Fnatic becomes VCT Kickoff’s biggest surprise after failing to qualify for VCT Madrid
The most dominant team of VCT 2023, Fnatic, surprises Valorant fans worldwide as they fall victim to Karmine Corp’s insane VCT Kickoff run.
In the Valorant competitive pro scene, many fans are eager to see tales of dominance, redemption, and well-deserved victories. However, given the game’s ever-changing meta, it is an extreme challenge for pro teams to stay at the top of their games.
Moreover, many pro players have struggled to keep their momentum after the VCT team mechanics shift and the partnered organizations’ introduction, as repeated mistakes will leave their fates and contracts in question.
Given the fast-changing pro scene, fans rarely see teams with long-term dynamics and dominant stride, except in EMEA’s Fnatic. The European team had a near-perfect VCT 2023 run, taking home both VCT Lock-In and VCT Masters Tokyo trophies.
However, the tides stirred differently for Fnatic after the recent VCT Kickoff EMEA playoffs. What fans expected to be an easy prediction to qualify for VCT Masters Madrid failed to score a map against Karmine Corp during the tournament kickoffs.
The team initially had a seamless early run during the Group Stage, quickly decimating Team Vitality in a perfect run. But Karmine Corp’s “Cinderella run” prevailed, and it seemed like being sent to the lower brackets, and the play-ins gave the team ample time to prepare their strategies.
Many pro players and even the game casters were surprised to see Fnatic fall into Karmine Corp’s hands. The latter team dominated the first map, Lotus, with ease on a 13-10 win, and the second map blockbuster with Fnatic only scoring eight rounds against KC’s 13.
VCT players around the globe took to social media to express their surprise at Fnatic’s fate. VCT America’s C0M “could not believe” seeing Fnatic lose.
C0M last faced the European team in VCT Masters Tokyo, where Fnatic decimated his former organization, Evil Geniuses, with three maps to none.
While Fnatic’s fall is a surprising yet sad tale for some, a few fans were eager to see the fall of “one-team regions” after the VCT Kickoff. The EMEA and Pacific regions were once considered “one-team regions,” with Fnatic and DRX always on top. However, both teams failed to qualify for VCT Masters Madrid this March.
The story is far from over for Fnatic fans. While their dedicated supporters will surely miss Boaster’s celebratory dancing, they could expect the roster to do everything in their might to bounce back at the regional tournament this April.