Copa de Rocket League Recap
Extra Cheese for Europe
Team Queso are European champions once again, winning the Copa de Rocket League after a stellar lower bracket run. They struggled in the group stage, going 1-2 and needing a reverse sweep over Team Vitality to avoid dropping out altogether. However, they pulled off the lower bracket run that no team had pulled off in the Winter Split yet. They won seven straight series, including two in the Grand Finals against Endpoint CeX. Team Queso joined The General NRG from North America as the only two teams to make three consecutive Grand Finals this season, as both reached every final in the Winter Split. They also joined Endpoint CeX as the only two European teams to win multiple regionals this season. Team Queso were the storyline of the Winter Split in the RLCS, and they’ll be going to the Winter Major in Los Angeles as Europe’s #1 seed.
Their excellent run throughout the Winter Split included knocking out Dignitas, Europe’s second best team in the standings, in all three events, as well as a group stage triumph over them in the Apollo Open. They also beat fellow Winter Major qualifiers Evil Geniuses twice, and their only two playoff losses came at the hands of Team BDS, Europe’s top team in the rankings and the winners of the Fall Major. While they were fringe contenders in the Fall Split, the emergence of Team Queso in the Winter Split was truly remarkable, as they consistently proved themselves as the newest of Europe’s truly elite teams.
(image courtesy of Rocket League Esports)
major Qualifiers
Though Team Queso certainly showed that they are now a top team in the region, there are only three teams who have now qualified for both the Fall and Winter Majors - Team BDS, Dignitas, and Endpoint CeX. Being consistently atop the RLCS has proven to be incredibly difficult over the years, so making both Majors is no easy task. Team Vitality, who were once the pinnacle of European Rocket League, struggled throughout the split, and dropped out of the group stage 0-3 in the Copa de Rocket League. They finished 13th overall in the European standings for the Winter Split after making the Fall Major, just behind SMPR Esports in 12th, who also qualified in the Fall. While both teams are certainly capable of regaining that form in the Spring Split, they serve as a warning that teams must be at the top of their game every single weekend to be successful in the RLCS.
Joining Team Queso, Dignitas, Team BDS, and Endpoint CeX in Los Angeles are Evil Geniuses, who finished in the top four in both the Premier Cup and the Copa de Rocket League. They only lost playoff matches to Team BDS and Team Queso in those two events, and showed they truly belong. After finishing second behind Dignitas in the group stage, they went on a run that included wins over direct competitors for their major spot in Guild Esports and Luminosity Gaming, two teams who improved throughout the Winter Split and will be in contention for the Spring Major. After they lost a matchup with SMPR Esports in the Fall Split that would’ve sent them to the Fall Major if they won, they found their redemption this weekend and qualified for Los Angeles.
(image courtesy of Rocket League Esports)
An Increasingly Competitive Europe
With all 16 teams still contending for spots and seeding in the Winter Major, the Copa de Rocket League featured several high stakes matchups throughout. The highlight was in the lower quarterfinals, where Evil Geniuses beat Luminosity Gaming in a tense seven game series to clinch their major spot. Both teams had everything riding on the matchup, but Evil Geniuses got over the hump and qualified for their first Major of the season. Luminosity Gaming, despite falling short, performed well throughout the weekend. After losing their group to Team BDS in the Apollo Open and the Premier Cup, they managed to upset Team BDS in two separate 3-2 wins and win Group A, jumping straight to the upper bracket. Kuxir’s Minions also surprisingly emerged from Group A, winning a series for the first time in the Winter Split. Falling short in the group was Misfits Gaming, who missed out on a Major spot by finishing last in the event for the second split in a row. After a top four finish in the Premier Cup, they lost their group stage tiebreaker to Kuxir’s Minions 3-2 and were eliminated from Major contention.
(image courtesy of Rocket League Esports)
Dignitas topped a difficult Group B, going a dominant 9-1 in a difficult group with Evil Geniuses and Karmine Corp. Evil Geniuses went on to finish fourth in the event and qualify, while Karmine Corp swept Team BDS 3-0 in the first round of the playoffs before ultimately losing to Team Queso. With all three teams still vying to qualify for the Major, Dignitas put in an impressive performance and clinched their spot in Los Angeles after winning the group. Falling out 0-3 in Group B was Rix.GG, who struggled throughout the Winter Split and failed to win a series. Group C was shockingly topped by 00 Nation DNB, edging out Guild Esports for the top spot before they lost to Dignitas and Team Queso in the playoffs. Team Queso struggled in the group stage before their lower bracket run, going 1-2 in Group C and only surviving against Team Vitality via reverse sweep. For the second event in a row, Team Vitality went 0-3 in the group stage, and will likely be making a roster change by parting ways with Fairy Peak!.
Before finishing second in the Copa de Rocket league to Team Queso, Endpoint CeX won Group D after beating Williams Resolve in a tiebreaker. Williams Resolve went on to get reverse swept by Team Queso in the first round of the playoffs, which ended their Winter Major hopes. SMPR Esports finished third in Group D, but lost to Guild Esports in the first round of the playoffs, ending their dreams of a second consecutive Major appearance. Rounding out Group D was Natus Vincere, who lost a tiebreaker to SMPR Esports and finished in last. They showed some promise with their new roster, and will hope to improve going into the Spring Split.
Onto Los Angeles
After winning the Fall Major, the pressure will be on the European teams to continue that success in Los Angeles. Team BDS will go in as Europe’s #3 seed, but they won the Fall Major from that position and have proven to be one of the best teams in the world. Team Queso will enter the Winter Major as the top seed on the back of the most successful Split by any team in Europe so far, and Dignitas will be Europe’s #2 seed for the second Split in a row. Endpoint CeX will go to Los Angeles as the #4 seed, with Evil Geniuses rounding out the European teams as the #5 seed. They’ll compete against the world’s best teams, as fans return for the first time in over two years. The Winter Major will begin on March 23, with fans joining the teams at the Youtube Theater on March 26th and 27th!
