Gaming
Gaming
Five of the greatest Quake Live duels ever
In the run-up to a new invitational, we look at back at some of the greatest matches ever.
Five of the greatest Quake Live duels ever
© ZeniMax
QuakeCon, id Software’s annual jamboree for all things first person shooter is returning to Dallas, Texas in July, and this year there’s a surprise for Quake Live players and fans. Just last night, Intel and ZeniMax announced plans to host the Quake Live Duel Masters Invitational Championship at the event, featuring no fewer than 32 of the scene’s top players, all competing in one on one matches in bid to win the $9,000 top prize.
The world’s best players will assemble at the Hilton Anatole from July 17 to 20 to battle it out in the unforgiving, multi-storey maps of Quake Live, an upgraded, free to play version of the classic Quake III: Arena. Unlike in top flight Call of Duty or Counter-Strike, players won’t be able to rely on teammates to cover them - this is solo play, to the death. It’s tense and supremely tactical, and has made for some epic battles since it launched in 2010. In celebration of the invitational, we take a look at five of the greatest duels from the archives.
Cooller vs. Av3k, Quake Live Intel Extreme Masters European Championship 2011 Final
Russian Quake player Cooller is one of the veterans of the pro gaming scene. While MOBAs are a relatively new phenomenon - and their top players sometimes still in their teens - Anton “Cooller” Singov has dominated the Quake scene since the launch of the original Quake III, winning his first World Cyber Games aged just 15 all the way back in 2002. He’s made the successful transition to Quake 4 and then onto Quake Live, and his experience shows in the 2011 Intel Extreme Masters grand final at the CeBIT tradeshow in Hannover, Germany. In this final round game, Cooller plays calmly and patiently, arriving at the item spawn points and waiting for Poland’s Maciej “Av3k” Krzykowski to arrive, then plucks him off at a distance with astonishing aim. It’s clear to see how Singov has dominated the scene for as long as he has.
Cypher vs. Rapha, Quake Live Dreamhack Winter 2013 Grand Final
Cooller is the grizzled veteran of Quake, but despite his young age, Belarusian Alexey "Cypher" Yanushevsky is almost as experienced, and has been winning top flight tournaments since the days of Quake 4 in the mid-2000s. He’s since evolved into the most intelligent and powerful Quake Live player on the scene today - as well as the deadliest shot with the rocket launcher - and you can see how in this epic, hour long fight against the USA’s Rapha at Dreamhack last year that goes the distance. Both players clearly know the maps, not to mention each others’ play styles, inside out, but who will triumph?
Cypher vs. DaHanG, QuakeCon Grand Finals 2012
Cypher eased through the brackets to reach the final at QuakeCon two years ago, where he would face another American Quake Live pro, Evil Geniuses’ Tim “DaHanG” Fogarty. As you’ll see in this match-up, it all comes down to the maps both players pick - Bloodrun, Toxicity, Aerowalk, Furious Heights and a tie-breaker in Lost World. Ultimately though, it’s a drubbing for Rapha, who is unable to avoid Cypher’s deadly use of the lightning gun in the final rounds.
Rapha vs. DaHanG, Silent Gamers Cup 2010 Final
It was an All-American finale at Silent Gamers four years ago, with everything to play for, as SK Gaming’s Shane ‘Rapha’ Hendrixson took on Evil Geniuses’ Tim “DaHanG” Forgarty. DaHanG reached the final coming from the lower bracket, and was at a disadvantage, needing to win two best-of-five matches to take home the trophy, while all Rapha needed was to win just a single best-of-five match. Tune in above to witness game five of the second set, where DaHanG managed to play on and rise above his rival to take the top prize, beating out Rapha 3-1 and 3-2 to finish up on top.
Rapha vs. Cypher, Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge Dubai 2010
Rapha and Cypher’s rivalry has spanned years: just head back in time to the Intel Extreme Masters Global Challenge final in Dubai back in 2010 to see them still going at it. Rapha stormed his way through the tournament to end up at the final, and landed a 3:1 win over Cypher, clinching the $3,000 grand prize and a slot at Global Finals to boot.
What’s your favourite Quake Live Duel ever? Tell us in the comments below!
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