Entity beat Brutality in straight maps (Dust2 16-12, Mirage 16-6) to secure an Upper Bracket Finals date with Optic India.
Entity started Brutalityโs map pick Dust2 on the T side. They decided to execute a basic mid-to-b strategy. Brutality failed to handle the brute force and conceded the pistol round. A fast-paced A long hit in the ant-eco saw Entity clean up the round.
Huntr held outside A long doors brilliantly and finished the round with a 3k to add another round besides Entity on the scoreboard. As Entity saw their quick A take being contested well by Brutality, they rotated back to hit the B site through T spawn and captured the round as well, with Venom unable to stop them in the Upper Tunnel despite good positioning.
A quick entry into Mid saw Entity dismantle Brutalityโs defence yet again. The fast-paced rounds soon caught up with Entity though, with a 2k from Venom ensuring Brutality defended the B site well and open their account on Dust2.
A 4k from Excali with the AWP was not enough as spy clutched a 1v1 to ensure a second round before Brutality succeeded in a 2v3 retake to come within 2 rounds of Entity.
Entity though, hit back through A long on the Quasi buy to break Brutalityโs streak. Sni๏ฌng a potential weakness in the A long defence, Entity rinsed and repeat, with similar e๏ฌect as Rix was resigned to saving the AWP.
HellRanger wreaked havoc at CT spawn in the ensuing round to extend Entityโs lead. A quick mid-to-b attempt was foiled by Brutality to get their fourth round on the board. Brutality then shut down Entityโs attempt to take over the A site before Astarr held o๏ฌ Entity at B with a brilliant 4k to close out the half with a scoreline of 9-6 in favour of Entity.
Brutality chose to attack the A site through the short area. The attempt yielded fruit, which saw them lodge consecutive round wins to draw level. Amaterasu then stepped up with a 3k at A to restore Entityโs lead.
Entity won the ensuing round comfortably before a series of back-and-forth rounds were played out by the two teams. Brutality broke Entity with a fast A short take before Entity managed to retaliate and reset Brutalityโs economy by succeeding in a 4v3 retake of the B bombsite.
Brutality responded with an A short take again to force Entity to save their weaponry. Entity though, took advantage of the guns that were carried over to retake the A site and win the round.
Brutality took to A short again and the attempt yielded fruit once more. In what was the last of such scenarios on Dust2, Entity broke back immediately by defending a B hit. Hellranger then secured a 3k at B to put Entity on map point.
A 3v3 retake scenario at the A bombsite saw Entity defuse the bomb successfully to close out the map 16-12.
What was particularly impressive was Entityโs penchant for fast-paced hits on the T side. Boasting perhaps, the most stacked roster in terms of individual skill, Entity used that to their advantage by taking raw aim-duels majority of the time.
Entity started Mirage how they left things o๏ฌ at Dust2. After an A site shutdown in the pistol, a 2v3 retake ensured Brutality did not break back. Brutality then used the mid area to hit the B site but were foiled by the Entity defence.
A fast attempt through A Palace was completely obliterated by the defence. Huntr then came up with two magical noscopes at connector to extend Entityโs lead. Brutality then attempted consecutive A executes with proper smokes. But, Entity were up to the task.
However, Entity seemed to have been caught o๏ฌ-guard as Brutality finally managed a successful take of the A site to put their first round on the board. The Entity onslaught though, continued. A 3k each from HellRanger and Excali on respective rounds on the B bombsite extended the lead to 9-1.
As the score read 11-1, Brutality saw their old guard spring in to action. Astarr, Juventa and Rix all stepped up massively with individual plays to clutch the three remaining rounds and end the half with a rather respectable 11-4 scoreline.
Entity executed a fast mid connector to A rush and caught the Brutal defence stumped. Amaterasuโs 3k ensured Entity bag both the pistols on Mirage. A B split and a quick A hit later, Entity were two rounds away from a place in the Upper Bracket Finals.
Brutality though, still had some resistance in them. Venom clutched a 1v2 before a 3k from Juventa and a teamkill from Huntr on DMKing saw Rix clutch as well to push the score to 6-14.
Entity though, quickly corrected themselves and did not let themselves become complacent. DMKing and Huntr redeemed themselves with a brilliant post-plant at B. A 3k and 2k each ensured Entity had 9 map and series points.
As has been the case so far in the Direct Invite Qualifiers, Entity converted the first of their 9 map and series points with a fast-paced A hit. DMKing came up huge with another 3k as Entity secured their place alongside Optic India in the Upper Bracket Finals.
Mirage showed the di๏ฌerence between Entity and Brutality, both in terms of scoreline and game styles. Entity were methodical and their play was brimming with chemistry. Brutality though, seemed to rely more on individual plays.
Overall, during the entire series, we witnessed Entity with some brilliant retakes, which shows how much work they put in to rehearse such scenarios. Another thing that shined through was versatility, with almost everyone wielding the AWP across the Entity lineup.
As far as Brutality are concerned, they seemed intent on making their force-buys work. Granted, they had relative success in the force-buys. But, their unrelenting obsession to force-buy, even in make-or-break scenarios pushed them towards the defeat.
That the Brutals looked more dangerous on the force-buys than on their regular buy rounds is something they would look to correct, especially if they are to conjure up a lower-bracket run and become one of the two teams to qualify for the Regional Finals.
Optic India registered a quick 2-0 win (Nuke 16-8, Inferno 16-6) over Invictus to become the first team to enter the Upper Bracket Finals of the Direct Invite Qualifiers – Indian Phase – for Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018.
Optic India started on the T side on their map pick Nuke. A brilliantly devised plan saw Optic ultimately take control of the A site. Haivaan sliced into the Invictus defence quite literally as he stabbed BinaryBUGG. Invictus failed to retake the site and conceded the pistol round to Optic India.
Invictus though, responded in style. Blackhawk came in huge with a 4k as they completed their retake attempt at A this time around. Invictus cleaned up the weak pistols buy from Optic but were then caught off-guard as Optic India started to delve into their strat-book.
The outer smokes strategy worked brilliantly as they managed to take outer control time and again. With the score at 2-2, Forsaken converted a 1v2 to restore Optic Indiaโs advantage while the Bangalore-based stack added to their tally with another Outer hit.
Blackhawk converted a 1v1 to peg one round back. But, the Optic India onslaught had just begun. Their unrelenting aggression at Outer saw Invictus being unable to take back or maintain control of the area, which gave Optic a free reign to use it to their advantage.
A clean anti-eco saw Optic India rush to a 7-3 lead. Another Outer take attempt followed the round, with yB having to clutch a 1v2 to maintain the momentum. The domination at Outer did not stop as Optic secured the last two rounds of the half to make the score 12-3 in their favour.
The pistol round saw Optic India shutting down Invictus at A, with Manan unable to convert a 1v2 scenario. Optic added another round before invictus responded with one of their own. With the score at 14-4, Invictus sought to give Optic a taste of their own medicine by executing the identical Outer control smokes.
But, to give it a twist, they did not go for Outer control. Instead, they fell back and hit the B site through the ramp area, leaving Optic without much of an answer. Pashasahil then opened up the A site through squeaky door before a patient and clean Anti-eco saw Invictus pull the score back to 7-14.
A ramp take compelled Optic into a 3-man save. Invictus then went for another Outer smokes barrage. But, Optic India had the perfect counter to it. Marzil was flashed through the smoke to get a 2k, which was enough to throw Invictus off and propel Optic India to map point.
yB then recorded a 2k on the A defence as Optic India closed out their map pick with a scoreline of 16-8.
It seemed clear that Optic had a game plan in place when they started on the T side. Invictus had no answer to their continued hits at Outer while Optic India were able to successfully counter the same when Invictus did it on their own T side.
Optic started on the CT side on Inferno and seemed to be in the same groove as Nuke. Some boiler aggression saw Optic push Invictus towards the B site and secure the pistol round. A brilliant Crossfire on the A site saw Optic shut down Invictus in the round that followed.
Optic Indiaโs early round aggression continued to rattle Invictus. On the full buy at 3-0, Haivaan was flashed through at slope to cause havoc with the MP9. So he did and secured the round for Optic India.
Ribbi took matters into his own hands at 5-0 and converted a 1v2 on the B bombsite to put Invictus on the board on Inferno. But, the dual awp from Optic India dominated the next round, with Marzil and antidote shutting down Invictus.
An A take from Invictus finally yielded the results, with antidote, the lone survivor for Optic India, forced to save his awp on the B site. Invictus were relinquishing B and mid control time and again.
And Optic India capitalised on it by stretching the lead to 7-2. The reigning ESL INDIA Premiership champions were then stopped dead in their tracks at mid by Marzil with a pristine 4k. Haivaan soon followed suit, with his usual crime partner, the MP9. A shutdown at B and A site respecitvely in the rounds that followed saw Optic race to a 11-2 lead. Invictus finally managed to shutdown Optic Indiaโs aggression and secured a much-needed third round on the T side. Forsaken though, made sure Invictus did not get a fourth, converting a 1v2 clutch.
With their backs against the wall, Invictus captain Ribbi rose to the occasion, with a three-peat of 3k rounds to propel Invictus to 12-6. But, Optic then decided to slowly claw down the A defence.
Their success encouraged them to repeat the strategy. Consecutive A hits followed suit, with the scoreline reaching 15-6. Optic India decided to continue with the winning formula hitting the A site and closing out the map 16-6.
I remember Aditya โAd1โ Shah explaining why Inferno is a map where aggression from multiple areas can yield great rewards. Optic India did their own version of that and managed to not only rattle Invictus but also restrict their choices on the map.
All in all, Optic looked the more synchronized of the two teams. Invictus are, obviously, still reeling from the departure of Excali and Huntr and it seems they need a few more weeks to rebuild their chemistry.
With the win, Optic India are the first team to book their spot in the Upper Bracket Finals, labeled the Semi-Finals as per the Brackets of the Direct Invite Qualifiers.
Optic India will meet one of Entity and Brutality in the Upper Bracket Finals, which will be played out tomorrow.
In the other match being played off-stream, Team Malhar became the first team to bow out of the Direct Invite Qualifiers, losing 19-15, 16-8 on Cache and Inferno respectively. 2ez go through to the next round.
Brutality recorded an easy 2-0 win ( Cache 1-0 forfeit; Overpass 16-7) over MAG Pune Five to set up a date with Entity Gaming in Round 2 of the Upper Bracket in the Direct Invite Qualifiers of Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018.
Brutality started on the T Side on Cache, their own map pick. The Brutals executed a quick Mid take. With mid control acquired, they rushed the A site, got the plant and subsequently the pistol win. They lodged a comfortable anti-eco win. But, the entirety of the MAG Pune Five roster soon timed out.
The Pune-based stack had to forfeit the first map due to their network issues. After a small break, play resumed, albeit on Overpass, with Brutality being awarded the first map.
Starting on the T side, MAG Pune Five chose to attack the B site on the pistol round through the short area. Brutality looked good for the round but a teamkill from Venom on spy soon turned things around and handed Pune Five the pistol.
Brutals though, responded on the forcebuy, this time executing a successful retake of the B site. Rix then shut down a quick connector to A short attempt from MAG Pune Five on their eco round, with a 4k.
Now on a full buy, MAG Pune Five got the first pick at A and chose to switch quickly to the B site through connectors in order to take advantage of a potential over-rotation from Brutality.
With the scores now level at 2-2, Brutality responded with a round of their own, a round which was the start of a Brutal domination from the experienced stack.
MAG Pune Fiveโs attempts to hit either bombsite in a quick fashion were foiled by Brutality as they raced to a 5-2 lead. Another quick attempt to take control of the A site saw Venom come up with a huge 3k to extend their advantage.
Astarrr then demolished MAG Pune Fiveโs eco with a 4k and subsequently recorded a 3k in a B retake but Rix could not defuse the bomb in time, meaning the scoreline read 7-3 in favour of Brutality.
The following 3 consecutive attempts at B from MAG Pune Five failed to yield any result, with the last one featuring a beautifully patient play from Astarrr near the toxic area. MAG Pune Five decided to shift their focus to A but they were obliterated by Brutality.
Finally, karam1l & co. managed to unlock the B site in what was the last round of the first half. Brutality seemed to be intent on finishing the map fast and chose to go for the B site, only to be stopped dead in tracks by velocity and his teammates.
Brutality got the bomb down in the ensuing round but MAG Pune Five managed a successful retake to pull their opponents back to within 5 rounds. Juventa and Spy worked their magic and almost pulled o๏ฌ a great round.
But, MAG Pune Five held on to get their seventh round on the board. Brutality then chose to rush A short through connectors. They quickly fell back to B in almost an identical play from what MAG Pune Five did on their T Side. The Brutals managed to secure the round and break Pune Fiveโs economy.
A clean anti-eco followed to propel Brutality to within 3 rounds of the series win. Down to 3 men early on in the 21st round of the map, Brutality then showed why experience matters, with a patient switch of play to the A site.
MAG Pune Fiveโs A defence were caught napping and Brutality managed to secure the afterplant. The scoreline soon read 15-7, with the Brutals having as many as eight map and series points to convert.
They managed to convert their first one itself though, with a successful B hit to secure a 2-0 sweep.
MAG Pune Five would be disappointed with their showing. They clearly looked unprepared on the T side and it seemed like they did not have much to fall back in their playbook, with most of theirย ย T calls being quick rushes to either bombsite. They definitely need to work on expanding their playbook on Overpass.
As far as Brutality are concerned, they will hope to take this momentum into their match against Entity, who brushed aside Ate Gaming in straight maps.
Optic recorded a 2-0 (Train 16-13, Dust2 16-5) win over 2ez gaming in the first of several Best of 3s to be played out on Day 1 of the Direct Invite Qualifiers – Indian phase – for Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018.
The match started on Train, 2ez gamingโs map pick, with Optic India on the CT side. Optic went for some Ivy aggression and got 2 kills as a just reward. But, 2ez pounced on the opportunity by taking control of the B bombsite. It came down to a 1v2 for antidote, who was unable to land the clutch. 2ez converted the Anti-eco without much hassle.
With Optic India on a hard eco and the bomb planted on the A site, Forsaken came up huge in a 1v3 scenario to win the round with three crisp headshots. But, 2ez hit back with a play through the Ivy area to push Optic on the eco.
Tito swept the Optic eco with a 3k as the score read 4-1 in favour of 2ez gaming. The Mumbai-based stack then went for a surprise quick hit on the B site. But, Optic India were more than prepared for it.
2ez then attempted a fast hit through Ivy but were stopped in their tracks. Optic India then won the subsequent buy round to level the scores at 4-4. 2ez seemed to have won the quasi buy with a B take but antidote stepped up to clutch the 1v2 and hand Optic India the lead for the first time.
The AWPer did not stop there as he then hit a 3k on the outer defence to push the score to 6-4. 2ez then hit Inner and Ivy in respective rounds to tie the scores. A clean anti-eco and another inner hit saw 2ez run to an 8-6 lead before Optic India successfully defended the A site to end the half 8-7 in the favour of their opponents.
Optic India decided to go for a play on the A site on the pistol round. They failed to convert a 2v3 afterplant scenario as Badman defused in the smoke. 2ez then managed to defend the B bombsite to push their lead to 10-7.
A successful A split from Optic India and a subsequent Inner hit saw Optic cut 2ezโs lead to 1 round. Optic India then converted a 2v2 afterplant at B to level the scores at 10-10.
2ezโs Small Ladder stack was obliterated by Optic India on the Mumbai-based teamโs eco round. Forsaken then converted a 1v2 and a clean anti-eco in the following round saw Optic run to a 13-10 lead.
2ez retaliated with a round of their own before ย Optic India held firm on the A site to convert the 3v3 afterplant scenario. Poki almost landed a 1v2 retake at B but did not have enough time to defuse. The score read 15-11.
Optic India attempted an Ivy hit on their first map point. But, 2ez gaming foiled their attempt, despite being on a quasi to extend the map further. A clean anti-eco round at A gave a shard of hope to 2ez gaming.
But, a brilliant 2v3 afterplant from Forsaken and Haivaan saw Optic India close out the map 16-13.
Optic seemed to have countered 2ez to an extent. They insisted on hitting the Ivy area time and again, perhaps hinting at exploiting a possible weakness in the 2ez defence.
Dust2 began with Optic India on the T side. yB instructed his troops to take mid control. But, their attempt was foiled by 2ez gaming. The ensuing round saw Optic hit 2ez back with a forcebuy. Poki did take a 4k while saving his rifle.
2ez decided to buy around the saved weaponry. But, they were unable to hold o๏ฌ the B hit. Optic India then decided to go for a patient hit at A through the long area. A 2v4 afterplant scenario emerged but 2ez managed to keep their heads to make the score 2-3.
Badman then seemed to have broken Optic Indiaโs economy with a brilliant 3k on the A long defence. But, Optic managed to clutch the 2v3 situation to win the round and break the 2ez economy instead.
A quick B take on the anti-eco saw Optic run to a 5-2 lead before 2ez gaming defended the A long area successfully to pull back a round and put Optic India on the eco.
Antidote then came up huge with a quickfire 2k from the deagle at mid. The AWPer collected a 3k in the round as Optic hit back to break 2ezโs economy. 2ez never managed to truly recover from this as repeated B takes saw Optic India push their lead to 3-10.
A much-needed timeout was called by 2ez. But, the call came perhaps, a few rounds too late, with Optic already in double figures. Optic Indiaโs relentless obsession to hit the B bombsite paid o๏ฌ again, this time resulting in a 5v5 successful afterplant scenario.
2ez did manage to peg one round back to end the half 4-11. The pistol round was important for 2ez gaming and the Mumbai-based stack did what was required with a successful take of the A site.
Optic India though, broke back on the forcebuy, much to the frustration of the 2ez gaming players, who thought of inflicting a similar damage in the following round, albeit to no avail.
A clean anti-eco saw Optic India rush to a 14-5 lead and just two rounds away from securing the series. Some beautiful mid aggression from Optic left Recoilmaster with a 1v3 to clutch, something he did not manage to.
Optic India then retook the A site in the next round to convert their first series point itself as Badman failed to land the 1v2 clutch in the afterplant.
The economy game was won by Optic India as they never let 2ez settle into a comfort zone on the CT side. Their utility usage to take control of the B site was exemplary and 2ez will take a few notes as they fall to the lower bracket for the Direct Invite Qualifiers.
In the match between Invictus and Team Malhar, which was played simultaneously off-stream, Invictus reigned supreme to se up a match with Optic India in Round 2 of the Upper Brackets of the Direct Invite Qualifiers.
Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018 returns to the Asian Counter-Strike circuit with a prize pool of $100,000 USD on the line. The details have already been laid out. Perhaps, our focus is the Indian Qualifiers for the premier event.
A unique format has been announced for the Indian Qualifiers, with eight teams invited to the Direct Invite Qualifiers (DIQ). Two teams from the designated eight will qualify for the regional finals while the rest six will have to try their luck in the other qualifiers.
Apart from the DIQ, Zowie has also provided Indian teams with two online qualifiers along with regional qualifiers to be held in Mumbai, Jaipur, Hyderabad and Bhubaneswar.
The DIQ will be played out first, between 13-14 August 2018. Before the Direct Invite Qualifiers start, we take a closer look at the eight teams invited to the DIQ.
Lineup: Ayush ‘astaRRR’ย Deora,ย Ankit ‘Venom’ Panth,ย Aakash ‘Rix’ย More,ย Arun ‘Juventa’ย kandpal,ย Jay ‘fox’ Shah Star Player:ย Ayush ‘astaRRR’ Deora Favorite Map: Inferno
One of the pioneers of the Indian Counter-Strike scene, Team Brutality struggled a lot in 2017 and in the beginning of 2018. However, with the stack returning to their old lineup, they are on the up-and-up.
The addition of Ayush โastaRRRโ Deora seems to have brought in much-needed structure to the team. The chemistry that the lineup displayed in the ESL Summer Edition would trick you into believing the stack never went apart in the first place.
Brutality topped the Summer Online Phase, only to fall to Entity in the semi-finals of the LAN Finale. The fixture though, proved that the old guard still has a lot of life left in them.
The new stars might have arrived. But, it doesnโt mean Brutality canโt still be a menace in the Counter-Strike scene.
Inferno seems to be their go-to map, with the said map the most-played one for Brutality in 2018. The Mumbai stack loves picking Dust2 as well. But, their shock 16-10 loss to Slaughter Rage Army in the Online Phase of ESL Summer Phase would have taught them a lesson or two about picking a pug-styled map like Dust2, especially against loosely structured lineups.
As far as individuals are concerned, they donโt come much better than Mr. Ayush Deora. An absolute legend, the fact that astaRRR continues to dominate the scene is testament to the cerebral talent he is.
The legendary rifler leads the way for Brutality in ESL Masters Fall Season so far, boasting a K/D statistic of +19 over three maps. The rest of the team though, has been supporting astaRRR ably, making Brutality a team to be wary of in the DIQ.
Triumphant in the Summer LAN Finale of ESL India Premiership, Invictus have had to bid their two-star players in Excali and Huntr goodbye. Ribbi has chosen to continue despite hinting at retirement after winning the Summer LAN Finale.
BinaryBUGG and Blackhawk have some big shoes to fill. The two are stalwarts in the Indian scene but will no doubt take time to settle into the lineup.
Invictus currently boast a 3-2 record in the ESL India Fall Season, thanks to the beastly form of pashasahil. The player has had a brilliant online phase so far, except the disaster-class in a 16-12 loss to 2ez gaming.
Binary BUGG and Blackhawk have also shown good form on the server. But, it is consistency that the current Invictus lineup lacks. It is not something to worry about though, as it often is a problem with new lineups.
With Excali and Huntr joining Entity, much of the onus of being the star player on the server has fallen onto the shoulders of Sahil โpashasahilโ Pasha. He has been on the money so far. But, the lineup will need for him to step up even more if they are to be a threat in the Direct Invite Qualifiers for Zowie eXTREMESLAND.
Invictus always liked playing Inferno and the trend has continued with the new lineup as well. Mirage is another hot pick for the stack. But, the 16-12 loss to Vac Banned will serve as an eye-opener that more work needs to be put in on the map.
Entity Gaming have always been considered as one of the top teams in the Indian Counter Strike scene. But, after their gut-wrenching loss in the ESL INDIA Summer LAN Finals to Invictus, a new-look lineup has emerged.
Marzil joined Optic.India. To compensate for the loss of one of the best in the business, Entity brought in a player who is considered to be in the same bracket โ Karan โExcaliโ Mhaswadkar. Entity recruited Huntr along with Excali, with Simar โpsyโ Sethi taking a leave to recuperate from his carpal tunnel syndrome..
The shuffle did not end there, with Sunny โDMKingโ Das coming in for Falken. The new roster has already impressed online, losing just once in the ESL Masters Fall Season โ a 16-11 loss to Invictus.
Their 16-14 loss to nxl in the semi-finals of the MSI MGA Asia-Pacific Open Qualifiers prove that the new lineup is not just a force for the domestic scene but can do damage in the Asian scene as well, given the time.
Mirage seems to be the comfort map for Entityโs new roster. Amaterasu had taken over the IGL role from Hellranger, as mentioned by the players during the ESL INDIA Summer LAN Finale. But, it is unclear whether Hellranger has been reinstated as the IGL, with the changes to the lineup.
Although all five players of Entity are stars in their own right, Amaterasu is a clear standout. The versatile star has been one of the consistent players in the Indian scene for a fair while and if he has indeed become the new IGL on a permanent basis for Entity, it just shows the wide range of ability that he possesses.
A roster that is already making waves in the scene – Entity will be hard to stop in the Direct Invite Qualifiers.
A team that has truly managed to captivate the Indian Counter Strike scene with their rapid rise, 2ez gaming has had a very disappointing couple of months. Their straight-maps loss to Invictus in the semi-finals of the ESL INDIA Summer LAN Finale drew the curtains on the first half of the season.
But, their start to the second half has been far from what they would expect. The Elder Gods shocked 2ez gaming in the Dew Arena Qualifier #1. Their form in the ESL Masters Fall Season online phase has also been far from ideal.
A 16-1 loss to Optic India would have been hard to gulp. But, the 16-5 thrashing at the hands of Entity followed by a 16-8 loss to Slaughter Rage Army is just piling on more misery on the Mumbai-based stack.
As far as individuals are concerned, while many might consider 2ez gaming to be a well-rounded team, Tejax โRexyโ Kotian has often been the one to unlock defences when playing on the T side.
Rexyโs ability to step up when the chips are down is what epitomizesย the attitude and spirit that unifies the players of 2ez gaming. An incredibly talented bunch of individuals who are focused towards unlocking the next level of their potential and a team that is likely to end this bad phase sooner than expected.
As far as maps are concerned, Mirage and Inferno are both comfort picks for 2ez gaming, with neither being discernible as the more favoured one. However, the recent results show that work needs to be put in to strengthen their map pool, along with the said maps above.
Expect 2ez to return to form. And Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018 might just be the goal they need to set.
The lineup might have come into existence only recently. But, Optic India already go into the Direct Invite Qualifiers as the favorite to land one of the two available spots. If choosing the best players of India after a gruesome screening process wasnโt enough, yB has arrived to add some much-needed experience to the roster.
To say Optic India look scary right now would be an understatement. The stack is not just on an indomitable winning streak in the Indian circuit. The manner of majority of their wins is what makes Optic India one of the favourites.
Wiedling the AWP for Optic India, Sabyasachi โAntidoteโ Bose has continued to wow the Indian counter strike scene with his continuous improvement. The player never looks satisfied with his play and is constantly looking for ways to improve.
Marzil could be termed as a more important player in terms of the gamestyle that Optic India have adopted right now. But, the versatility of Antidote combined with his ability to clutch 1vX scenarios makes him the player to keep an eye on.
Honestly, the stack looks beastly on all maps they have played. But, Inferno is the one that features the most on their Match History. Although, if we were Optic India, we would try and steer clear of Inferno in the DIQ, with their opponents likely to set themselves up to counter their playbook, which might have become a bit predictable after the numerous matches.
Ate Gaming
Lineup: Ritz, Buster, Kappa, impaleSR, kav1sh, Bogeymanh (sub) Star Player: Ritesh โRitzโ Shah Favourite Map: Inferno
Another team that has gone through changes before the start of the second half of the Indian circuit. DMKing departed for Entity while Hellfightr chose to join Team Malhar.
The new look Ate Gaming lineup sees Kappa, Buster and Ritz unite with Impale and kavish. Bogeymanh is also a part of the roster and while he did play in the beginning, he has been relegated to the bench, with the aforementioned five being the main lineup, at least for the time being.
If thereโs one thing the new lineup seems to be struggling with, it is consistency on the server. The legendary organisation has registered wins over Invictus and Malhar. But, at the same time, conceding to teams like Gravitas and Reload Esports shows that they are from being the finishing product.
One person who knows all about glory and the path to it is Ritesh โRitzโ Shah. The player is a legend in the scene. And along with Kappa, the duo forms the core of Ate Gaming. The DIQ presents Ate Gaming with a chance to prove they have what it takes to beat the other top teams and to do that on a consistent basis.
Itโs still early days for the new Ate Gaming lineup and the results have been too mixed to see a clear-cut favourite map. But, Inferno edges the other map picks, with the lineup registering a 16-14 win over Invictus on the map recently.
Ate Gaming go into the Direct Invite Qualifiers as one of the underdogs, meaning the pressure will not be on them. Playing without a chip on the shoulder can sometimes work wonders. We shall have to wait and see whether that is the case with Ate Gaming.
Losing Antidote was a body blow to Team Malhar. The stack has since gone on to add Hellfighr. Their results with the changed lineup have been satisfying, if seen from a neutral point of view.
While they have lost to the likes of Slaughter Rage Army, Invictus, 2ez gaming and Ate gaming, the close scorelines suggest they are getting stuck in and not conceding defeat easily. The ability to hold yourself together and not crumble often bodes well for a lineup in the long run and it s what Team Malhar and their fans would hope for.
While Team Malhar could be termed as one of the most evened out rosters in terms of individual ability, Raju โPokerFโ Jittu is undoubtedly the man to watch. The CS 1.6 legend seems to be in good form, which, combined with the consistency of Proud, Hellfightr and Anakil are positive signs for Team Malhar.
Again, in terms of map preferences, Inferno stands out. But, the lineup is still in their nascent stage and their map pool will likely develop further as they take to the practice sessions.
A map like Dust2 would also suit the loose playstyle that Team Malhar currently display on the server. The lineup can use the Direct Invite Qualifiers to gauge just how much work needs to be put in to make the congregation a success.
Possibly the least-known or least-followed team in the list of eight, Pune Five have made quite a splash in the Indian Counter Strike scene recently. Their recent form, though, has been disheartening for the following they have managed to create.
Their results in the ESL INDIA Fall Season Online Phase have been woeful, with the stack managing just one win out of four matches thus far. But, it is the 16-8 loss to a relatively unknown R5G in the Dew Arena Qualifier #2 that has raised eyebrows.
The addition of velocity was expected to bring in some much-needed firepower. But, the young star is yet to find his comfortable spot within the team, with no notable performances thus far in the second half of the Indian Counter Strike season.
karamil has been the standout player on the MAG Pune Five lineup, individually speaking. The playerโs raw cerebral ability has been lauded from the Summer season and the karamil juggernaut seems to be showing no signs of slowing down anytime soon.
Cache is the map that MAG Pune Five has gone towards as their comfort pick in several games. And while they have recorded losses on the map, none of the defeats have been lopsided affairs. The stack seems to be in need of some time on the practice servers to forge a better understanding of roles and build chemistry.
Pune Five seem to be Mad About Gaming. And if they can produce some upsets in the DIQ, perhaps more people within the Indian scene would start being Mad About Pune Five.
Three days post announcing the Indian qualifiers for the ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018, LXG has announced the groups for the Direct Invite Qualifier (DIQ).
Eight prominent teams across the Indian subcontinent are invited to Direct Invite Qualifier (DIQ). Two teams coming out on top would advance to Indian Region Qualifiers (IRQ) in Bengaluru, where they would battle with the other two teams qualifying from the Pre-Qualifiers and the best team will represent India in Shanghai.
Group A
Group B
Group C
Group D
Team Invictus
2EZ Gaming
MAG PuneF1ve
Entity Gaming
Team Malhar
OpTic India
Team Brutality
Ate Gaming
The schedule are as follows:
Direct Invite Qualifier (DIQ) will begin on 13th August 2018 and it’ll span until 14th. DIQ will feature double-elimination best-of-three format.
Sabyasachi antidote Bose, who’s playing for OpTic India from their Bangalore bootcamp is currently getting ready for ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018. We’ve had a chance to speak with the primary awper of the organization on pros and cons of being a professional esports athlete in India.
The gaming scene in India is taking a sharp turn. The teams, individuals, and the gaming events have now started to follow a stature of an international standard.
The clarion call from the community who deserve a better scene did push the fraternity towards a supervised industry. Perhaps, there is a room for improvements.
Sabyasachi mentioned they have the best bootcamp setup one could imagine! Antidote expressed his views on what makes India a still-developing esports nation even though we’ve enough talent.
Read the interview to know more about the routines of these professionals and their effort-full lifestyle.
Congratulations on winning three consecutive titles – ILG Banglore Minor, NGS Monsoon Madness and Playtonia Rigid Roulette Season 2. What are your expectations from ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018 Indian Qualifiers?
Thank you for your wishes and yes it has been a very good start for the team since we are on winning streak right now – knock on wood. Hopefully, Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018will be part of that winning streak. We are super hyped and ready for it.
So far, how has been your journey in the OpTic India bootcamp? Do you ever feel homesick and returning back to Kolkata?
The bootcamp is insane, we probably have the best hardware ever to a team in India by an organization with 240hz monitors, i7’s and 1Giga internet, we are pretty much sorted. I am enjoying every second out here but that being said I miss my friends, girlfriend, and family. Not completely homesick but I do miss them.
You are basically an AWPer for the OpTic India squad but you’re good enough with the rifle and basically a hybrid. What’s your daily schedule and how did you master both the weapons?
To be honest I practice AWP and Pistol by deathmatching regularly and rifle skills come naturally to me at this point. My main focus is on crosshair placement and improving muscle memory as much as I can.
What isolates Indian teams from their counterparts in the SEA or even Asia as a whole? Does the frequent roster shuffles in Indian scene affect the growth and progress?
I would say Indian CS lacks understanding of certain fundamental concepts related to proper communication, early-mid-late game decision making and the importance of numbers game. Even though individual aim skill might be high of many players in the country, but their holistic approach to the game is severely lacking.
We as a team are working on filling those gaps. YB is very helpful and bearing. He is seeing good results against some top Asian teams in scrims. Roster shuffles are evident everywhere when a team is at an impasse result/skill wise, however in our scene decisions are made in haste, and mostly for trivial reasons which halt any long-term progress in the scene.
Who is your best friend in the Indian scene and apart from Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, what are your favorite games to pass the time?
I don’t have any best friend specifically, I am close to everyone in the Indian scene and I am a chill guy to hang out with. Apart from CSGO, I like to play PUBG.
In your notion, who is the best rifle, sniper and pistol player in the nation?
In my honest opinion, Forsaken and Marzil are the best rifle players right now, complete in every sense when it comes to accomplishing a certain role. And I did say I am the best Sniper and Pistol player right now, wouldn’t be in OpTic otherwise. #modesty.
How did you feel the first time you played on the big stage? How did you overcome the anxiety and calm your nerves?
It was a good feeling playing on stage in front of a crowd. I was initially very nervous but I realized that I play the best when I am under pressure. I performed well and was quite happy.
ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018 is one of the prestigious tournament in India; are you preparing for the event with a different mind and skillset?
Oh yes, we are practicing rigorously for ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018. Everyone on the team is enthusiastic and ready to win this tournament.
Who do you think will be your most tough contender in ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018? And Why?
All the teams due to shuffles are comparatively new except Brutality and 2EZ Gaming. Furthermore, I don’t really know who would be a tough contender at this moment. We have to play our ‘A’ game against every opponent we face.
What advice would you give to upcoming players who wish to excel and enter the stacked scene? Also, any shootouts or would you like to address the community in general?
I did say keep working hard every day and try to the learn the game every day. Perhaps, watching pro demos as well as your own demo to fix your mistakes. Self-evaluation and improvement is an absolute must to see progress. Participate in tournaments, get some exposure and most importantly enjoy the game. Shoutout to OpTic for believing in us.
Thank you Antidote for generous responses. A debt of gratitude is on order for your time and candid responses!
The North American organization has finally signed the Swedish in-game-leader after acquiring his service for the ELEAGUE Premier 2018. Maikil “GOLDEN” Selim had previously played under the fnatic banner alongside JW, flusha, KRIMZ, and Lekr0. Under 24-year-old’s leadership, fnatic has won WESG 2017 and IEM Katowice while securing accomplishing results at DreamHack Masters Marseille 2018 and ECS Season 5.
๐ข Join us in welcoming @goldennCSGO to the #C9CSGO Roster! We're excited to have him join the #C9FAM after Standing-In at @ELEAGUETV Premier 2018!
Maikil “GOLDEN” Selim: โI canโt express how much I want to wear the Cloud9 jersey and give my all for the fans. After just one week with the team, I feel like Iโm at home already. The atmosphere has been unreal and Iโm looking forward to the success weโll have in the near future, and maybe a few rib-eyes on the way.โ
Jack Etienne, Cloud9 CEO: โCoaches, players, and myself were impressed with the professionalism and structure Golden brought to our team. The organization is thrilled to be moving forward with him as a part of Cloud9. Welcome, Golden!โ
At first, Richard “Xizt” Landstrรถm replaced Jonas “Lekr0” Olofsson in the fnatic line-up. Soon after Jonas’ departure, Maikil was replaced by the Swedish sniper, William “draken” Sundin and Richard took over the IGL role. Jesper “JW” Wecksell went on to take the secondary AWP role, being a hybrid and William took charge of primary AWP.
After Tarik “tarik” Celik left the Cloud9 squad to join the legends at MIBR, Cloud9 is yet to complete its roster. According to DeKay, Martin “STYKO” Styk could possibly be the fifth element in the Cloud9 roster.
GOLDEN will debut for Cloud9 at the upcoming FACEIT London Major where the North-American squad would try to retain their title.
New Delhi, August 06, 2018- BenQ ZOWIE officially announces the title sponsorship for the ZOWIE Asia eXTREMESLAND 2018 โ CS GO tournament. The ZOWIE Asia eXTREMESLAND is an annual eSports event, which aims to take competitive gaming scene in the Asia Pacific to a completely new level.
The registrations for India’s leg will commence from 6th August and tournament kicking off on 13th August where a qualifying team from India will get to face off against the best teams in the Asia Pacific region with the tournament concluding in Shanghai, China for $100,000. As an open qualifier, teams from India will be eligible to compete over a 4-week period qualifying rounds, followed by an on-ground finale event for their chance to qualify for the ZOWIE Asia eXTREMESLAND tournament in China.
The Indian qualifiers will include DIRECT INVITE QUALIFIERS (DIQ) for the very first time in the Indian eSports history where top 8 teams will battle against each other for the top 2 seeding at the Indian Finals. Moreover, there will also be One Online Qualifier and 4 Offline qualifiers which will take place in Gaming Zones at Mumbai, Hyderabad, Bhubaneswar, and Jaipur.
ZOWIE eXTREMESLAND 2018
The dates for the Indian qualifiers will be:
Direct invite Qualifiers: 13th & 14th August
Online Qualifiers: 18th & 19th August
Mumbai Qualifier: 25th & 26th August
Hyderabad Qualifier: 25th & 26th August
Bhubaneswar Qualifier: 25th & 26th August
Jaipur Qualifier: 25th & 26th August
Decider Qualifier: 1st & 2nd September
Indian Finals: 6th to 9th September
ZOWIE being the title sponsor of the tournament aims to provide the opportunity for new and lesser-known teams a chance to prove their talents.
ZOWIE focuses all of its efforts in providing the best performance for pro- gamers while considering each playerโs preference and comfort, as ZOWIE understands the importance of personal preference in professional eSports product matters. All the matches of ZOWIE Asia eXTREMESLAND 2018 tournament will be played on the award-winning BenQ ZOWIE XL2546 eSports monitor that packs native 240Hz frequency and 1 ms response time.
BenQ ZOWIE XL2546 eSports Monitor comes equipped with BenQ ZOWIEโs exclusive technology – โDynamic Accuracyโ maintains remarkable clarity during in-game movements allowing for a smoother experience. It also features Color Vibrance and Black eQualizer technology, fine-tuned to optimize the color performance and increase the visibility in dark scenes respectively.
Key features include:
โข Exclusive DyAcโข technology achieves remarkable clarity while providing a different spray feeling
โข Built-in Black eQualizer technology brightens dark scenes without over-exposing the already bright areas
โข To Optimize Gaming Precision, XL2546 is equipped with Color Vibrance which gives you the flexibility to get the color performance.
โข Shield helps you focus on the game by blocking out distractions
โข The effortless one-finger height adjustable stand provides personalized viewing angles
โข S Switch allows you to easily access settings and transfer 3 profiles on the go
โข Specially designed frame minimizes reflective screen glare
ZOWIE product experience will be available throughout the tournament. For registrations and more details click here . Get ready for a whole lot of intense gaming and excitement!
Last month, eXTREMESLAND 2018 returned with Prize-Pool of $100,000 USD on the line. Zowie eXTREMESLAND is considered to be one of the most renowned tournaments in the Asian Counter-Strike circuit.
Sixteen teams from fifteen countries across Asia and Australia would battle at the offline event which is supposed to be held between October 18-21 in China. This event marks the third edition for Zowie eXTREMESLAND and it has revealed the Indian Qualifier for the premier event. Just two weeks ago, the China qualifiers of eXTREMESLAND 2018 were revealed.
Top eight teams within the country are directly invited to the Direct Invite Qualifiers (DIQ). Though, two amongst the eight would advance to Indian Regional Qualifiers (IRQ) while the remaining six teams would depart. All the matches in DIQ will feature double-elimination best-of-three format and all the matches will be streamed live.
Teams invited to DIQ:
Team Brutality
Team Invictus
Entity Gaming
2EZ Gaming
Team Malhar
Ate Gaming
MaG PuneF1ve
Optic India
Tournament format
Apart from direct invites, online and offline qualifiers would be conducted. Furthermore, LXG will host two online qualifiers where top two teams from each qualifier will advance to Pre-Qualifiers (Lower Brackets) while the remaining four teams would qualify for Pre-Qualifiers (Winner Brackets) via offline qualifiers.
Two teams from Pre-Qualifiers would advance to Indian Regional Finals (IRQ) in Bengaluru where they would battle with the other two teams from the Direct Invite Qualifier (DIQ) for an opportunity to represent India on the international stage.
The registration starts on the 6th of August and will run until the 16th of August for Online Qualifiers and 23rd of August for Offline Qualifiers.ย The dates for the Indian qualifiers will be:
Direct invite Qualifiers:ย 13th & 14th August
Online Qualifiers:ย 18th & 19th August
Mumbai Qualifier:ย 25th & 26th August
Hyderabad Qualifier:ย 25th & 26th August
Bhubaneswar Qualifier:ย 25th & 26th August
Jaipur Qualifier:ย 25th & 26th August
Decider Qualifier:ย 1st & 2nd September
Indian Finals:ย 6th to 9th September
Zowie has chosen four metropolitan cities across the subcontinent:
Mumbai,
Hyderabad
Bhubaneswar, and
Jaipur.
Finally, both qualifiers would follow the obvious best-of-one single-elimination format.
Up for grabs
Other than exciting gaming experience spread through months of pyrotechnics, Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018 offers quintessential competition. Uniformly, the winners of India LAN finals flies to compete with international talent at Zowie eXTREMESLAND 2018 grand finals, hosted in China.
While Zowie’s eXTREMESLAND is accustomed every year during this period, professionals in the scene await for the event as much as the audience as for the exposure it offers. The past couple of years, the event attracted lakhs of gamers in the country. The eXTREMESLAND 2018 ushers fresh things on the table for the competitors. Opportunity to compete with the peers through several regional qualifiers across India. Not to skip the impressive prize to heavy your pockets.
YearOverYear statistics
Zowie’s previous year installment of the fest brought some good results, it created a good competitive scenario considering the league’s fresh and new. Seventy-two teams of five players each were into the competitive zone, fighting for $100,000 and a ticket to China finals.
Eventually, Entity Gaming clinched the victory over their counterparts. The final four teams from Indian qualifiers other than EG were, Trademarc Gaming, Shooting Monkeys & Eternal Esports.ย The Indian representative Entity Gaming stood at the 9-12th spot (among 15 teams) during the China finals and took home $1000 in total.
For registrations, head to LXG’s portal. The event is organized and managed by LXG and Playtoniaย shall provide the online game servers. TalkEsport is the official media partner of the event.
