Most diverse top four at a masters to date – VCT 2022 Masters Reykjavík

VCT 2022 Masters Reykjavík is drawing to a close. Four teams have survived to the final stage of the tournament. The Playoffs were the scene of great action, Asian teams dominated and represented their regions with surprising results.

Paper Rex from APAC, LOUD from Brazil, OpTic Gaming from North America and ZETA DIVISION from Japan are the four teams vying for their first ever Valorant Masters trophy.

OpTic Gaming – LOUD

After their bad start to the tournament, few expected OpTic to make it this far. However, the North American representative made it to the Playoffs with a great streak from the lower-bracket of the group stage first. Later, in the qualifying stage, they defeated their opponents by increasing individual performances. It makes it really hard to scope what is the ceiling for OpTic. They mirror every opponent and are a completely different team in each series they play.

Unlike their rivals, Brazilian LOUD started the event from the Playoffs. The reason this happened was because they managed to become the best team in their region. LOUD used this advantage quite well. Using the given time to prepare their opponents, the team overthrew their opponents one by one from the first stage. LOUD sent EMEA teams, Team Liquid and G2 Esports, to the lower-bracket in style at the start of the playoffs. And while doing this, they enchanted everyone with their games. Their aim power set the Brazilian team apart from other teams in the tournament.

Will the lack of screen time come to bite them though?

ZETA DIVISION – Paper Rex

Asian teams have made it this far in the tournament by surprising everyone and earning everyone’s respect. ZETA, who started the event with a bad performance against DRX, recovered and excelled in every consecutive match. The representative of Japan were able to reveal their strengths and hunt down opponents one by one. They got themselves out of the predicament with a spectacular run and are now gearing up for another challenge where they aren’t favorites.

On the other hand, Paper Rex came to the tournament with the advantage of being the first team of their region. Starting from the Playoffs, the team suffered a sad defeat to DRX. But this defeat was not enough to stop them. Paper Rex, managed to surprise the opponents with a game system in which they put their chaotic, extraordinary and individual talents to the fore, stayed in the last 4 by defeating The Guard first and then G2 Esports.

Once again we see a duel between a team that seeded directly into Playoffs and another that had to grind their way to get here.

Reykjavik Final Prediction

Although there are different ideas at the beginning of the event, everyone now knows that these four teams play high-level games. And this fact makes it very difficult to choose between them. In addition, the estimations can be misleading as all four teams prefer styles based on instant explosions instead of a stable game plan.

Both matches have their favorites. LOUD seems to be one step ahead of OpTic. Especially if they can sustain their game against G2 Esports, Brazilians could be the first team to the Grand Final. Keeping the players on track is crucial in working with the team’s strategy, and this can lead to frustrations from time to time. If OpTic Gaming somehow manage to stop the stars of LOUD, they undoubtedly have a great chance as well. The North American team, which have come this far under the leadership of yay, will follow the same plan for the future. But LOUD, who brought things this far, will likely get their final ticket.

In the Lower-Bracket Round 3 match, Paper Rex is one step ahead. The APAC team destroyed their rivals with the momentum of its duelists, and will likely use the same tactic against ZETA. Although ZETA have shown a great performance so far, it is very difficult for them to sustain it against Paper Rex. Because Paper Rex play the chaos game very well.

I am seeing a Grand Final between Paper Rex and LOUD as the most likely outcome. Excitement of VCT 2022 Masters Reykjavík will continue from where it left off on April 22.