Gratisfaction and AZR to stand in for Encore at CS:GO Asia-Pacific RMR qualifier

Two veterans will help them reach the Major in Brazil.
Photo via StarLadder

Encore will have two of the most renowned Australian players helping them out at the closed qualifier for the Asia-Pacific RMR ahead of the IEM Rio CS:GO Major.

Recommended Videos

The org has recruited Sean “Gratisfaction” Kaiwai and Aaron “AZR” Ward as stand-ins for the event. Both of them are two of the best players from the Oceanic scene, having a couple of Major appearances under their belt.

Encore will start their adventure in the closed Asia-Pacific qualifier for the RMR tomorrow. ORDER will be their first opponent in a double-elimination bracket, with all series being played in a best-of-three format. The winners will advance to the RMR, where they will be joined by three other squads from the Middle Eastern, Chinese, and Asian qualifiers. Afterward, they will battle it out for two slots at the Brazilian Major.

Gratisfaction and AZR have represented a few organizations together, including EXTREMUM, 100 Thieves, and Renegades. Before they also competed at the IEM Katowice 2019 Major and AZR took part in a few other Valve-sponsored tournaments.

Encore advanced to the closed qualifier via the open qualifier, where they reached the top two alongside DGG Esports. The team currently have four active members, so it’s uncertain whether both AZR and Gratisfaction will be stepping in as active players, or perhaps one of them will be taking on a coaching role.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more
related content
Read Article XQc finally redeems himself in Counter-Strike with stunning Deagle ace
xQc smiling with his thumb up
Read Article M0NESY’s settings, crosshair, and viewmodel for CS2
M0nesy, Counter-Strike player for G2 Esports, celebrates after a round victory at ESL Pro League with his teammates.
Read Article Collect them all: Falcons bolster CS2 roster with yet another ex-Astralis legend
Professional CS:GO player dupreeh poses for photo during PGL Antwerp Major Europe RMR's media day in 2022.
Related Content
Read Article XQc finally redeems himself in Counter-Strike with stunning Deagle ace
xQc smiling with his thumb up
Read Article M0NESY’s settings, crosshair, and viewmodel for CS2
M0nesy, Counter-Strike player for G2 Esports, celebrates after a round victory at ESL Pro League with his teammates.
Read Article Collect them all: Falcons bolster CS2 roster with yet another ex-Astralis legend
Professional CS:GO player dupreeh poses for photo during PGL Antwerp Major Europe RMR's media day in 2022.
Author
Mateusz Miter
Polish Staff Writer. Mateusz previously worked for numerous outlets and gaming-adjacent companies, including ESL. League of Legends or CS:GO? He loves them both. In fact, he wonders which game he loves more every day. He wanted to go pro years ago, but somewhere along the way decided journalism was the more sensible option—and he was right.