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January 27, 2023

In this world we cover: NAVI get thumped, ESL make something pretty, The French get… even more French than ever before. We didn’t think it was possible, either.

Nottus Sogood

Star-studded teams G2 and NAVI faced each other in the final game at BLAST Premier Spring Groups C to decide who would avoid an elimination bracket run.

But it wasn't the stars themseelves that made this game particularly interesting.

AVI and G2 have been polar opposites form-wise. NAVI went from the best to the rest, and G2 went from trash to the champs in Abu Dhabi.

Nothing exemplified this more than the personal performances of s1mple and NiKo on Inferno, the first map of this series. Whilst NiKo was out there hitting shots you didn’t think were possible, s1mple was flat-out average. The GOAT barely hit a 1.0 rating while NiKo hit a whopping 1.78.

G2 took Inferno 16-6 and despite great efforts from NAVI on the second map, Nuke, G2 secured both the map, series and early Spring Final qualification with a 16-10 win, leaving NAVI to fight for survival this weekend.

s1mple still had a good overall rating for this event. He’s s1mple after all. But his off performances are symptomatic of a greater problem in NAVI, their disappearing stars and a lack of consistency.

Earlier in the groups they won a series against NIP, yet dropped a map where they looked like a team fresh out of advanced, who just got carried by their AWPer. B1t, electroNic, and Perfecto haven’t been themselves and new man NPL doesn’t look as inspired as other NAVI prodigies have in the past.

On Saturday they'll face the winner of COL vs EG, a seemingly easy win. But that false sense of security might just be what will lead this roster into the biggest upset of the tournament *prepares popcorn

There are 3 more BLAST Spring Final spots up for grabs this weekend, and today we continue with:

  • A Complexity in poor form, getting another chance at qualifying if they manage to beat fellow NA disappointments EG
  • BIG, despite looking decidedly tier 2, will get to face Liquid, who themselves have plenty to prove after losing to OG. Twice.
  • Last but not least, the worst Danes at this event (Astralis) plays a NIP who’ve just had a very busy few days of roster changes.

And ICYMI, these teams are already qualified:

  • 🇪🇺 FaZe
  • 🇪🇺 Vitality
  • 🇪🇺 G2
Author: 
Horizzon

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Below-par Geniuses

Tune in to this week's episode of Overtime on Inferno where your favorite hosts aizyesque and Logan Ramhap go deep on the biggest news in CS:GO:

  • Do we believe in EG? (no)
  • Do we believe in French CS? (do the French?)
  • Do we believe in Devilwalk? (actually yes)

Author: 

Got 45 minutes to spare?

Do you like Counter-Strike?

If the answer to that was NOT "yes" or "no, I f***ing love it" you’ve probably signed up to the wrong email. Don’t get us wrong, we’re happy to have you, esteemed reader, but we’re not certain you’ll be as happy with us.

If you’ve got 45 minutes to spare, or you don’t mind half-watching while doing something else, then the Game and Glory documentary by ESL and BBC was released this week and it’s a wonderful watch that takes us behind the scenes at the Rio Major.

You know it’s good because we’ve basically written an advertisement for something that we didn’t have any involvement in.

Set aside an hour and pour yourself a beer. Or a gin and tonic. Or something less alcoholic, like a glass of lemonade or a Cuban cigar.

What are you waiting for?

Author: 
aizyesque

Re-k0nfig

What’s going on at NIP?

When something mad happens once, you write it off as mere coincidence. When a second player needs some time off from playing, it’s hard not to worry that you’re doing something wrong.

It’s probably just coincidence.

This time hampus is out, and we’re not going to pry as to what went wrong, but NIP once again are in need of a stand-in.

Maybe they could use that bloke who’s standing in for FaZe at BLAST. He seems alright.

Alas, no. es3tag won’t be returning to the line-up in hampus’ stead, and it’ll instead be a continuation of NIP and Astralis’ incestuous relationship, with the disgraced (or seemingly not disgraced) k0nfig.

There’s no time limit on when hampus will return; he’s been given time to recover from whatever it is that is ailing him, and we wish him all the best.

We do get another chance to watch k0nfig, though perhaps that’s a double-edged sword. k0nfig is a bit of a loose cannon and we don’t necessarily think there’s been enough elapsed time for him to have… changed and improved.

Still, in the server, his aggression is remarkable and a bona fide positive. As long as you don’t mind a 4v5 or… ten.

NIP's roster now consists of:

  • 🇸🇪 ⁠REZ
  • 🇸🇪 Brollan
  • 🇫🇮 Aleksib
  • 🇺🇦 ⁠headtr1ck⁠
  • 🇩🇰 k0nfig⁠
  • 🇸🇪 ⁠djL (coach)
  • 🇸🇪 hampus (inactive)
  • 🇩🇰 es3tag⁠ (inactive)
Author: 
aizyesque

The absolution of the French

There are two things we can’t stand in this world: people who are intolerant of other people’s cultures, and the French. Ah, the French, with their croissants, their baguettes, their stupid scrap metal tower, and of course: team drama.

Honestly, French CS players, would it be so absolutely horrifying for you to just get along? Some of your relationships are more complicated than the ones in a good Hispanic telenovela. Unbelievable.

Why are we so riled up? You’re left wondering, what have they done this time. Well, they’ve ruined another team, that’s what they’ve done. It was all falling into place, it was all going swimmingly.

Falcons had the nostalgia roster, they were rising up the ranks, and we were injecting KennyS flicks straight into our veins. And then, the incident. Cue dramatic music.

According to our favourite French reporter and delusional Olympique Lyonnais fan, hAdji was out with Python in, then Python was out again and they bootcamped with hAdji, to only then go with Python in the end. Mixed signals man.

neL gives us one more spicy little rumour, implying that things are so-so between hAdji and boddyy, and that might’ve been the reason things fell through in the end.

Honestly, it’s a shame to see this happen pretty close to the French Major, especially because hAdji was putting up decent numbers. Let’s just hope we get to see our favourite French idols play in Paris.

Or not, that would be hilarious too.

Author: 
napz

Down bad

😶 Out of pocket tweets

  • When even OnlyFans star Amouranth is dunking on you FaZe, you know it’s bad.
  • This man is taking spray-control to an entirely different level.

👍 We appreciate the work

💦 Our favourite “Leek” Twitter account

  • Let’s hope k0nfig finds inner peace in his new dojo.
  • You can’t run and you can’t hide from the Banks. James Banks, that is.
Author: 
napz
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