Failure became an option

Hahahahahaha.

HAHAHAHAHAHA.

We hope you didn’t take part in Pick’ems, because there’s no way you got the 0-3 pick correct. And if you did, you’re probably even more insane than someone who got it wrong.

Reigning Major champions FaZe Clan suffered the ignominy of losing all three games and having to take an early flight home from the wonderful city of Rio. Or at least spend more time admiring the scenery.

Yeah, we’re serious. If you’ve not been watching, you mightn’t believe us — but it’s true. A first round loss to Cloud9, understandable. Getting tonked by ZywOo in god-tier form? Happens to the best of us, but it’s a bit worrying.

But this is FaZe Clan. The best of threes are where they flourish. Bad News Eagles had fallen to 0-2, and then had to take on the giant FaZe Clan. But after FaZe left Vertigo open, BNE had a chance.

Oh dear, FaZe Clan.

BNE pushed them all the way on Mirage - FaZe had five match points - and eventually, in double OT, the Eagles toppled the reigning champs, and buried them.

This is the first time since 2016 the reigning champ has gone out in last place — or at least last place possible, in this case — and the first since the move to the Swiss System. Get your hot takes in now.

Who’s to blame? Is karrigan supposed to retire now? rain was a bit crap, especially given he was MVP of the last Major. ropz is a baiter again, we think. broky? Too quiet. Very suspicious.

Oh, and Twistzz is NA. That can’t be a good idea.

Still, your Pick’Ems could still be saved if you picked Sprout 0-3, as they had a late night clash with NIP, who we were informed were really really good now AleksiB had taken the reins away from hampus.

We were told wrong.

At least FaZe Clan won a map; NIP couldn’t even manage that. A 0-2 loss to Sprout, with Zyphon going bonkers, dumped them out quietly after the crowd had left the arena.

The Legends’ Stage is ridiculously stacked, to the point that this is even possible. Even then, it seemed unlikely.

Fair play, Sprout. You proved ‘em all wrong. For NIP, the sudden switch to English - even after spending lots of money on a player who famously doesn’t like to speak English - unsurprisingly failed spectacularly.

Surely they could have just found literally anyone in Sweden who isn’t Plopski instead.