VALORANT: Fnatic win Red Bull Home Ground 4 after outlasting Cloud9 3-2
Fnatic beat out seven other teams from Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and Turkey to be crowned as champions.
The 2023 VCT OFF//SEASON is brimming with excitement as the Red Bull Home Ground 4 lit up the weekend. This thrilling tournament in Tokyo saw some of the top VALORANT Esports teams battling it out for the coveted title.
In the end, it was Fnatic that won it all, with a 3-2 victory over Cloud9 at the Grand Finals on Sunday (5 November).
The tournament took place from Friday (3 November) until Sunday (5 November), and featured eight teams from EMEA, North America, and Japan.
These eight teams fought in a 2-round Swiss Stage, where Fnatic led the pack, tied with Turkey’s FUT Esports with a 2-0 record. This ensured FNatic a slot in the semifinals, where they swept DRX 2-0.
Meanwhile, C9 ended the Swiss Stage with a four-way tie with DRX, 100 Thieves, and ZETA Division with a 1-1 record that made them qualified for the Playoffs, while Japan’s SCARZ and FENNEL were eliminated.
At the Playoffs, C9 defeated ZETA 2-1 in the Quarterfinals and then won against FUT Esports in the Semifinals to make it to the Grand Finals.
In the opening map of the Grand Finals on Bind, C9 had a strong start, securing victory in the first five rounds. However, Fnatic swiftly caught up, and the first half concluded with a 6-6 tie. Yet, in the second round, the Europeans took charge, winning 7 out of 8 rounds and ultimately claiming the game 13-7.
C9 made a comeback in the second match on Breeze. Even though both teams were neck and neck in the first half, C9 dominated the second half, clinching 7 rounds and securing a 13-9 victory.
The North American team continued to gather steam in the third match on Ascent, triumphing with a score of 13-9. Despite FNC's efforts to make a comeback in the first half, which once again resulted in a 6-6 tie, C9 held their ground.
On Lotus, C9 maintained their lead in the first half, finishing 7-5. However, Fnatic began to outmatch their North American opponents, winning 8 consecutive rounds and ultimately taking the game 13-8.
In the final showdown on Haven, Fnatic took an early lead at 7-5 and never looked back, powering through the second half by winning all six rounds. This secured their victory in the final game with a score of 13-5, earning them the championship title.
This marks the team's third title of the year, with Fnatic previously winning the VCT 2023: LOCK//IN in Sao Paulo in March and the VCT 2023: Masters Tokyo in June.
Anna is a freelance writer and photographer. She is a gamer who loves RPGs and platformers, and is a League of Legends geek. She's also a food enthusiast who loves a good cup of black coffee.
For more esports news updates, visit https://yhoo.it/YahooEsportsSEA and check out Yahoo Esports Southeast Asia’s Facebook page and Twitter, as well as our Gaming channel on YouTube.
