The 2023 Split Two Playoffs of the Apex Legends Global Series featured the 40 best teams from across the world competing in the toughest lobbies, all for a chance to be crowned international champions and etch their name in Apex history. For TSM, was also an opportunity to defend their Split One title and become the second team ever to win back-to-back international competitions.
However, TSM would be overtaken by the first team ever to do it: DarkZero Esports, as they claimed victory in the finals lobby and now stand alone as the most successful organization in all of Apex.
DarkZero entered the Split Two Playoffs as North America’s second seed, a clear favorite to win the tournament with large momentum at their feet after winning the NA Regional Finals. They cruised through the group stage with an impressive fourth-place finish, directly qualified for the finals with an eighth place in the winner’s bracket, and headed into Sunday with three bonus points. The final game perfectly showcased DZ’s calm under pressure, and knowledge of when to strike, a deadly combination that ultimately pulled them across the finish line.
Related: ALGS Split 2 Playoffs 2023: Scores, standings, and results
DarkZero’s victory came on Storm Point, match seven, with four other squads directly competing with them on match point eligibility (TSM, OXG, XSET, FAZE). A fourth of the lobby could end the Split Two Playoffs with a win, and DZ needed to come up clutch.
DZ’s early game started with a landing at the back of Barometer, rotating directly to one of the bottom buildings underneath the tower itself once the ring revealed itself to pull towards their POI. With their composition of Horizon, Catalyst and Seer, DZ held off their rotation until every other team filtered away from the high ground, taking it as their own with each successive ring close.
Genburten’s Dark Veil allowed them to slowly inch forwards with the natural terrain cover of rocks and trees as DZ poked teams away from their side of the ring. Suppressive fire from DZ and FaZe ended Pioneer’s lives and, crucially, open up an open spot of uninhabited low ground, where IGL Rhys “Zer0” Perry would call as their next rotation with ten teams remaining.
Once ring five started closing, Fnatic and OpTic Gaming spotted DZ, laying down fire and forcing Genburten to use his next Dark Veil early, as the entire team rotated forwards with complete cover and hid at the edge of the ring, waiting patiently while the nine other teams desperately finished each other off.
NRG would be the next to use Dark Veil, splitting the ring in half as they tried to secure the high ground for themselves. Inadvertently, it split off DarkZero from the rest of the lobby and allowed them to rotate into the wide open ground, where they had full sight of the surviving teams.
DZ cleaned up Vein, OXG’s lone survivor, but not before he could use one last Smoke Canister, causing chaos to erupt between the three remaining teams of DZ, NRG, and OpTic.
A last-ditch Black Hole from OpTic’s Knoqd brought down Geburten while stripping Zer0 and Xynew to a combined total of 20 health. However, the duo was able to overpower Knoqd and the last survivor skittleCakes, taking first place in the match, and ending the tournament, with all the glory to themselves.
The players and coach zz joined together in a celebration of screams and hugs as they basked in the glory. Past APAC-S regional rivals Moist Esports walked over to congratulate them as they reflected together on the journey the roster has gone, now known as the most successful team in multiple regions over multiple years.
The tournament ended with DarkZero and North America solely in the top five. TSM ended up taking second place, followed by OXG, XSET and FaZe, all on match point. EMEA’s Pioneers would take sixth, while APAC-S’ Moist Esports finished in seventh. OpTic, Alliance and NRG rounded out the top ten, as NA once again established itself as the most competitive region in all of Apex.
Related: All teams qualified for the 2023 ALGS Championship
DarkZero’s continued LAN success demonstrated the longevity of their roster, as their core of Zer0 and Genburten now stands as the only three-time international LAN champions. For newcomer Xynew, he shone as one of the only players to be crowned on his LAN debut. DarkZero stands alone as the kings of the world once more, and with one more international tournament in 2023, they have the potential to not only expand their trophy case but truly reestablish their Apex dynasty.
