IEM Sydney noticed FaZe topped as the primary champions of CS2 in 2023. Though this isn’t the primary main, that is the primary LAN occasion to host the brand new Counter-Strike replace. Though the sport nonetheless has some points with hit-reg and “subtick servers” each Valve and ESL felt the sport was able to take to the large stage after its launch in the course of the Playoffs of the Season 18 Professional League. A few of these points really offered themselves in the course of the Playoffs at Sydney with m0NESY dropping out to an enormous frag within the latter phases of a match.
However why is IEM Sydney so important within the Counter-Strike house? Right here’s every little thing you could find out about IEM Sydney, and the way FaZe received all of it in an enormous 2-1 victory over Complexity…
Learn extra: Counter-Strike 2: Premier Rank System Defined
What’s IEM Sydney?
ESL Intel Excessive Masters Sydney 2023 (or IEM Sydney) is among the most iconic occasions on the Counter-Strike Calendar. Sadly, the occasion didn’t run in 2021 or 2022 as a consequence of unexpected circumstances. Nonetheless, 2023 noticed the return to the land down beneath with the enduring Aussie crowd with unbelievable chants and booming quantity all through.
The occasion reached a peak viewership of 460,000 which surpasses the earlier IEM Sydney document in 2018, making this 12 months’s occasion the most well-liked Oceania occasion up to now.
IEM options 16 groups. A few of these groups are invited and a few should qualify by a regional event. Apeks and BetBoom certified from Europe, Complexity by NA, Lynn Imaginative and prescient by Asia, and VERTEX by OCE. Grayhound Gaming was additionally invited to the event because the “Native Hero”.
Group Stage
This stage of the event consisted of two teams. The primary noticed MOUZ and BetBoom qualify by the Higher Bracket and FaZe by the Decrease Bracket. Within the second group, G2 and ENCE certified by the Higher and Complexity by the Decrease.
All of those groups confronted a number of the highest-ranked rosters on the ESL World Rating, displaying their aggressive prowess earlier than reaching the Playoffs. Sadly, some fan favorites equivalent to NAVI, Vitality, Fnatic, and Cloud9 didn’t attain the Playoffs and had been despatched packing earlier than anticipated.
This made for a tense begin to the Playoffs stage with some high groups dealing with underdogs.
Playoffs
The groups that received the Higher Bracket made it straight to the Semifinals, making it simpler to achieve the finals. Whereas the opposite groups needed to compete within the Quarterfinals. That is the place FaZe began to shine. Of their first match, FaZe dominated ENCE with a 2-0 win with one match going 13-0 to FaZe. This was an unprecedented begin to their Playoff run.
Within the Semifinals, FaZe got here up towards MOUZ, the latest winner of the ESL Professional League. Though this posed a problem for FaZe, they once more received 2-0 and dominated the current champions 13-4 on Nuke. This put them straight into the Finals towards Complexity.
IEM Sydney 2023 Finals
Complexity had an virtually similar run to FaZe at IEM Sydney, with each groups qualifying by the Decrease Bracket and profitable each the Quarter and Semifinal 2-0. Going into the Ultimate FaZe was positively the favorite however Complexity confirmed their aggressive prowess taking the primary map 13-11.
Nonetheless, FaZe took the second map 13-10 on Nuke resulting in a 3rd and last match on Historic. FaZe began robust, seemingly dominating Complexity and taking the primary half simply. Complexity fought onerous taking the match to double OT however sadly misplaced 19-16 to FaZe.
We are able to’t await the subsequent event, with the primary CS2 Main going down subsequent 12 months in March 2024.
