Gamersject Winter Challenge: Preview - New Year, New Expectations

Fnatic Conney "kyoChi" Sjöberg Johan "LINQAN" Lindqvist Stevy "Stevy" Verheyen Jonathan "raz" Baker Chris "Lighters" Lightburn

New Year, New Expectations

So it's 2011 and it’s time for the new LAN year to kick off. Where are we heading? Well it's time to visit Croatia one more time. Croatia has not really been part of the LAN schedule in the past years and their very hyped attempt at the Gamersject LAN 3 ended in sheer catastrophe. The Winter Challenge is supposed to make up on all that, however, things did not run that smoothly until very recently.

The interest was once more overwhelming, but the actual teams that signed up and paid the entrance fee was limited to a mere fifteen teams, with mainly the top teams trying to vie their way into the hearts and minds of the community. So what can and will we see happening in the two days of competition in Zagreb?

First of all, the changing of the year has been coupled with a refreshed and revisited approach to many of the top teams' line-ups. All teams have done some work to their rosters in order to either regain past glory or more efficiently put the potential they had to use and some teams are just plain new altogether. Fnatic moved away from their tried and tested Four Swedes and a Belgian formula, TCM-Gaming have, on the other hand, taken over the Fnatic way, with Four Swedes and a Dutch scope this time. ButtonBashers have not yet gone to LAN since their formation, aNimus-Gaming have only had some local tests since joining up with the British organisation and Team MondialServers had to wave out one of France's oldest and most experienced players as well.

TCM-Gaming Johan "miRACLE" Gärtner Adam "Mumma" Timle-Händel Hampus "mySn" Karlsson Roe "froz" Langaas Robin "robyYE" Swaters

So when taking a look back at the last month of changes, who could be considered the victor? Well, probably the one team that did nothing brass: Power Gaming. The Czech-Dutch mix has been one of the most stable and most under-the-radar teams of them all, but to compliment them when it is deserved, the way they have gone about things have seen them place third twice, reach silver once and take the title at arguably the biggest tournament of the year: the Antwerp Esports Festival #2. Not only did Power Gaming walk away with almost the most money, they have kept their cool throughout most of that time and are rarely seen in interviews, controversies or entanglements. The one thing that might work against them is what they need to work on the most: keeping fresh. Power Gaming should avoid getting stuck in a rut and getting sucked in a place they feel too comfortable, they will need to work hard and be aware that the other teams will have changed and will have changed with one thing on their mind, becoming better than the others. So the boys surrounding Erik "FrosteR" van den Biggelaar and Jan "paradox" Duchon need to change up their game every now and then, mix up their positions and if they can, even change meta-tactics for all maps.

Will Power Gaming win? Statistics would back them up and say that they should be able to profit from their competitors' changes and pick up a solid win here. However, the changes that Fnatic, TCM-Gaming, Team MondialServers have made, were not for the worst.

Power Gaming Erik "FrosteR" van den Biggelaar Nick "toxjee" Hol Jan "paradox" Duchon Petr "king" Elbogen Lubomír "Luboshmir" Pešák

Fnatic have changed out two trusted players and they will be missed, however, they have possibly kept their active core and moved in with two Brits that have been part of the carrousel that is competitive Call of Duty 4 for nearly if not over five years now. Christopher "Lighters" Lightburn really stepped up his game in 2010 and moved away from being just good to being one of the best (TEK9 Awards results pending), if not the best, AK47 player in Europe. Jonathan "raz" Baker on the other hand was one of the driving forces behind Team-Dignitas and always had the motivation to rebuild and rebuild and rebuild after so many failed line-ups and it's his perseverance, coupled with a lot of skill, that could push Fnatic that extra mile to once again claim their uncontested number one position in Europe. Their DSRack #3 run was full of promise but came too early, the two months between should have given Conney "kyoChi" Sjöberg enough time to mould his two new recruits into well-oiled parts of the Fnatic machine.

TCM-Gaming? What about them you ask? Well losing Fredrik "qLimAxzU" Idh did not only leave the team without a very very strong scope, but also lost them a friend and a companion throughout many years of Call of Duty. Robin "robyYE" Swaters is strong, but TCM-Gaming's biggest strength in 2010 was undoubtedly their camaraderie and the odd fish out that is the celebrated Dutchman will surely have a more difficult time to work himself in a group of young Swedes. The team's communication rhythm has been shook up as well, not doubting any of the players' skills in English, but it's a change of habit, and each habit that is changed, takes time to properly function and work. Moreover, Robin "robyYE" Swaters was probably the best scope of 2009, with his time at TCM-Gaming #1. However, in 2010 he spent most of his time in Team-Dignitas and was somehow not able to play such a pressing role. Mind you, he still played very well, but it did not advance the team as much as expected and that same question could be posed now as well. Will Robin "robyYE" Swaters' influence on the team be of greater worth than Fredrik "qLimAxzU" Idh's or will the Swedes have a hard time recovering from their break-out year?

Top Teams brotherly together after and in between games...