ESWC 2012 group B preview
After publishing the group A preview yesterday, we now present you a similar feature on group B, set to begin tomorrow at Paris Games Week where ESWC 2012 is taking place.
In group A we saw NiP claim the top spot for now, while Area51 are the favorites to clinch the second spot ahead of mousesports, whose fate depends on the final matchup tomorrow against the Ninjas.
Group B features favorites VeryGames as well as two time ESWC champions in Counter-Strike 1.6, ESC Gaming, whose performance in CS:GO is still a questionmark. Remaining three are all teams with a CS:S background; Anexis, n!faculty and fm.TOXiC.
If you missed any of our pre-ESWC interviews in the past week, here are the links for the ones conducted with members of teams placed in group B:
ESC NEO
VeryGames SmithZz
Anexis ruggah
n!faculty disruptor
fm.TOXiC weber
Continue reading for a preview on each participant of group B, as well as a prediction on their final placing within the group. If you missed the preview of group A, you can find it here.
2nd DreamHack Valencia (lost versus NiP in the final)
1st ESWC French Qualifier (beat Buykey in the final)VeryGames is NiP's perfect counter-part in CS:GO, that team destined to push them to improve their game and vice versa, hailing from the CS:S scene in comparison to NiP's CS 1.6 core. All that's missing is an American flag on one of the two. If these two can make it to the final at ESWC, and possibly again in three weeks at DreamHack Winter, it could be the next great rivalry amongst FPS games, but both are still far away from reaching those goals. VeryGames did indeed lose against NiP in Valencia, but as they confirmed in our interview with them, they hadn't played CS:GO for very long yet at the time, suggesting they should be closer to their potential now.
Based on the semi- and grand final of the French ESWC qualifier, it didn't necessarily seem like VeryGames had the amazing skill of the likes of Patrik "f0rest" Lindberg; they seem to be a team that relies on solid strats and great teamwork over all else. Now whether that will be enough, is a whole other question. Hyped up Kenny "kennyS" Schrub didn't impress during the qualifier, as Cédric "RpK" Guipouy came off as their best player. However, playing against fellow countrymen can always be tricky, and truly great players always improve on the biggest stages, and the qualifier for a bigger event certainly isn't one. The problem with VeryGames is that they haven't exactly participated in many tournaments, so it's tough to get a read on their level.
Regardless of their earlier performance, they are the favorites to finish first in group B. I think online fm.TOXiC could have competed, but it's tough to say if their stand-in will work out. I think ESC Gaming won't be a pushover despite knowing clearly less about the game then e.g. VeryGames, and I expect Anexis to be their toughest challenge in the group stage, and I wouldn't be too surprised if Anexis actually upset the French. n!faculty was criticized after receiving an invitation, but they have also shown promise online too. However, I think only Anexis, and possibly on de_dust2_se ESC Gaming, can compete with VeryGames. They should finish first regardless of scares or close calls.
Prediction: 1st
VeryGames's kennyS and RpK at DreamHack Valencia
Top 2 ESL Go4CSGO Cup #9
Invited to ESWC 2012
1st Eizo Challenge 2012What do we know for sure about ESC Gaming? They love being underdogs. That's what they are now. Most people expect ESC to finish among the bottom two of group B, but while I understand the reality and know it's certainly a possibility, I fully expect Filip "NEO" Kubski's team to advance out of this group. They aren't too experienced in CS:GO and they probably can't compete with some of these teams when it comes to crazy flashes or pin pointed strats, but that has never been what the Poles' success has been about. These guys, more so than anyone in CS but maybe Na`Vi, know how to win, and I believe it will carry over.
It's obvious ESC's players were doubting themselves in CS:GO, as seen in Kubski's comments on recents interviews on our site. I think ESWC could have been a catastrophical event for them had they not pulled through in the Eizo Challenge grand final, but if that did anything to restore their faith in themselves as a team that pulls through in the clutch, they will be just fine. Anexis's players aren't very experienced at big events, VeryGames didn't look too strong in the French qualifier, n!faculty has been called too weak for the event by for example Anexis's Jacob "Pimp" Winneche and fm.TOXiC aren't themselves without online superstar Robert "TORNADOTONI" Radosevic.
Maps will obviously play a big part in the outcome of the event for ESC, but I believe their teamwork, drive and will to win can pull them through this group. Counter-Strike has always been partly mental and not only about shooting headshots, and that has always been where this team has excelled. They weren't more skilled or more refined than Na`Vi or SK last year, they were just mentally stronger. Look for ESC Gaming to once more find a way to win, and surprise many on the way. I believe they will make it out of this group, with Anexis match deciding it all for them at this year's ESWC, where they will be hoping to rectify last year's lackluster 4th place finish.
Prediction: 2nd
kuben led his squad to a first place at Eizo Challenge - can they repeat at ESWC?
3-4th ESL Go4CSGO Cup #10 (lost against Teklubben)
1st ESL Go4CSGO Cup #11 (beat k1ck in the final)
1st at ESWC UK qualifier (beat mousesports.UK in the final)
9-16th Thor Open Qualifier #1 (lost against mTw)
3-4th Thor Open Qualifier #2 (lost against SY_b)
5-8th Thor Open Qualifier #3 (lost against hiGhrollers)Had online superstar and possible cheater Robert "TORNADOTONI" Radosevic showed up at ESWC 2012 and actually played like he had online, I think fm.TOXiC would have been likely to defeat Anexis for second place in this group. However, with Andrè BARBARR Möller, who has been inactive for quite a while and likely isn't 100% motivated at this point standing-in, I can't really see them defeating the more prepared teams, who are also more experienced on the grand stages of eSports, whether it was in CS 1.6 or CS:S.
After besting out the British mousesports squad for a spot at ESWC they've had some disappointing results online, as they've fallen short in three Thor Open qualifications against a weak, shaky and now as good as dead mTw, and two Swedish teams SY_b and hiGhrollers. I simply can't see this team competing with Anexis, VeryGames or even ESC Gaming if they show up in good form, which means they will have to struggle with n!faculty to determine who goes back to home dead last with four losses, and who gets to at least see what it feels like to win.
Prediction: 4th
BARBARR returns in CS:GO at ESWC as a fm.TOXiC stand-in
9-16th ESL Go4CSGO Cup #10 (lost vs fm.TOXiC)
2nd ESWC Nordic qualifier (lost vs NiP in the final)
2nd NetParty Fyn #13 (lost vs Copenhagen Wolves in the final)
1st Thor Open Qualifier #1 (beat BZSX in the final)After watching them play quite a bit in the Nordic ESWC qualifier as well as different online cups, the former HastaLaVista squad now known as Anexis has impressed me with their solid player whenever I've watched them. Had they beaten Copenhagen Wolves at NetParty Fyn #13, I would surely expect them to go through as the second seed in this group, and while it's surely still possible, I now question their killer instrinct which would for sure become a problem against the likes of ESC Gaming at a major tournament.
I think fm.TOXiC got weaker due to their stand-in situation, which is a huge bonus for Anexis who should be able to beat them and n!faculty with ease. If Anexis know how to handle the pressure, the possibly uncomfortable setup and noise levels of an ESWC, I think they could possibly even upset VeryGames, who did not look very good yesterday in the French ESWC qualifier, which was played at the event venue in Paris. Realistically though, that probably won't happen, and their tournament will come down to the match against the Poles.
As I've explained in the text for ESC Gaming, I think their killer instinct and will to win will be what is going to set them apart from less experienced teams like Anexis. I don't think the young Danes can quite match the Polish side mentally, and that will become their Achilles' heel tomorrow. If they were to drop their early match today against fm.TOXiC I think they could potentially bomb the entire event, but I don't think that is going to happen, and therefore I predict them to finish third, although a second place wouldn't surprise me whatsoever.
Prediction: 3rd
Anexis at NetParty Fyn #13
5-8th ESWC Germany 2012
Invited to ESWC 2012
4th* EPS Winter 2012 (4-1-2 record, still on-going)n!faculty received a last second invitation to ESWC 2012 after RuSh3D were unable to find sponsors and two of their members departed, effectively killing the team. The German squad has most notably failed in the German ESWC qualifier, where they managed to win no games before losing in the opening round against gamed!de. It's a little questionable to me why they are invited in the first place, knowing there were in my opinion much more deserving teams who could have still gone at the last minute.
With how much Jacob "Pimp" Winneche has talked smack about these guys, it's hard to assume they would compete against anyone but fm.TOXiC, or possibly against ESC Gaming if their strategies and teamwork are top notch. n!faculty has had some good results in EPS Winter recently, as they've tied mousesports and defeated gamed!de. They have however also lost against both ALTERNATE and Red Dead eSports, leaving them at 4th place with a 4-1-2 record right now.
I don't think the second German representative at ESWC has a chance against VeryGames or Anexis, and realistically both fm.TOXiC and ESC Gaming are also clear favorites against them. They might scare a couple of teams or even defeat the Brits, but I still can't predict them to place anything but last, based on the information that is available to me.
Prediction: 5th
n!faculty at their recent bootcamp
ESWC 2012's group B will kick off tomorrow at 09:30 with the exact match times posted in our viewer's guide. Don't forget to update your Dreamteam, and let us know how you think the group will end up!
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