Forgot password
Enter the email address you used when you joined and we'll send you instructions to reset your password.
If you used Apple or Google to create your account, this process will create a password for your existing account.
This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
Reset password instructions sent. If you have an account with us, you will receive an email within a few minutes.
Something went wrong. Try again or contact support if the problem persists.

The qualifiers for the $100,000 Overwatch Atlantic Showdown are complete

The qualifiers for Overwatch’s first six-figure tournament are now complete, and the eight teams—four from North America and four from Europe—that will fight for the ESL Atlantic Showdown title at Gamescom on Aug
This article is over 8 years old and may contain outdated information

The qualifiers for Overwatch’s first six-figure tournament are now complete, and the eight teams—four from North America and four from Europe—that will fight for the ESL Atlantic Showdown title at Gamescom on Aug. 20 have been finalized.

Recommended Videos

Most of the names are who you’d expect, but with $100,000 on the line it’s interesting that a couple of big teams failed to advance.

In Europe, Misfits, REUNITED, Creation eSports, and Rogue ranked in the top four, securing berths at the main event. This should come as no surprise considering the four teams have been ranked as Europe’s best since Overwatch’s release in May, with no clear champion emerging among them.

The two teams closest to breaking the elite quartet’s grip on the European standings fell one game away from qualifying, with Creation eSports taking down ANOX 3-1 and Rogue sweeping Ninjas in Pyjamas.

In North America, the region’s top two teams had little trouble earning their Gamescom berths. EnVyUs continued what they now say is a 55-series undefeated streak, while Cloud9 managed to avoid the team that’s beaten them in multiple series recently, Team SoloMid, eventually qualifying after winning a close 3-2 series against Fnatic.

In the lower bracket, Fnatic managed to score their spot by beating upstart Ohno, who bested the recently-signed Method team in a surprising series. Fnatic continues to quickly improve, rounding into form capable of challenging Cloud9 and SoloMid.

For SoloMid, the road wasn’t as easy, placed into a lower bracket with a number of solid contenders like Team Liquid, NRG eSports, and NRG Red. Their surprise foe would be Team Liquid, who managed to beat former NBA player Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 1 team in Overwatch, NRG, in a 3-1 series despite playing with new fill-in carry player Gaven “Whaz” Sorensen, a former Quakecon CTF champion. But against SoloMid, Liquid only mustered one game, falling two wins short of reaching Gamescom.

The results mean that Brandon “Seagull” Larned, Overwatch’s most popular competitive player and streamer, will not compete at the game’s first six-figure tournament, failing to qualify just days after his team moved to NRG eSports. That’s a disappointing result for a team that’s long ranked among Overwatch’s best, but based off form over the last few months, it’s clear that Fnatic and SoloMid deserve it more.

The eight teams that will compete for Overwatch’s first major live event are now set, with two weeks left to prepare. EnVyUs, on their fifty-plus-series win streak, must be high on the list of favorites, but they’ll receive stiff competition from the rest of the field. And considering this is the first major live event, one featuring teams from both sides of the Atlantic, anything can happen.


Dot Esports is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy
Author