RLCS 22-23 North American Spring Spit Recap
Image courtesy of Psyonix.
Spring Open
The Spring Open was the first event of the split for North America, and what an event it was. Big teams fell early and smaller ones pushed deep into the bracket, so which of these surprises was a one off, and which would come to be seen as expected in the North American region?
Day 1
The first big upset came almost immediately, all the big teams won their opening matches handily, all except G2 Esports. They were given what should have been an easy matchup, the remnants of the Ghost Gaming roster who were now under the name SUP. This turned out not to be the case at all. After going 2-0 up in the series, G2 Esports managed to lose three games in a row and were dropped into the Lower Bracket.
The reverse sweep upsets didn’t end there though, in Round 2 of the Upper Bracket Spacestation Gaming took out FaZe Clan in the same fashion. Many expected little from this downgraded Spacestation Gaming roster, as they had lost their star player Daniel ‘Daniel’ Piecenski to Version1 during the trade window. This win certainly proved to the world that Spacestation Gaming could still be a mainstay at the peak of North American Rocket League and beat the region’s best when it mattered. In the other Upper Bracket matches; Gen.G Mobil1 Racing, OpTic Gaming and Complexity Gaming all disposed of their opponents in dominant fashion, sending them all to join FaZe Clan in the Lower Bracket. All the winners had now qualified for the Upper Bracket Semifinals, we would see them each compete for a spot in the Upper Final on Day 2.
The Lower Bracket matches had many eyes upon them, specifically G2 Esports versus KOI, the loser of this would be sent out of the tournament after playing just two matches. G2 Esports dropping out this early would shake the world. Luckily for the world, KOI fell in game five and G2 moved on to play FaZe Clan. Before that match could happen though, we witnessed FURIA Esports, Shopify Rebellion and M80 take their own games with ease and move on to the second round of the grueling Lower Bracket.
The next round of lowers gave us two matchups that we could have arguably seen in the Grand Final. Despite all the teams being world class, two of them failed to show it. FaZe Clan and Version1 were both embarrassed in their games, the Winter Major finalists and the hottest roster coming out of the trade window going out this early was unfathomable. G2 Esports and FURIA Esports advanced with ease, with Shopify Rebellion and SUP following suit. Eight teams had been eliminated and eight had made it through, what would the second day have to offer?
Day 2
Double sweeps started us off, FURIA Esports playing to finally take their spot at the top of North America and G2 Esports to prove that their round one disaster was simply a fluke. The Upper Bracket Semifinals went by just as quickly. Two 4-1 series wins by Gen.G Mobil1 Racing and Complexity Gaming sent Spacestation Gaming and OpTic Gaming into the Lower Bracket before they could process what they’d been hit by. Luckily for us, the Lower Bracket Quarterfinals were closer than any of the matches played so far. The two teams that fell from the Upper Bracket managed to regain and take game six wins to qualify for the event’s final day.
Day 3
Four teams remained, two expected appearances took up the Upper Bracket spots, and two complete surprises in lowers. Gen.G Mobil1 Racing and Complexity Gaming were up first. Finally a series that would go the distance, a clash of titans. The match got about as close as it could, being separated by just one goal in game seven, a goal that would give Complexity Gaming the series. The Lower Semifinal went a similar direction, with OpTic Gaming taking down Spacestation Gaming in game six by just one goal. This win gave OpTic the achievement of making their deepest run in any RLCS event all season. The job however, was not done. Gen.G Mobil1 Racing stood between them and a second shot at Complexity Gaming, who lay in wait in the Grand Final. Unfortunately for OpTic, they were not the only team looking for revenge on the South American wonders. Gen.G made quick work of OpTic, ending their miracle run in crushing fashion. Despite this loss, no one could deny the roster had exceeded everyone’s expectations and looked to be finally living up to the hype they had been gathered pre season.
Now, back to the event. Gen.G and Complexity ripped chunks out of each other, team plays and solo efforts took us to a game six overtime. Gen.G would force game seven with a win here, Complexity would force a regional victory, and that was what they got. A slot sent inches under the crossbar just sixteen seconds into the overtime gave the South American heroes the win. The first victory any player from the region had achieved in North America, despite seven different individuals from continent competing there at some point. Undoubtably an amazing achievement.
Image courtesy of Psyonix.
Spring Cup
So many questions were asked coming into the Spring Cup. Would Version1 and FaZe Clan regain? Would OpTic Gaming and Spacestation Gaming keep their form? Would Complexity Gaming stay at the peak of North America? One event was not enough to solidify where the teams stood throughout the region, the Spring Cup served as one big answer to every question the fans could conjure up.
Day 1
Surprisingly, the event’s first round gave us no upsets, every match went as expected, which in itself was unexpected. Round 2 was where things were skewed, the last event’s champions in Complexity Gaming were dropped into the Lower Bracket by a Version1 who seemed to finally be finding their form after their massive roster change in the trade window. FaZe Clan fell to FURIA Esports, leaving many people wondering if the team that had achieved so much in the previous split was beginning to fall off. Spacestation Gaming felled Gen.G Mobil1 Racing and OpTic Gaming gave G2 Esports similar treatment. These wins all but proved that the two rosters deserved their spots at the region’s summit.
If the Upper Bracket was seen as interesting, the Lower Bracket might as well have been the Grand Final split across multiple series’. Round 1 went fairly as expected, but Round 2 was were all logic went up in flames. The Spring Open’s finalists both fell, and the teams that beat them weren’t exactly world class. Shopify Rebellion had been middle of the pack since they formed, and beating Gen.G could be argued as their highlight. NRG hadn’t really given us anything at all this season, a true fall from grace. Today they had come to play, Complexity Gaming were dropped in game five and NRG gave the fans some hope that maybe they were not truly done. G2 Esports were almost taken down by Dignitas but managed to take the game five win to advance. FaZe Clan swept KOI to claim their spot in Day 2 and wrap up the first stage.
Day 2
FaZe Clan started the day with a sweep over Shopify Rebellion. The true shock came in the second Lower Bracket Round 3 matchup, a North American classic of NRG versus G2. Another game five masterclass got NRG fans out of their seats, belief was beginning to form as top six was achieved. Could the veterans go further or was this simply luck? Version1 continued their run of form with a sweep over OpTic, finally living up to the hype. Spacestation Gaming knocked FURIA Esports into the lower bracket to secure top three and a shot at the Grand Final. In lowers, OpTic were handed their second sweep of the day by a scary looking FaZe Clan. Meaning they had failed to take a game in a best of seven all event, despite playing two. The second Lower Bracket Quarterfinal was leaning in FURIA Esports’ favor, but NRG came to play. 4-2 was the score line, an unbelievable achievement for the roster that most had counted as down and out all season, now they were showing up when it mattered. The only thing to find out now, was whether they could continue this string of wins into Championship Sunday.
Day 3
As much as the world wanted to see if NRG’s miracle run would continue, we had an Upper Final to play, Version1 and Spacestation Gaming were ready. Version1 showed no mercy, continuing their masterful run and taking out Spacestation in just five games. The Lower Semifinal’s score line was the same, and unfortunately for NRG’s thriving fanbase, the games didn’t go in their favor. FaZe Clan had stomped them, merely a step took in the direction of becoming North America’s king’s once more. Now just Spacestation stood in the way of FaZe and the Grand Final. They were given the same treatment as NRG. 4-1 and done. One last team was in FaZe Clan’s path, Version1. Unlike any of FaZe’s previous opponents, this team was here to play. And they certainly did. For the fourth time today, 4-1 was the score line and for the second time, Version1 were the victors. The team had dropped just three games throughout the tournament, an unmatchable achievement. The roster had proved to the world that the bold change was the right way to go. Or at least it seemed so at the time…
Image courtesy of Psyonix.
Spring Invitational
I doubt many people could come up with a better way to end the North American season, this event summed up the chaos in the most perfect way. The action took no time to begin, the very first round of the event gave us one of the most shocking upsets of the season. No time wasted.
Day 1
Version1 versus KOI was supposed to be incredibly one sided. Version1 were coming off a massive win in the Spring Cup. KOI were coming off…well nothing. Nevertheless, they were here to change that narrative. The Spanish organization upset the titans in game five overtime, sending North America’s reigning champions into the lower bracket after just a single series. The only other things to note from Round 1 was Gen.G Mobil1 Racing being taking to game five by SUP and FURIA Esports taking down NRG in four games.
FURIA Esports’ run continued into Upper Bracket Round 2 where they dropped FaZe Clan, the previous event’s runner up, into the Lower Bracket. Complexity Gaming, Gen.G and KOI had the same unfortunate result. Their fate would be found in the grueling Lower Bracket. Their opponents would be decided by the outcome of the lowers’ first series’. All went as expected, with one sweep and three game fives. The next round held a truly unbelievable gem though, Complexity Gaming versus Version1. The two teams to win the regionals this split were playing just a round into the Lower Bracket, one would fall here.
It was not close. After a game one win, Version1 failed to generate anything, allowing Complexity to win the next three games, scoring at least four goals in each. With this loss, North Americas ‘saviors’ were now out of the event and all but out of major contention. This was an unbelievable result as they were picked as favorites to win the Invitational after their unbelievably strong performance in the last event. NRG, KOI and Dignitas all fell to their respective opponents, ending an unbelievable first day and leaving us to wonder how many more horrors Day 2 would bring.
Day 2
The horrors indeed continued into the second day of the event, kicking off almost immediately with Gen.G taking out Complexity Gaming in a rematch from the Spring Open’s Grand Final. With this result happening in the tournament’s top eight, Gen.G still had a chance at the Spring Major and the South Americans’ hopes of qualifying were now out of their hands, they would be watching closely to see how the rest of the day panned out. FaZe Clan versus Shopify Rebellion went as expected, with FaZe Clan taking the best of five with ease.
The Upper Bracket match of FURIA Esports versus G2 Esports was incredibly important for these two teams having a chance at qualifying for the Spring Major. Both rosters had had solid performances this split but neither had managed to make it past Day 2, a win here would propel the victor into the Upper Final. The first four games were close but the Brazilian superstars were able to take it in six games. G2 Esports would now have to battle through three rounds of the lower bracket to make the grand final, while FURIA Esports just needed one single win.
Although Spacestation Gaming were certainly the favorites in their Upper Bracket Semifinal against OpTic Gaming, no one expected the match to be quite so one sided. Spacestation swept OpTic and moved on to play FURIA Esports in the Upper Final. Optic Gaming were now sent to the Lower Bracket, their opponent was FaZe Clan, an enemy that no team would ever want to find facing them on the field. Before we could witness that series play out, we were treated to a season classic of Gen.G Mobil1 Racing versus G2 Esports. If Gen.G won this they would have a very strong chance at making the Spring Major. If G2 Esports took it, then they would keep their life in the event and need two more series wins to have a chance at the Boston dream.
More than ten minutes of overtime was played collectively throughout the series, ultimately G2 Esports would take it in game six. Gen.G’s major hopes now rested on Optic Gaming knocking out FaZe Clan to force a tiebreaker between Gen.G and FaZe, providing G2 Esports failed to make the Grand Final. Unfortunately for Gen.G, OpTic Gaming did not start off hot. Not only were Gen.G’s major chances resting on this series, but Optic Gaming’s own chances at the Spring Major were very much in their own hands. A win here would guarantee their spot at Boston, but a loss would make their odds very slim. A 0-3 start was not what OpTic Gaming had hoped for going into the match, but FaZe Clan believed that this major spot was theirs, and theirs alone. With their backs against the wall, OpTic Gaming chose not to lie down. Game after game was won by underdogs. High scoring or low scoring they won it. Three straight wins took the teams to game seven, and this was OpTic’s pitch now. FaZe Clan were shook, and it showed in their gameplay. 5-4 was the score line in the final game, and OpTic were the victors. This was the first reverse sweep the North American region had seen all season, and it had been pulled off in arguably one of the most important moments we had seen all year. With this win OpTic Gaming had booked their spot at the Spring Major and FaZe Clan now depended on them beating G2 Esports in the next round to even have a chance at it.
Day 3
North America’s online season had all come down to this day, NA’s conclusion. And what a conclusion we would receive. The Upper Final was first up, FURIA Esports taking on Spacestation Gaming for a spot in the Grand Final. The Brazilians came out strong, taking three games in a row to take the series to match point in their favor, similar to the beginning of FaZe Clan versus OpTic Gaming the previous day. However, this was not where the similarities ended from the previous series. Spacestation were not out, pulling an OpTic Gaming and taking the next three games in a row to bring the series to its final game. This game though, was where the likeness ended. A heroic solo play in the dying seconds of game seven sent FURIA Esports through and denied Spacestation Gaming the miracle. Though Spacestation could not follow in OpTic’s footsteps and complete the reverse sweep, they had still made it further in the tournament than them. To meet their rivals in the Lower Final OpTic Gaming would have to make it past G2 Esports. If they did so, they would force a tiebreaker between Gen.G Mobil1 Racing and FaZe Clan, if not then G2 Esports were one step away from the Spring Major in Boston.
The fans were given what they wanted. OpTic Gaming knocked G2 Esports out of the event and major contention, meaning a tiebreaker would be played between the two teams who had been seen as North America’s elite all season long. Only one of the two giants would make an appearance in Boston. Before we could watch the showdown we had two more series’ to play, and OpTic versus Spacestation was up first. These two had faced just the day before and Spacestation had swept OpTic into the lower bracket. Now OpTic were coming off two massive victories and confidence was the force that had propelled them this far into the bracket. This time they came to play. The third game seven of the tournament was achieved here, and the first game seven overtime as well. After almost two exhausting minutes of overtime Spacestation managed to find the back of the net and grant themselves a rematch with FURIA Esports. No one can deny OpTIc Gaming’s run was a special one, but we had a final to play.
FURIA Esports gave us a masterclass, taking down Spacestation Gaming in six games and taking their first win in an RLCS event since moving to the North American region. It took a roster move and some time to do it, but they finally achieved their mission of proving to the world that they could not only dominate their own region, but any they should choose. Despite being the Grand Final of the event, North America had one last treat for us. Gen.G Mobil1 Racing versus FaZe Clan, the battle of North America’s former elite. This clash would not only send one of these two to Boston, but served as a final showdown to decide who had truly been the region’s finest throughout the season. This series could’ve been the Grand Final, with both teams turning up to win. In the end though, Gen.G showed they deserved that major spot, outclassing their rivals. Our major rosters were now decided, and what a lineup we had, North America were certainly showing up to the Spring Major ready to fight for the title.
Image courtesy of Psyonix.
Overview
All in all, this split had been unbelievable for the North American region. Everything we had come to expect thrown out the window, just two of the teams attending the Spring Major had been at the last one, and had only scraped in as the fourth and fifth seeds. There were too many shocks to count and all the fans can say is that the chaos better be bought to Boston for the rest of the world to experience, and so North America can prove that it still deserves its spot as a major region over any up and coming talent.
Written by @typo_yk
