Esports
Presented by G2 Esports in partnership with Red Bull, the first tournament in the Ignition Series kicked-off at the weekend. Here's all you need to know, plus an interview with G2 star Mixwell.
It's fair to say that Valorant, from developers Riot Games, landed with a bang. Fresh out of the gate, the free-to-play tactical FPS captured the imaginations of casual gamers and esports aficionados alike thanks to its mix of deep tactical thinking, unique shooting and dedication to rewarding flare.
Valorant already looks set to make its mark on the competitive esports landscape, with the Ignition Series getting underway with the G2 Esports Valorant Invitational over the weekend. The event was the first in a series of tournaments that brings together over 20 esports organisations to compete in one of the most exciting and competitive titles around.
Here's everything you need to know about the G2 Esports Valorant Invitational, including what went down at the opening event. We've even got an interview with team captain and G2 star, Mixwell, who talks about joining the esports giant, Valorant's burgeoning scene and his enthusiasm for the Invitational.
What went down at the Valorant Invitational?
Three days and eight teams later, Team Mixwell romped to victory, winning the Valorant Invitational over the weekend. Not content with dominating other games, such as League of Legends, Hearthstone, Counter-Strike and even Rocket League, G2 Esports now has a tournament winning team for newly released hero-shooter, Valorant, taking home the kudos and the top prize.
Already a G2 star, Oscar 'Mixwell' Cañellas and his team absolutely dominated proceedings, despite a tricky path from the group stage to the playoffs against the likes of Team Draken and Team ZeratoR. Things went from good to utterly incredible however, as Team Mixwell were undefeated in the playoffs: they didn't lose a single game and went straight to the semi-finals against Team ANGE1.
ANGE1 had already qualified in good spirits after beating Team ZeratoR in the quarter-finals, but it certainly wasn't plain sailing. Mixwell and his team beat ANGE1 13–6 on Haven and then 13–10 on Ascent for a resounding victory. This put them into the final against Team Draken for a rematch from the group stages.
The final was yet further proof of Team Mixwell's dominance, as they won 13–7 on Haven before utterly thrashing Draken 13–1 on Split to close things out and win the tournament. As for Mixwell himself, he ended the G2 Esports Valorant Invitational with incredible stats: 261 kills and only 157 deaths. Truly, this was a tournament dominated by Team Mixwell.
When was it
The G2 Esports Valorant Invitational took place over June 19, 20 and 21, 2020.
How did it work?
The invitational saw eight teams compete across three days, with the teams divided into two groups of four. Group stages comprised a best-of-three single round robin, with Group A competing on day one and Group B competing on day two.
The first three teams in each group advanced, with the top of each group moving straight to the semi-finals, while second and third-placed teams battled it out in the quarter finals. All play-offs were a best-of-three single elimination, held on the tournament's final day.
However, there was also a twist. The captains were kept in the dark as to who would be on their teams until the day before the event, with G2 drafting four mystery members to each leader. More than ever, adaptability, communication and teamwork was key for players to come out on top and snag that €15,000 prize.
You can check out every minute of the invitational on the G2 Esports Twitch channel, as well as Riot Games’s VALORANT Twitch channel.
Mixwell on Valorant, G2 and the Ignition Series
Congrats on joining the G2 Valorant division! How does that feel, and what made you decide to sign with G2?
Mixwell: Well thank you so much, it feels amazing! What made me sign for G2 is that they’re always competitive in every game, they have the best teams in the world in every game they play and they also have the same targets as I do! Their content is really good and they take care of the players. I want to be the best player, in the best team, followed by the best fans and that’s what G2 brings.
Why did you choose to move over to Valorant in the first place?
Well, first of all, Riot is behind a shooter game, so I thought that can be really good and I wanted to try it out! So I tried the game at the start, in the alpha and the beta and now I’m playing it still. Since the start, the game was really fun. I would never switch to a new game if I didn’t think I was having a lot of fun and Valorant has that. I have passion for the game and that’s what’s going to make me the best player I can be. If you don’t love the game, you won’t get to the top.
What do you think of the Valorant pro scene so far?
Well, so far, we’re still growing. Especially in North America, where there’s more than 10 teams that have already signed with full rosters. In Europe, it’s starting to grow more and I think for now, the level is not that high because there’s not many teams in Europe and individuals are making the difference. But soon, when everyone has a team it’ll be great and it’s going to be really fun to win against everyone!
What are you looking forward to most in the G2 tournament?
The Ignition G2 tournament is going to be fun because I’m going to play with people I’ve never played before and this means I’ll get to know people and possibly scout people for our team as well! I always love to play with people I don’t know, because we could see the new G2 member in this tournament. I want to win every tournament I play and we’re going to fight for it and I’m pretty sure we can win. I’m just going to play and have fun and I hope you guys have fun as well.
Who are you hoping gets drafted into your team for the competition?
I want the best players in my team! It’s a team game and you need good players around you to be able to win tournaments. Good players, good people, so we can have fun playing and that’s all I want.
Are there any other players in the competition you're looking forward to facing (or any you’re worried about facing)?
I’m not worried about facing anyone. I’d like to face T1. I think they’re the best team in their region and I want to see how we would do if we played against them. Right now I don’t have a full roster, but when we do, I’d love a match against them to see who’s better.
Why should people be watching you in the G2 Invitational this weekend?
They have to watch me because I’m the captain of the G2 team! I’m the first player signed, so if you love G2, you should watch me!
Where do you think the Valorant pro scene will be in a year's time?
Well, in a year’s time, I’m pretty sure the game will be much more established and there’s going to be a great scene behind it with a lot of fans that will love the game, following really good personalities and players.
Anything else you’d like to add?
I’d like to thank Red Bull for the support and thank you to all the fans and to G2 and to everyone involved in the new Valorant project, because it’s going to be great and we'll have a lot of fun!
