After a sizzling begin to their collection in opposition to DRX, Cloud9 struggled to maintain up with the kings of Korean VALORANT, shedding decisively on Haven and Icebox to punctuate a second-round exit from the VCT LOCK//IN event.
After the loss, C9’s famous person offseason acquisition Jaccob “yay” Whiteaker acknowledged that his particular person efficiency didn’t fairly reside as much as expectations. However his general message was that the workforce has to start out enjoying higher for his or her Champions targets to be lifelike.
“I’ve at all times thought that people don’t win championships, groups do,” yay stated in response to a query from Dot Esports asking if his excessive degree of play was very important to C9 successful a world championship. “When it comes to whether or not or not I should be a top-tier particular person, I imply, that may assist. [But] general, I feel we simply must get higher.”
For almost all of the maps C9 performed in São Paulo, the workforce regarded cohesive and exact. Pearl is shortly wanting like a favourite for C9 on each assault and protection, with the duo of Nathan “leaf” Orf and Erick “Xeppaa” Bach shining brilliant.
Total although, it was a quiet displaying from yay, whose finest particular person performances at VCT LOCK//IN have come on Chamber, an agent that after solely outlined the aggressive meta however one which’s now been comparatively absent from virtually all comps. However C9’s in-game chief Anthony “self-importance” Malaspina additionally agrees that there’s nonetheless work to be finished general.
“I’m fairly disillusioned with the consequence,” self-importance stated. “That’s clearly not how we needed it to finish. I nonetheless assume we have been giving it a good shot in most of those rounds [against DRX]. We have been misplaying very micro issues on the very finish, and the spherical would collapse. We positively performed loads higher in apply.”
Whereas disillusioned, the loss hasn’t sunken the spirits of the workforce. At the same time as they have been down large on Icebox, getting leaping right-clicked by DRX gamers, self-importance and Zellsis may very well be seen smiling and laughing.
However the greatest take a look at nonetheless awaits: VCT Americas league play. Starting March 26, the actual work in direction of a possible world championship begins for C9 and the opposite 9 partnered groups on the western aspect of the Atlantic.
