The 2024 ALGS Split One Playoffs began this week, welcoming the best Apex Legends players from around the world to take the stage in Los Angeles. In a sea of talent, star players are out to defend their status or take their place in the history books. 

From the young to the experienced, here are five Apex pros you’ll want to keep your eyes on at the first playoffs of the year for their competitive prowess, concrete determination, and critical damage capabilities.

5 ALGS players you need to watch at 2024 Split One Playoffs

Zer0 – DarkZero

A famously detail-orientated and vocal IGL, Zer0 has been a force to be reckoned with throughout split one. In the North American region, he tops the leaderboard for most kills and has dealt over 40,000 damage to his opponents. Following DarkZero’s dominant run in the regular split, we can expect fast-paced, decisive, and aggressive gameplay from Zer0 and the team in L.A.

Diving further back into Zer0’s competitive history, he’s won two playoff trophies and a championship, making him one of the most successful Apex pros of all time. He’ll be aiming for another trophy in his collection, and he is certainly in a fantastic position to do so. 

SangJoon – Reject Winnity

Reject Winnity finished second in the APAC-North region, with Fnatic just ahead of them in points. SangJoon is a high damage dealer with the kill stats to match, helping power the team to victory. The APAC-North region has been knocking on the door of an Apex title for several LANs. If there’s any team that could topple the NA region on their home turf, it’s Reject Winnity.

Unlucky – Alliance

Following Yuki’s departure from the team in February this year, signing Unlucky was exactly the right medicine Alliance needed to revitalize their gameplay. Although their regular split performance was shaky at times, they’ve pulled out all of the stops for LAN and are ready to bring the EMEA heat to NA. 

Before being signed to Alliance this year, Unlucky played for Vexed during 2023. Although the team often performed well in the regular split, they were consistently unable to display the same caliber on a LAN stage. With the guidance of experienced pro Hakis and the dangerous talent of young player Effect, Unlucky’s new Alliance roster is the best environment for him to push past old habits and aim for the stars.

Hardecki – Aurora

Seasoned pro Hardecki is back, and he’s already sent a strong message that he’s ready to take on L.A. with Aurora. The team’s aggressive gameplay and willingness to experiment with legend picks makes them incredibly entertaining to watch, as well as a more unpredictable team for their competitors. Hardecki has slotted into the team’s playstyle perfectly, making them more of a threat than ever before.

Adding to Hardecki and Aurora’s threatening aura is their win rate. In 44 games, the team secured 22 top five placements, 10 of which were lobby wins, making them the most successful team so far this year.

YanYa – Team Liquid Alienware 

After being released by Luminosity following the 2023 Championship, Yanya, Neazul, jaguares, and coach Pistillo became the hottest free agents in Apex. As their largest damage dealer and teammate with the highest number of kills, YanYa is a formidable opponent. Although YanYa has yet to secure an ALGS title, he certainly has the capabilities to do so, especially now that the roster has the backing of Team Liquid Alienware.

His team has been performing well during scrims, and with a fresh organization to represent, they’re a force to be reckoned with. Battling it out in Group B during the first two days of LAN, they have a chance to push through to the winners bracket and get ahead of the game. If they do, their momentum could prove fatal to their opponents. 

Honorable mentions 

With so much talent existing within the ALGS right now, it’s impossible to go without having a few honorable mentions for players to watch. Although failing to make it into our top five, StrafingFlame, the IGL for Legends Gaming, is also a fantastic player to keep an eye on. He’ll be guiding Koyful, the team’s stand-in for this tournament, to try to maintain the success the roster achieved in the 2023 ALGS Championship. 

Despite their less consistent results in the regular split, Cloud9 have been performing well in international scrims and could be a surprise team to take on the playoffs. In particular, StayNaughty has been playing professionally since 2019 with some impressive results under his belt. Under the guidance of coach iShiny and analyst coldjyn, a duo who NiceWigg has proclaimed during scrims to be a formidable force, they could be on their way back to the top. 

Finally, after many attempts to secure visas to reach LAN tournaments, MaxStrafe from PassionUA is finally able to represent his organization on stage. Although the team are unlikely to be title contenders, watching him compete in the playoffs is a privilege for any attendee. 

The 2024 ALGS Split One Playoffs start on May 2 and will conclude with the grand final on May 5. Alongside the main broadcast, NiceWigg and Greek will be back with the ever-popular B-stream throughout the event. 

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