VCT Masters Tokyo Team Introductions: Americas Edition

Who doesn’t love a good underdog story?

In two days time, VCT Masters: Tokyo will commence, marking the second international Valorant tournament of 2023. Twelve teams will be participating, with three of them representing the Americas region, which includes both North and South America. While other regions will also be present, let's focus on the American representatives who aim to assert their dominance against international rivals. These teams are the best that the Americas have to offer, and one of them has even managed to lift silverware in the arenas of the past.

The Americas as a region is not to be undermined. In LOCK//IN the region had quite the explosive showing on the big stage, with 4 teams managing to get into the Quarterfinals. Of these 4, LOUD managed to get into the Grand Finals, where they had a heartbreaking defeat against Fnatic. But this heartbreak is one of the many factors that will see this region come back stronger than ever in Tokyo.

Now, let us meet the American Representatives in Japan.

LOUD

The top dogs from the Americas, LOUD are undisputedly the best team in the entire region. Having once already won VCT Champions in 2022, the South American powerhouse will be looking to taste the silverware again. Especially after last time, where they were denied this opportunity in Sao Paulo by Fnatic. Coming into Masters Tokyo, they are the top seed from the Americas League.

Highest Win Rate Map: Ascent (87.5% over 8 games)

LOUD have managed to get a stronghold on one of the oldest and most practiced maps in Valorant. Due to its age, this map is well known by almost all of the teams, and poses a high risk of failure. However, LOUD were not afraid of the danger, they were the danger on Ascent. Playing the map a total of 8 times throughout the League, they managed to win it 7 times. Their only loss came at the hands of EG in the Upper Bracket Finals of the Playoffs.

LOUD also have a 100% win rate on Haven, as they won 5 out of 5 played, with 3 games not being played. Another strong map for this roster is Split, where they have a 71% win rate, winning 5 out of 7 games.

Strengths:

• Versatility and adaptability in using different agents and strategies depending on the map and the opponent.
• Teamwork and communication, which allows them to execute coordinated attacks and rotations.
• Individual skill and clutch potential, especially from players like saadhak, Less and tuyz.

Weaknesses

• Inconsistency and overconfidence, which sometimes leads them to make mistakes or underestimate their opponents.
• Lack of experience in international events, which may put them at a disadvantage against more seasoned teams.
• Dependence on certain players or agents, which may limit their options or expose their weaknesses if they are countered or shut down.

NRG

The second best team in the Americas, NRG have gone through a lot of ups and downs to get where they are right now. With a poor showing at LOCK//IN Sao Paulo, the North American Outfit had to make a lot of improvements to show the world that they are no pushovers. Coming into Masters Tokyo, they have a lot to prove, especially in the international space, where they have had historically poor showing.

Highest Win Rate Map: Bind (80% over 5 games)

NRG have a decent record in the map pool. They have managed to come out on top of one of the oldest maps in the game. Bind is a fast map, with a heavy utility presence required to get the most out of it. NRG have managed to perfect this formula, and have made this map their own.

Apart from Bind, NRG have also managed to play quite nicely on Haven. Winning 5 out of the 7 that they’ve played (71.4% win rate), it is a nice map to have up their sleeves, given its strong attack-friendly nature. With the long sight lines, and rotations, FNS is sure to be able to cook up something dastardly that no one might see coming.

Strengths

• Experience and leadership, especially from players like FNS, crashies and Victor, who have played at the highest level of Valorant.
• Aggression and confidence, which allows them to take control of the map and pressure their opponents.
• Chemistry and synergy, which stems from their previous history as teammates in OpTic Gaming.
• Talent and potential, especially from players like s0m, ardiis and ethos, who have shown impressive skills and performances

Weaknesses

• Inconsistency and tilt, which sometimes leads them to lose focus or momentum in crucial situations.
• Lack of diversity in their agent pool, which may make them predictable or vulnerable to counter-strategies.
• Over-reliance on certain players or roles, which may limit their options or expose their flaws if they are neutralized or outplayed

Evil Geniuses

The final team to qualify for Tokyo from the Americas, Evil Geniuses surprised everyone when they beat favorites Cloud9 to advance to the Upper Bracket Finals. Just barely managing to qualify into the playoffs at 4-5, they did not let this poor result affect their final goal. After felling NRG in the first round of the Playoffs, EG had a boost in form which allowed them to take down Cloud9. LOUD dealt with EG once again. And NRG had another go at EG, outperforming them. EG failed to deliver. But still managed to clinch that Tokyo spot against all odds.

Highest Win Rate Map: Fracture (71.4% over 7 games)

Although not the best of records, EG have managed to find strong footing in Fracture. The unique map layout allows them to show off their creative strats and bamboozle opponents. EG might not be the strongest team stat wise, but their creativity on this map allows them to compete against top tier teams on equal footing.

Apart from that though, their best map is Split (60% win rate over 5 games), which might not suggest such a strong presence. Apart from these, their records in the other maps are quite poor, and EG will have to bring their A-game if they want to survive in Tokyo.

Strengths

• Experience and leadership, especially from players like Boostio, Ethan and BcJ, who have played at the highest level of Valorant.
• Aggression and confidence, which allows them to take control of the map and pressure their opponents.
• Creativity and innovation, as they have experimented with different agents and compositions and have surprised their opponents with unexpected plays.
• Skill and talent, especially from players like Demon1, ScrewFace and jawgemo, who have demonstrated high-level performance and impact.

Weaknesses

• Inexperience and pressure, as they have not played in many international events and may face stronger or unfamiliar teams.
• Instability and uncertainty, as they have undergone several roster changes and may lack cohesion or consistency.
• Vulnerability and mistakes, as they have sometimes struggled to close out games or capitalize on advantages and have given away rounds or maps.

Stay up to date on everything about VCT Masters Tokyo at Strafe.com or at the official VCT Twitter.

For more information on the tournament format, click HERE.