Fnatic scoffs at “stupid” one-team region labels as Valorant Champions run kicks off
Stefan Wisnoski/Riot GamesFnatic’s players shut down notions of one-team regions, calling it a “stupid” idea as their Valorant Champions run gets underway.
As Valorant Champions winds down its fourth day, it has seen the international LAN debut of Paper Rex’s something, promised a fabled matchup against him and EDG star ZmjjKK, and saw Fnatic qualify as the third team to playoffs.
And with Fnatic’s qualification, they easily handled a Bilibili Gaming that was fresh off an upset against NRG in a 2-0 fashion.
Fnatic’s qualification was no surprise for the back-to-back international trophy winners, but when asked for their opinion of EMEA potentially being a ‘one-team region’ they swiftly shut down the belief.
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Fnatic players slam notions of ‘one-team region’ as “stupid”
Jake “Boaster” Howlett said in the press conference after their match on the matter, “We have many teams that have won, like NAVI who were FPX in the past, we had decent performances from Gambit.”
“I don’t think we’re a one-team region… Right now obviously we’re pretty damn good, that’s why people might say it, because we’re scary.”
However, after Boaster answered all of the interviewer’s questions, Timofey “Chronicle” Khromov interjected to give his own opinion as well.
“This one-team region is kind of strange because if you look right now, you can say the same about Americas as a one-team region like Evil Geniuses is the only one in playoffs. About APAC, yeah of course they have two teams now in Paper Rex and DRX… It has no logic in it.”
Despite Fnatic’s label of coming from a one-team region being unceremoniously tagged onto them, no other EMEA team has yet to qualify, and Fnatic is guaranteed to be the only EMEA team in playoffs as a first seed.
Other EMEA teams, NAVI, Team Liquid, and FUT Esports are all fighting for their tournament lives as they have all been knocked into elimination matches. The playoffs will begin on August 16.