, competing for third place, while the other three losses were against SANDBOX and DPLUS.
Expectations for Atlanta
As a relatively new team in international competitions, both in terms of the organization and the players, they might face some difficulties in this competition. However, it shouldn't be seen as their last chance but rather as a beginning.
Player Im "saeyeora" Seung-hwan is cautious but optimistic about the team's competition: "It's our first major, but we will definitely not crumble easily. We will show a great performance and come back strong." He also talks about his individual expectations for the competition: "Practicing with talented overseas teams and accumulating experience seems like a great opportunity to gain a precise understanding of our current position."
Their group provides opportunities for Talon to believe in qualification, but the expectation is that they'll exit in the first phase.
SCARZ
Once again, SCARZ has secured a spot in the Six Major and is heading to the second phase of the competition. The team has been a pleasant surprise in the region this season, especially considering their competence last year too. However, they didn't compete in the tournament that offered international spots. Now, they have the chance to showcase their skills to the world, having even reached the Top 8 in the last season.
SCARZ at the Six Major Copenhagen (Image Credits: Ubisoft/Kirill_Vision)This edition of Japan League, SCARZ began with a clean victory against Fnatic, followed by two matches that didn't require extraordinary performances from the team. They suffered a defeat against Crest Gaming, but clinched a victory in the last round against CYCLOPS, securing the second spot in the group. The team initially faced challenges, but they made a strong comeback in the playoffs, winning against FAV and NORTHEPTION. And then securing a convincing 3-0 victory against CYCLOPS in the grand final.
Expectations for Atlanta
The team demonstrated their competence in Copenhagen and has all the potential to repeat this in Atlanta. Their positive aspects remain solid. Expectations are for them to battle to qualify for the playoffs, much like last time.
CYCLOPS
The Japanese team CYCLOPS returns to the international stage after a disappointing performance at the Six Invitational 2023. During this period, the team competed in Gamers8 and had an impressive match against Oxygen but ended up eliminated in the first phase.
But in this season of the Japan League, the team had a great run, leading their group ahead of SCARZ and securing a challenging victory against Crest Gaming in the semifinals. However, in the grand final, the team was outperformed and will now return to the first phase of competition — a stage they've never managed to advance from in international competitions, regardless of the format.
Expectations for Atlanta
Much like Talon, CYCLOPS has some opportunity to dream of qualification within their group. Besides the Korean teams, the team needs to beat either LOS or Bleed to secure their spot in the second phase. Both are closer matchups and offer good chances of attaining the coveted qualification. The expectation is that the battle for the group’s second spot will likely be between CYCLOPS and Bleed.
Crest Gaming Lst
Another new team in the competition, Crest Gaming Lst are coming off a strong season. Besides a solid performance in the Last Chance Qualifier, the team came very close to securing a spot at the Six Major through the Japan League, thanks to a thrilling three-map match ending 7-5. Their overall campaign in the Japan League was strong, taking into account their third-place finish in the initial phase was heavily influenced by the group's level (which included the already qualified CYCLOPS and SCARZ). Aside from the other two teams, Crest Gaming secured victories convincingly.
In the LCQ, the team achieved good wins against System, IGZIST, and FAV. Throughout the season, they lost four maps and won 11, with three of those losses coming at the hands of CYCLOPS. Their campaign showcases they're not just a lucky underdog who happened to qualify for the Six Major.
Expectations for Atlanta
Just like Talon, expectations are quite low given this is the team's first appearance as a whole. However, Crest have the potential, and we hope to see strong performances from them against the top-tier teams.
