Echo Arena has had another successful season as part of the VR League. Teams that did well in weekly cups were awarded cash prizes and ultimately the world’s top four teams secured spots at the grand finals coming up in a few weeks at Oculus Connect 5 in San Jose, CA.
Following the Echo Arena World Qualifier on August 19, teams still had the opportunity to compete in weekly cups. Although the teams were no longer vying for a higher seed in stage finals or a spot in any qualifying tournaments, they still showed up in hopes of winning a portion of the weekly prize money, which was still awarded for cups 10 (Aug. 26) and 11 (Sept. 2).
Prize money during season 2 was awarded for teams that placed in the top six for each cup. The prizes (ranging from $165 for first place down to $15 for sixth place) are then divided among the team’s three competitors. It might not seem like a lot, but it adds up and these guys are earning money while doing something they enjoy.
Weeks 10 and 11 – European League Results
In weeks 10 and 11, many of the European players once again formed new teams and switched teams like they had in the Last Chance Qualifier. During these last two weekly cups, there was still money on the line, but it’s great to see players having fun with the teams and simply enjoying the game.
Cup 10 Results
Jacks, the team that nearly claimed the championship title in season 1, reunited for season 2’s tenth weekly cup. Boop90, Slin, and Affenterror once again demonstrated the skill and teamwork they’re known for, ending the day with a 100% win rate.
TeamWeWin_YouLose_EzyLife and TeamFishTank were officially registered the day of the tournament. TeamWeWin didn’t come in first, but considering they came in second place overall and still went away with €105 in prize money, their name was correct most of the time.
Cup 11 Results
Team Gravity, currently ranked 2nd in overall season standings, took the first place position for weekly cup 11 – forcing BLAST! to settle for second place and a little less prize money.
KommBack, registered earlier in the day of cup 11, did amazingly well, tying with BLAST! for an 80% win rate. KommBack’s roster – Ally_dArk, infiltr8, and Nillewick – are no strangers to the game so it’s not surprising that they would do well.
Weeks 10 and 11 – North American League Results
Participation in the weekly North American cups dropped substantially for week 10. Most weeks had around 17 teams divided between the two cups, but in week 10, there were only six teams. Apparently competitors realized that this meant all they had to do was show up so the next week registration increased slightly, but the numbers were still drastically lower than normal. This could be due to a lot of factors, but it is interesting to note that many colleges in the United States begin the last week in August, putting it the day after cup 10.
Cup 10 Results
Omegators and ec.LiP.se tied for first place in the week 10 single cup. Omegators had barely missed out on an opportunity to play against Eleven Point Five during the World Qualifier. They were defeated by MetaMercs, who then went on to defeat 11.5 and move back into the upper bracket and a spot at OC5 for world grand finals.
In week 10, however, Omegators claimed the week’s top spot beside the season 1 world champions.
Cup 11 Results
MetaMercs decided they would have none of that again in week 11 so they came back full force with a 100% win rate.
Wit Loves Rocks came in second place, but this is really no surprise since two of the team members are really part of Eleven Point Five (Loveridge and Wit). They teamed with RoxTytan for week 11 and performed as well as they typically do with their fantastic trio that normally includes Dash, one of the best goalies in the game.
World Finals
The weekly cups have come to an end and four of the world’s top Echo Arena teams have secured positions at the VR League Grand Finals. There will be two days of championship games at Oculus Connect 5. Onward and The Unspoken will begin at 11:30 AM PST / 19:30 CEST on Wednesday, September 26. Echo Arena and Sprint Vector will be featured on September 27 at the same time. Competition is scheduled to take place on the McEnery Convention Center stage in San Jose, CA.
Viewers can tune into the VR League’s Facebook, Twitch and YouTube channels to watch the world’s highest level of VR esports competition. This season is sponsored by ESL, Oculus and Intel.
