A few weeks ago we gave you a quick overview of the hot – hot these days – R6 Siege esports summer. In Italy they were crowned absolute champions the Mkers, while now the best teams in the world have already flown to Mexico to play the summer major, like the good old days. As usual, we bring you our definitive guide to the mid-year event. Reminding you that on the occasion of the Major there will also be the long-awaited reveal of the third season, with the new Croatian operator. Here is everything you need to know. You are ready?
Riviera Maya? Well, I prefer the City
For a few days we have known something more about the Augustan Major. The event will be held in the torrid Mexico City, which will welcome the fifteen best teams in the world with its usual, picturesque chaos that only the metropolises of Latin America can give us. The tournament, the second played live since the beginning of 2020, will be held behind closed doors again, in the now customary bubble to protect the health of players, staff and organizers. A solution that, as we could see with the 2020 League of Legends Worlds and, speaking of R6, with the Six Invitational in Paris last May, seems to have worked properly, thanks also to their rigidity.
In fact, players and staff will be isolated for the duration of the tournament, as well as being regularly checked and unable to have contact with the outside. In case of positivity, the rules are rather restrictive, since they provide for the removal from the tournament for the team with at least two positives.
The metaphorical kick-off is scheduled for Monday 16 – then you can enjoy the entire Rainbow Six export week relaxed after returning from the mid-August trip – while the Grand Final will be played on Sunday 22. Fifteen are the teams in Mexico. One, the Aussie Knights unfortunately will not be able to be in the game, as they say. The news of the defection arrived a few days ago and was confirmed by Ubisoft itself, which still decided to continue as scheduled.
The Australian team had to say goodbye to dreams of glory because of the strict rules of the nation on travel across borders. The Knights will still receive a sop for their qualification, namely the prize pool and SI Points as if they had participated in the event, ranking anywhere between the thirteenth and sixteenth.
The format includes a group stage (which have been created based on the seed – or the placement – of each team in the regular season), which will be played from 16 to 18 August; then the best two of each group will clash in the two days of Playoffs on August 20th and 21st; finally, the Grand Final will be disputed as usual the Sunday, August 22.
The format is a double round in the Italian style single bit (Bo1). The rules introduced at the beginning of the year apply: the victory is worth 3 points; if reached the extra 2 points. Defeat in extra time is worth 1 point. Eight teams will advance to the knockout stage.All quarter-final and semi-final matches will be played at best of the three maps (Bo3). The final will instead be one unmissable Bo5. The champion team will be able to take home 200,000 Dollars (and 375 points for the world ranking that will allow access to the Six Invitational 2022), while the runner up “only” 80,000.
The sixteen … no, fifteen mariachis
The teams, as we know, were originally supposed to be sixteen. The first four of each region into which the imaginary competitive hemisphere of R6 is divided.
Given the customs defection of the Knights, the tournament will continue with fifteen formations. Group B, in fact, will have only three teams. Let’s start our analysis from this, in spite of the alphabetical order.
Group B.
SpaceStation Gaming; Na’Vi, Fury.
After the debacle at the last Invitational and the farewell (not without controversy) of the former Canadian flag, the former 2020 world champions are back on track to regain their place on the scene that really matters. The roster has changed very little and their recent results (first in the NA League) confirm their good form. Of course, they will still have to contend with a particularly difficult bone like that of the Na’Vi who, even if they reached third parties for the broken cap at the last EU League, are opponents not to be underestimated, with the twenty three years old Doki named MVP of the championship four times. THE Fury they are perhaps among the least expected teams or, at least, with few ambitions for this Major despite the fact that the Brazilian scene continues to churn out great talents. Let’s say for this group the two slots for the quarters seem to have already been booked.
Group A
Cyclops, BDS, Soniqs, Team oNe.
The A appears to be a rather unfathomable group. On the one hand we find the Japanese Cyclopstheir participation is now a certainty, not their possibilities. As usual, we will probably see them in the back-up positions. The same, potentially, we could say it of oNe, despite the latter having managed to keep up with the NiP world champions in the finals of the Brazilian Copa Elite Six. Here, however, the level rises and the goal will not be the same.
Perhaps the carioca players will be able to play their chances of passing at least as the best seconds of the group, given that among the least quoted there are also the Soniqs Susquehanna, young training and with very little, intangible international experience. Out of the chorus, of course, they stand out as soloists the French BDS, now a regular presence since their definitive exploit at the 2020 Invitational (where they finished at the foot of the podium). Of course, they haven’t shone this season but in this group they are definitely the team with the best chance of passing as smoothly as before.
Group C (round of death, part 1)
NiP, G2, DarkZero, DamWon Gaming
Here things get terribly serious. THE G2, recently back as protagonists of the European scene after the farewell of Pengu (now only content creator) and lo transfer to the bench of two veterans like Kantoraketti and UUNO, are preparing to do battle also in this Major. The two new additions to the roster after Kayak, namely the Germans Jonka And Hungry, seem to have given that solidity and freshness to the team that has been missing for some time. It is no coincidence that in the EU League they have returned to tease the historical rivals Empire, making their life difficult and ending only one length from the Russians, who we will see in group D.
On the other hand, the competition in Mexico will be very fierce: the Ninja world champions in Pajamas will not discount anyone and will try to maintain the unbeatenability even in this Major. The runner ups, but no less dangerous, are the American DarkZero, of uncomfortable customers at international events. The Koreans, on the other hand, are unknown DamWon Gaming. Although the Asian scene has never given great champions, this team is not to be underestimated. They could give us some big surprises. Forecasts? NiP and G2 favorites for the passage of the round, with a small percentage in favor of the DarkZero for the fight in second place.
Group D (the round of death, part 2)
Team SoloMid, Invictus, Empire, Team Liquid
The last group is unanimously defined the circle of death. For real. If the Invictus, who qualified from the APAC Playoff loser bracket, are almost an “alien” presence, a different speech must be made for the other three teams in the race. The Empire, apart from Always arrived last year, they have always been the same for over three years.
Now they play by heart and after a period of decompression after the feast of celebrities a couple of years ago they are once again confirming themselves at the highest competitive levels. For us they are the team to beat, at least in this group. Liquid and SoloMid instead they are unknowns. They both appear solid enough but probably unable to aspire to great results. There are certainly many more popular teams than them.
Danny Trejo approves Twitch Drops
As usual, we repeat, you can enjoy the show of Major Mexico entirely in Italian. By connecting to Twitch, then, you can also receive the usual drops that will reward your loyalty based on the hours of viewing by unlocking cosmetic objects for Nomad and Castle, as well as unpublished pendants and objects for Blitz and Alibi.
To receive the packs you will need to keep in mind that you need to link your Ubisoft account with that of Twitch and that you will receive a package every 4 hours of viewing. You will have a lot of time available, since the games, at least for the group stages, will start every day at 17.00 and will end at 3.30 at night. Have fun!