Recapping the Domination of Americas in CS:GO in 2016
Welcome to “clootch unwraps 2016,” a series that recaps the highlights of the year in Counter-Strike: Global Offensive. This article focuses on the strong performance of the Americas, North and South, in tournaments throughout the year, challenging the dominance of European teams.
Typically, European teams have ruled the CS:GO professional circuit. However, in 2016, we saw North and South American teams emerge as dominant forces. They have refined their gameplay and shown that they can compete with and defeat the best teams in the world.
In the past, American continents have not had a significant presence in the upper ranks of the CS:GO scene. But this year, they have dethroned the European powerhouses, marking the beginning of a new era in the game.
The Brazilian teams, particularly SK Gaming and Immortals, have made history by becoming the first teams outside of Europe to win a Valve-sponsored major tournament. SK Gaming’s impressive performance earned them two major titles this year, making them the only team to achieve this feat.
This year will be remembered as the “SK Gaming Era” as they showcased their world-class tactics and exceptional skills. They secured victories in MLG Columbus 2016 and ESL One Cologne 2016, defeating some of the strongest European teams along the way.
Surprisingly, it wasn’t just South America that triumphed this year. North American teams also had impressive wins against European powerhouses, showing their improvement and competitiveness. The triumph of OpTic Gaming at ELEAGUE Season 2 and Cloud9 at ESL Pro League Season 4 highlighted the rise of North American teams.
OpTic’s Surprise Victory at ELEAGUE Season 2
The standout tournament result of the year was OpTic Gaming’s victory at ELEAGUE Season 2, where they defeated Astralis in the grand final. OpTic, considered underdogs at the start of the tournament, surpassed higher-rated teams and showcased their potential.
OpTic faced tough competition in their group stage, but they capitalized on the challenges presented to them. They defeated Fnatic and Team EnVyUs in best-of-three matches, defying the odds and securing a spot in the quarterfinals.
Their journey to the final was no easy task, but they managed to eliminate top-tier teams such as Virtus.pro and FaZe Clan. In the grand final against Astralis, OpTic clinched victory on the deciding map, becoming the first primarily-American team to achieve such success in a major tournament.
Cloud9’s Unlikely Triumph at ESL Pro League Season 4
Cloud9, another North American team, secured a significant victory at the ESL Pro League Finals in São Paulo, Brazil. They overcame strong teams and emerged as champions in a tournament that featured the best teams in the world, excluding Virtus.pro and Na’Vi.
Unlike OpTic’s success at ELEAGUE, Cloud9 faced tough opponents throughout the tournament, including NiP and Team Dignitas. They showcased their growth and defeated the former world champions, SK Gaming, to claim the championship title.
The victories of OpTic Gaming and Cloud9 at prestigious events like ELEAGUE and ESL Pro League demonstrate that North American teams can now compete with and defeat the European giants. This shift in the balance of power has made every tournament an exciting and balanced affair, regardless of the teams’ origins.
This is an exciting and balanced time in Counter-Strike.
What are your thoughts on the success of North and South American teams this year? Let us know by commenting below or tweeting us @GAMURScom.
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The author, Cam “clootch” Brierley, can be reached on Twitter @clootch_CS