After thousands of ladder games, hundreds of qualifier matches, and six days of play in the finals, Hearthstone finally has its second world champion.
Na`Vi‘s Sebastian “Ostkaka” Engwall defeated former ROOT Gaming teammate Dylan “Hotform” Mullins in a one-sided final to claim the title and the $100,000 first prize. With his 3-0 win, the Swede proved that the many people who pegged him as a tournament favorite were right.
Both Engwall and Mullins made it to the final with Rogue in their lineups, despite the class being considered one of the weakest in the current meta. Using that, Patron Warrior and Freeze Mage, Engwall was able to win the final relatively comfortably.
For Engwall, this is the culmination of a long journey to the top prize in Hearthstone. Long considered by his fellow professionals to be one of the most skillful players in the world, he had yet to have a breakout tournament performance apart from taking second place at the Seat Story Cup earlier this year. The close of this year has seen him truly take his place among the elite, however. Engwall signed for Na`Vi in September alongside Frederik “Hoej” Nelsen and Sebastian “Xixo” Bentert—establishing one of the most fearsome rosters in Hearthstone.
Now, Engwall bears the title of world champion, succeeding American James “Firebat” Kostesich and becoming just the second person to lift the trophy. It could be just the first of victory of many for the talented player.
Image via PlayHearthstone/Twitter
Published: Nov 7, 2015 01:33 pm