Team Vitality have been championing the CSGO scene ever since their blockbuster entry. The French lineup though, entered the history books of the iconic game by becoming the first team ever to execute a mid-Match substitution.
In their Blast Premier Fall 2020 match against Complexity, Vitality won the first map of the best of 3 series and subsequently opted to bring in Nabil ‘Nivera’ Benrlitom for Kevin ‘misutaa’ Rabier for Dust2, the second map of the series.
The new recruit from Heretics came out of the server with bragging rights, having topped the scoreboard with 22 kills to his name. That wasn’t enough to earn Vitality the win, who brought back misutaa for Vertigo and closed out what has now become a historic series in csgo.
Vitality did the same in their 2-0 win against BIG, showing that their substitution against Complexity wasn’t just a spectacle but something they are committed to in the long run.
Vitality’s achievement comes despite them not being the first team to field a six-man roster. Several top teams have opted for the same, with the Astralis even coming out with the bold claim of envisioning a 10-man roster at their disposal.
However, none of the top teams committed to the experiment and it only goes to show that the viability of a six-man roster in csgo will truly be known once it is put through experiments such as this one.
The first leg of the North American qualifiers for Valorant First Strike is about to end, and only two teams remain from the 128 teams that initially participated in the open qualifiers.
The two remaining teams – Cloud9 Blue and Team Envy – will battle it out in the grand finals tomorrow to win the Nerd Street Gamers open qualifiers and attain the #1 seed in next week’s NSG closed qualifiers.
There was no stopping @Envy tonight as they take the series 2-0 and move on to the #FirstStrike Open Qualifier finals tomorrow!
Next, @TSM and @Cloud9 Blue face off for their chance at the #1 seed.
The finals will be available to watch on the official Twitch channel of Need Street Gamers which you can check out by clicking the link here.
The showdown between the two top teams in North American Valorant will commence tomorrow at 4 PM CT / 2 PM PT.
Previously in the tournament, Team Envy was seen getting a flawless 2-0 victory over Gen.G in the semis, while Cloud9 Blue struggled a bit, but managed to defeat TSM with a scoreline of 2-1 to proceed to the Grand Finals.
CSGO’s viability has changed drastically since the advent of Valorant, especially in India. However, the enthusiasts are still optimistic of the game’s survival, given that it has outlasted and survived multiple games that were touted to be competitors.
The Taiwan Excellence Qualifier #1 for CSGO though, does not make for good reading for such enthusiasts. According to the brackets presented, over 50 teams have forfeited their respective matches, with the event still only in the Round of 16 stage.
According to the excel sheet available, majority of the teams that ‘forfeited’ their matches were directed to provide their Sostronk Team Link. Perhaps, the forfeits are actually disqualifications received from the TEGC administrators for failure to do so.
Also, as per the Sostronk page, only 23 teams are shown to have registered for the Qualifiers. This would corroborate the probable cause mentioned above.
Regardless of the reason, this means there have been more forfeits/disqualifications than the number of teams that have actually participated and played in the event.
A more damning fact is that the Brackets only show 6 matches with a definitive scoreline, despite the qualifiers already reaching the Round of 16 stage, which means 90% of the matches have failed to yield a scoreline for one reason or another.
We hope the second qualifier would see a better turnout and the teams that have registered would cover all bases correctly. Judging by this Qualifier alone, the situation looks grim.
Open-world action RPG Genshin Impact is the newest trend in the world of video games. The title by miHoYo has managed to shut down initial criticisms by surpassing a download count of 10 million in only one week across platforms.
The developers at miHoYo occasionally organize in-game events and give away promo codes for players who can activate them to obtain some free rewards.
How To Redeem Code In Genshin Impact:
Reach Adventure Level 10 in Genshin Impact
Go to the official website and log in with your account details
Go to the ‘Redeem Codes’ section
Select your regional server
Enter your character’s name
Enter the code
Genshin Impact Redeem Codes
Here are some promo codes for Genshin Impact and their rewards. These codes are working as of October 2020. But remember, Genshin Impact promo codes expire after a certain time, so be quick to redeem these.
GENSHINZHB30 – 160x Primogems (EU Server)
GENSHINZHB30 – 160x Primogems (NA Server)
GENSHINZHB30 – 160x Primogems (SEA Server)
A promo code can be used only once per account. Also, you can only redeem the code from your specific region. For instance, if you live in North America, you won’t be able to redeem the code for Asia.
Genshin Impact is one of the most popular open-world RPGs of 2020. Released in late September, the title by miHoYo has managed to attain a significant player count over the past few weeks.
If you’ve been playing Genshin Impact for a while, you might be familiar with dishes like the ‘Satisfying Salad’. The item increases the critical rate of all party members by up to 12% for a duration of 300 seconds.
One of the key ingredients in the Satisfying Salad are apples. Here’s how you can find apples in Genshin Impact.
Given the scary nature of RE 2 Remake, players might look for an easier way to get their hands on the locker codes, safe combinations, and portable safes combinations. To help you avoid going down every spooky hallway of the game in search of those items, this guide will help you collect everything the easiest way.
Leon’s Desk Locker
Locker Code of Leon’s Desk:
One of the first safes is located in the West Office with a hanging “Welcome Leon” sign. Inside, there are two locks separating you from the reward on Leon’s desk. The code for the first lock is the first letters of the future coworker’s first names which are engraved on the name plaques for three officers namely Marvin Branagh (M), Rita Phillips (R), and George Scott (G). Picking up the initials of their first name, the code for the first lock turns out to be‘MRG’.
On the other desk, two of the plaques are found with the names of Elliot Edward (E) and David Ford (D). These are the final two letters of the code, however, the first letter is missing. After attempting permutation and combination on it, the code turns out to be ‘NED’ which unlocks the locker.
The locker in Leon’s desk holds an extended mag for Leon’s Pistol or a speed reloader for Claire’s Revolver.
Safes
Safe Combinations:
Three safes don’t require a code but a combination to unlock. The safes have a dial attached, upon turning in the right combination, players will unlock it.
The known safes with their codes are:
1st Floor, west office safe combination: left 9, right 15, left 7 has a whip pouch.
2nd Floor, east wing waiting room safe combination: left 6, right 2, left 11 has a muzzle for Leon and extended mag for Claire.
Treatment pool room safe combination: left 2, right 12, left 8 has a shotgun upgrade for Leon and a hip pouch for Claire.
Portable Safe
Portable Safes:
Portable safes have unique codes for every player. Once you hit the correct key, a green light pops up and should illuminate in a circular order upon hitting every correct key. Without any definitive key, this will consume the most time, as the only way out is to keep pressing the keys until you find the correct combination.
Unlocking both of these safes grants you replacement keys for the 1st-floor safety deposit room. With them, players can unlock a few containers to get some useful healing items.
Codes for Miscellaneous Locks:
Raccoon City Police Station 2nd floor shower room locker code: CAP
Raccoon City Police Station 3rd floor locker (by the stairs) code: DCM
Sewers Control Room locker code: SZF
These safes house unique ammunition which is otherwise hard to get your hands on throughout the game so better collect them before engaging in a firefight.
The week 10 challenges are now live for popular battle royale Fortnite. One of the challenges requires players to find the ‘Heart Lake’ on the map and catch a fish in there.
Many players are unaware of where the Heart Lake is, and are seen inquiring about the location of the lake on the vast map. If you’re looking to find out the location of the Heart Lake to complete your weekly challenge, you’re at the right place.
Heart Lake Map Location In Fortnite
The exact location of Heart Lake isn’t marked on the map, and that’s why finding it can be tricky.
The Heart Lake is a big pool of water located towards the upper right portion of the map. It is surrounded by Stark Industries, Steamy Stacks, and Craggy Cliffs.
The location of Heart Lake in Fortnite is marked on the map below:
How to Catch Fish in Fortnite Week 10 Challenge?
You need to visit one of the docks to obtain a fishing rod to be able to catch fish.
Once you have a rod, go to the Heart Lake, throw the bait, and wait for the fish to come.
Once you successfully catch a fish, your week 10 challenge will be completed.
When we arrive at week 10 of any Fortnite season, the buzz around the next season is already underway, and so it is this season as well. With Chapter 2, Season 4 in its 10th week, Fortnite fans have already started looking everywhere to find even a hint of what is to come next season. We look at everything we know about Season 5 of Chapter 2.
When does Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5 start?
The current season, which began with the introduction of the Marvel Universe to the Fortnite World, promised us with a Nexus War, which will probably be the theme of next season. Generally, seasons last 10 weeks, which would mean that the Season 5 would begin on Monday, November 30. This means that we have just around a month till the highly anticipated season will be unveiled.
So far, not much is known about the next season as Epic Games generally releases teasers about the next season around 2-3 weeks before its start date. However, from what we have seen in Season 4, Galactus is on the way, and it could well be in Season 5 that we see the Nexus War unfold. However, there has been no official confirmation on the same and all we can do is wait.
Fortnite Chapter 2 Season 5 Price?
While there is no information on next season’s battle pass as well, we feel it is highly likely that it will be retained. A battle pass generally costs 950 V bucks, which means it would cost you around Rs 600 to buy the 1000 V buck pack that would enable you to unlock all the extra rewards and missions the battle pass provides.
It is too early to speculate what will be included with the battle pass, although we have seen a slew of superheroes like Hulk, Wolverine, Aquaman and Deadpool in the past, which would make this Season’s theme even more exciting. However, until we get official confirmation, all we can do is speculate. As soon as we get more info, we will be sure to update you. Till then, stay safe and happy gaming!
PUBG Mobile servers are officially taken down after a short announcement by PUBG Mobile declared that they are shutting down operations for the country. Players who are trying to access the game are facing an “Restrict Access” error.
PUBG Mobile was banned by IT ministry of India along with 117 other Chinese apps as they were “prejudicial to sovereignty and integrity of India, Defense of India and security of state and public order.” The banishment was issued on September 2 and after almost two months, the game is completely inaccessible to the players in the country.
PUBG Mobile was inarguably the best running esports game in India and suddenly, the banhammer halted this rising popularity. The impact of this ban was severe on Indian PUBG Mobile pros and content creators. Despite the ban, the actual casual player base was not fazed due to the fact that the servers were up and running. Players faced no obstacle while playing this game except moral dilemma to follow this decision by the government or to continue playing their favourite game.
This dilemma no longer exists as PUBG Mobile has taken a big step to completely shut down their operations in India. This resulted in server shutdowns and subsequently, the game has been rendered useless. Players are facing this error code, with “Restrict Access” message popping up when players tried to log in to PUBG Mobile.
This decision is not a solid proof to speculate anything about the future of PUBG Mobile in the country. It is a debatable topic on whether this news is a good or bad sign for now. The game can remain banned and unplayable permanently or this can mean that a localised version of PUBG Mobile is on its way. Whatever the results are, one thing is for certain that PUBG Mobile fans won’t be able access their favourite game in India for the foreseeable future until it gets unbanned.
“Guardian waits, patiently; as Cloud9 steps the push up. Oh! They have made it happen. Cloud9 are your ELeague Major Champions.”
Years have passed since the momentous major win but it remains the fondest memory for both fans of Cloud9 and the North American scene in general. CEO Jack Etienne has tried several lineups since, including international ones. However, none have been able to match the same promise, let alone the camaraderie and the sense of connect the 5 players had with the fans and between themselves.
Cloud9 has fallen from the pedestal of being Major champions to another Counter Strike giant in slumber. Another North American organisation, by the name of Complexity, rose back to prominence, thanks to Jason BW Lake’s commitment and determination to build a Juggernaut, as he called it himself. The concoction included players from their last lineup, European imports and cultured North American pros.
The Complexity Juggernaut is well on its way to being called a successful concoction. Cloud9 have gone ahead and sanctioned their own version of it, with Henry ‘HenryG’ Greer the man in charge of building the Colossus. The former shoutcaster-cum-analyst has already introduced the industry to some much-needed transparency norms with the player announcements. However, the profile of the players have come under question, with many raising doubts on the viability of this lineup.
There are question marks over whether the individuals can come together to form the next great Cloud9 squad in CSGO. We try and put forth our views on the viability of the roster.
The Road from Raki to Redemption
Arguably the star of the lineup, it must have come as a shock to many when Ozgur ‘woxic’ Eker was benched at mousesports. Granted, the lineup had failed to deliver the desired results since the start of the online phase of 2020, thanks to the pandemic.
However, woxic had performed well boasting an average rating of 1.06 for mousesports in 2020, which meant rumours started piling up as to how it was due to reasons other than his performance on the server. Ozgur is known to be a passionate player and maybe, emotions do get the better of him. But, his ability is undeniable; much like another European bombshell at one point in his career, Oleksandr ‘s1mple’ Kostyliev.
In fact, before the advent of Mathieu ‘ZywOo’ Herbaut, it was woxic was labelled as the man that would challenge s1mple. After all, the Turkish star did beat s1mple in 2017 in a pure 1v1 personal challenge that saw him pocket a neat 5,000 USD from the Ukrainian.
So, naturally, woxic would have been waiting patiently for a chance to show once again, just what he can do on the CSGO servers. Cloud9 has given him the chance, buying him out from mousesports and woxic, in his interview to HLTV, did promise ‘to bring back the real woxic‘.
Every successful lineup needs an X factor; someone with flair and woxic has that in abundance; be it his AWP ace against Evil Geniuses in the ESL Pro League Season 10 finals in 2019 or his rifle Ace against Natus Vincere in 2017 during his time in HellRaisers, again in the ESL Pro League.
A wounded lion as woxic is right now, is far more dangerous and it will be exciting to see him be a part of this new-look Cloud9 lineup.
The Prodigy Prognosis
An essential part of any ‘Colossus’ is the promise it holds. In Complexity, it was all about Owen ‘oBo’ Schlatter and his gradual rise. Cloud9 have two interesting profiles in their current lineup.
20-year-old Ricky ‘floppy’ Kemery has already been a star for Cloud9 in 2020 and was the second highest rated player in their lineup (1.06). However, the structure will be much different under a new IGL and one that might have a different way of looking at things. This will be floppy’s true test of whether he can take the next step from being a bright young star in the scene to a star in general; and many have faltered at this stage of their career, forever remaining a prodigious talent.
On the other hand, William ‘mezii’ Merriman comes into the lineup, relatively as an unknown quantity to the majority of the csgo fans. Another product of the working-again British CSGO scene, mezii has been lauded for his composure and maturity beyond his years; things that convert into some solid plays on the server.
mezii has won more 1v1 clutches in officials than he has lost (50 v 42) and while one can argue that most of them have come against Tier-2 opposition, one cannot simply win this many clutches merely on the back of a superior aim. This does point towards his overall sense of the game, with the player also touted be a complete team player and one that is willing to sacrifice roles in order to help the lineup find success.
Cloud9 to serve up BEEFY British Counter-Strike 🇬🇧
A player like mezii is necessary for a new lineup like Cloud9 as they can now experiment different setups and variations to keep things interesting and opponents confused. HenryG compared the situation to another Cloud9 prodigy Stewie2k, who came from the pug scene and ended up being a Major winner before moving on.
mezii has received high praise from all ends and his performances in 2020 has warranted a step up. The 22-year-old has that quirky X factor as well. We don’t know whether the ‘walking with mouse 2’ thing was a joke but it sure will make for a good headline, if he does end up atop the CSGO pyramid someday.
Back from Bagstiv
Ah, what a whirlwind of a 2020 it has been for Patrick ‘es3tag’ Hansen. From rising the ranks with Heroic to accepting a free transfer to Astralis, throwing the FPX Phoenix deal in jeopardy, es3tag has had his fair share of ‘controversial’ events this year.
However, once at Astralis, people realised just how powerful of a punch the 24-year-old’s talent is capable of packing. During his brief stop at Astralis, es3tag impressed everyone with his ability to make an impact on the server, especially being a cog in the organisation’s renaissance of sorts, after a lackadaisical period thus far in 2020.
es3tag lamented upon his Cloud9 transfer, iterating that he wished to stay longer at Astralis. However, considering the rumours that the Danish organisation were always looking to offload at least one of es3tag, Lucas ‘Bubzkji’ Andersen and surprisingly, Andreas ‘xyp9x’ Hojsleth, it is better he is now at an organisation where he is the marquee signing.
Established stars, a flashy AWPer, a credible IGL with considerable fragging power and a passionate fanbase – es3tag still seems to have all the tools for success alongside him in this Cloud9 lineup. It is now time for the 24-year-old to put his head down and work towards making this Colossal dream of Cloud9 a reality.
The Leadership and Success Hypothesis
Honestly, there wouldn’t have been a better IGL for this iteration of Cloud9. Alex ‘ALEX’ McMeekin proved himself at Vitality, both in terms of his ability to handle superstars and egos along with his prowess in terms of fragging ability and leading the team.
ALEX seems to exhibit patience for the lineup to gel well and has been seen to experiment with the tactical side of it as well from his time in Vitality. A master of clutch situations, the 25-year-old would be keen to prove his leadership capabilities without having ZyWOo to carry the lineup almost every damn time.
Also, ALEX would not have the same problem of over-exhaustion from travelling or home-sickness that played a major role in his request to be benched at Vitality.
The former Vitality IGL will have the task of grooming the likes of floppy and mezii into world-class CSGO players as well as ensuring the lineup can get the best out of woxic and es3tag. HenryG would have surely taken ALEX’s comments and wishes into account while building the roster, which means the 25-year-old has the players he wanted, more or less.
Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore, send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed, to me: I lift my lamp beside the golden door.
Emma Lazarus
Essentially, this verse from the sonnet fits perfectly. The North American organisation have freed up the Europeans in peril, especially woxic and ALEX, and ushered them into a new light. It is now upto them to build ‘The New Colossus’.
Will this Cloud9 concoction turn into the Colossus HenryG set out for it to become or will this lineup be another Colossal casualty of the organisation’s attempt to build a successful lineup?
