IEM Fall 2021 - CIS Group A Preview IEM Fall 2021 - CIS Group A Preview

IEM Fall 2021 - CIS Group A Preview

Counter-Strike
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Event Previews
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Joshua "SUPER__FRESH" Treadway
The CIS region will see its third and final Regional Major Rankings (RMR) tournament begin on September 29th. Set to be played out online, the five-day event will see twelve teams competing for just five spots at the highly anticipated PGL Stockholm Major. In this article, we'll focus on the six teams making up Group A, taking a look at their rosters, past results, and expectations headed into the tournament.
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Counter-Strike's new operation - Operation Riptide Counter-Strike's new operation - Operation Riptide

Counter-Strike's new operation - Operation Riptide

Counter-Strike
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Game Updates
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Grady Hooker
Get ready! Valve have release the next operation and it is called Operation Riptide. Inside it is some major gameplay updates, massive map changes, and a metric shit-tonne of new skins for weapons and agents. We take you through everything that is included in this series of articles to make sure you can get that diamond coin!
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CSGO introduces a new case, 4 new weapon collections, and new stickers and patches CSGO introduces a new case, 4 new weapon collections, and new stickers and patches

CSGO introduces a new case, 4 new weapon collections, and new stickers and patches

Counter-Strike
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Game Updates
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Grady Hooker
In the second part of today's Counter-Strike update, Valve added a bunch of new community content to the game. We have four brand new weapon collections (Train 2021, Mirage 2021, Dust2 2021, and Vertigo 2021) as well as 2 new sticker packs (Operation Riptide and Riptide Surf Shop) and a set of patches just for Operation Riptide.
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New Maps and meta-changing weapon updates for Counter-Strike New Maps and meta-changing weapon updates for Counter-Strike

New Maps and meta-changing weapon updates for Counter-Strike

Counter-Strike
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Game Updates
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Grady Hooker
In the first part of the update that Valve pushed out today for Counter-Strike, we see a massive change to Dust2, alongside gameplay update such as the addition of a riot shield and ability to drop grenades. This is a big one, you need to read all about it.
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Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: ESL Pro League Season 14 Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: ESL Pro League Season 14

Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: ESL Pro League Season 14

Counter-Strike
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Tier Rankings
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The Esports Kingdom team
Just as we thought that Gambit had solidified themselves at the top of the Counter-Strike game, a new challenger approached. Slowly Natus Vincere worked to prove that not only were they the best team in the CIS region, but they were the best CSGO team in the world.
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mousesports: "I don't think that result from Cologne reflects our capability as a team" mousesports: "I don't think that result from Cologne reflects our capability as a team"

mousesports: "I don't think that result from Cologne reflects our capability as a team"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
We had the chance to talk to both dexter and the coach mithR from mousesports ahead of their ESL Pro League Season 14 Playoff campaign. Topics included the mentality with being behind and clawing your way to the playoffs and the effect the Cologne result had on the team just before the player's break.
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Complexity: "I think our group was definitely a mess" Complexity: "I think our group was definitely a mess"

Complexity: "I think our group was definitely a mess"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
They came really far with a stand-in and we talk about that and more with the boys blameF, es3tag, and NaToSaphiX from Complexity. Expectations with a stand-in, going up against ZywOo and Vitality, as well as their group's weird results.
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Vitality: "I don't really care what team we're facing" Vitality: "I don't really care what team we're facing"

Vitality: "I don't really care what team we're facing"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Today we have a very special interview for you, because not only do we get to talk to apEX from Team Vitality about ESL Pro League and how they feel about their upcoming games, but we also get to talk to shox about his love for fishing and the little kisses he gives the carp.
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OG: "The individuals shine on [Mirage] and that's why we find some success" OG: "The individuals shine on [Mirage] and that's why we find some success"

OG: "The individuals shine on [Mirage] and that's why we find some success"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Aleksib & ruggah from OG were kind enough to sit down and give us some time to talk at ESL Pro League. We asked about their Mirage dominance at the moment, their preferred opponent in the Quarterfinals, and what it is about forZe that make them some a tricky team to beat.
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Gambit: "I want revenge [against Vitality]" Gambit: "I want revenge [against Vitality]"

Gambit: "I want revenge [against Vitality]"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
We had the chance to talk to Hobbit and nafany from Gambit ahead of their Playoffs adventure at ESL Pro League about their tournament so far, their upcoming Quarterfinal, and their mentality after a tough loss like they had in the Group Stage.
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NiP: "It's not the best, but it's out of my control" NiP: "It's not the best, but it's out of my control"

NiP: "It's not the best, but it's out of my control"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Heading into the Group Stages of ESL Pro League we got to talk to the squad at Ninjas in Pyjamas about their situation surrounding the fifth player, the confidence boost of beating Gambit, and the future of the team.
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Heroic: "I don't think I've ever experienced such camaraderie in any team before" Heroic: "I don't think I've ever experienced such camaraderie in any team before"

Heroic: "I don't think I've ever experienced such camaraderie in any team before"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Amidst noise from outside the game the players from Heroic take some time to talk to us about their preparations for ESL Pro League, which teams have surprised them so far in the tournament, and what it feels like to knock Astralis out of EPL.
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NaVi: "We have three matches left to win this event" NaVi: "We have three matches left to win this event"

NaVi: "We have three matches left to win this event"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
We had the chance to have a short chat to the coach of Natus Vincere, B1ad3, about who they want to face in their quarterfinal matchup and what is motivating them throughout this tournament - winning their first Pro League or the Intel Grand Slam.
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Team Liquid: "Just more time together, more practice in EU" Team Liquid: "Just more time together, more practice in EU"

Team Liquid: "Just more time together, more practice in EU"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
There was a small shock in the Group Stage of ESL Pro League Season 14 as Team Liquid made it out and in to the playoffs. We speak to Stewie2K & adreN about their preparations, if they expected to make it this far, and if they can go even further.
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forZe: "We are like beasts and we can rule the mountains" forZe: "We are like beasts and we can rule the mountains"

forZe: "We are like beasts and we can rule the mountains"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
We talked to Jerry and zorte from forZe ahead of their game against ENCE in the ESL Pro League Season 14. The topics we touched on included getting that crucial tier-one experience against the top teams and zorte's debut on a big stage.
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Fnatic: "I'm confident that we can win [against Liquid]" Fnatic: "I'm confident that we can win [against Liquid]"

Fnatic: "I'm confident that we can win [against Liquid]"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Fnatic are preparing to go up against Team Liquid in the first round of the ESL Pro League Season 14 group stage and we got some time to talk to them about going from a full Swedish roster into an international team, as well as their confidence levels coming into their game.
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ENCE: "I would prefer to play NaVi out of all the teams, because I just want to beat simple" ENCE: "I would prefer to play NaVi out of all the teams, because I just want to beat simple"

ENCE: "I would prefer to play NaVi out of all the teams, because I just want to beat simple"

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
For the first interview of ESL Pro League Season 14 both Grady and Josh sit down with the guys from ENCE to discuss the big differences between Tier-1 and Tier-2 Counter-Strike and the challenges to bust up into the top tier.
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IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: What do you think of Ancient? IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: What do you think of Ancient?

IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: What do you think of Ancient?

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
All the teams had a chance to play Ancient in an official match at this point of the tournament so it felt fitting to see what the overall opinion was from the playoff teams to the new map. What did they like? What did they hate? and what would they like to change about it?
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IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: Which teams surprised you? IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: Which teams surprised you?

IEM Cologne Play-Off Teams: Which teams surprised you?

Counter-Strike
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Interviews
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Grady Hooker
Before the playoffs we talked to all six teams featured; Astralis, NaVi, Gambit, VirtusPro, G2, and FaZe about which teams surprised them in this tournament. Either performed way better than they were expecting coming into it, or that underperformed and needed to pick up their game.
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Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: IEM Cologne 2021 Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: IEM Cologne 2021

Counter-Strike Tier Rankings: IEM Cologne 2021

Counter-Strike
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Tier Rankings
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The Esports Kingdom team
The first LAN event in over 16months, IEM Cologne, has come to a conclusion and now it is time to see where teams fall in our Tier Rankings. There has been some massive shake-ups as some teams surprise us with their performance and some teams underperformed in the recent event.
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