It’s time to have a look at our second group -- Group B -- and learn about how each of the four teams made their way to the Invitational.
Team Liquid (LATAM) :
While it has only been two weeks since Team Liquid acquired the MOPA roster, the Brazilian superstars are no stranger to the competitive scene. The team, comprising of neskwga, ziG, yuuk, Bullet1, and xS3xycake, started off their first Pro League season (Y2S1) in style, finishing second to PENTA Sports at the LAN finals. Their success continued in Y2S2, securing yet another Semi-Final appearance at the LAN finals, this time losing to North American side Elevate. While unable to make it to LAN in Y2S3, they are coming into the Six Invitational ready to show the world they belong at the top.
Bolstered by their acquisition from Team Liquid, the players will not only be looking to prove their worth, but also show that they are the team to beat in Group B.
We are pleased to announce our entry into Rainbow Six!
Temos o prazer de anunciar nossa entrada no cenário de Rainbow Six
| https://t.co/Hr8pnpSu58 pic.twitter.com/du6X9a54Xg
— Team Liquid (@TeamLiquid) January 15, 2018
Rogue (NA) :
Similarly to Team Liquid, Rogue has recently hit a rough patch playing against their regional competitors. The team, consisting of Ecl9pse, Avian, Slashug, Easilyy, and Bryan, were unable to make it to LAN in Y2S3, as well as secure a spot to Canada via the open online qualifiers. Last year though, under the eRa banner, they had performed extremely well and only narrowly lost in the finals of the inaugural Invitational against Continuum (now Evil Geniuses).
In Year 2, Rogue qualified for two back-to-back LAN finals. In Season 1, they were sent packing in the Quarter-Finals by the LATAM side V3 Masters, and in Season 2, were doomed to repeat the same fate, this time at the hands of the Team Liquid roster. Since then, Yung has returned to the Evil Geniuses roster, and KingGeorge has unfortunately had to take a step back from professional gaming. This opened up spots for Bryan, and more recently, Easilyy to enter the squad.
In North America, Rogue has always been considered as a juggernaut, and fan favorite. They have demonstrated exactly why they deserve to be at the top by placing second in NA in Y2S1 and S2, and 3rd/4th in S3. As such, they have earned themselves an invite to the Invitational.
I am so excited to be attending another LAN, 5 lans 5 different teams, I am a different breed, but seriously huge thank you to everyone for the support and to ubi for giving us this opportunity. #RogueWin
— kevin🤙🏼 (@Easilyy_) January 15, 2018
Mindfreak (APAC) :
The Australian side Mindfreak emerged as victors in a tough contest for the APAC LAN Qualifiers. The organization is no stranger to the Invitational, having competed last year on Xbox. This year they are back, on PC, with Acez being the only player on the team from the original main roster.
Acez, and the rest of the team consisting of Lusty, RizRaz, Magnet, and Kngz, all came up huge for their team in moments where their qualification looked in serious jeopardy. During the LAN event in Sydney, Mindfreak took the first series over Team CryptiK. Next up was the Korean side mantisFPS. On the final map, while losing 3-4, Lusty pulled off an impressive last-second 1v3 clutch to push the team to overtime, where they eventually won.
1 year ago I made a promise to @NakeeeZe and @MF_RiGZ. That @MindfreakPro would be back on the #SixInvitational stage for @Rainbow6Game, That journey included changing platforms from xbox to PC, a lot of sacrifices and some new friends along the way. See you all there as promised pic.twitter.com/gQMeFfiHwg
— Dizzle - Mindfreak #SixInvitational🇨🇦 (@DizzlewithaJ) January 21, 2018
In the Grand Final, Mindfreak faced CryptiK again. This time, things started off poorly for them as they lost the first map, before coming back with a strong 5-0 win on the second map. With the series tied, the map Kafe would decide who secured their spot to the Invitational. Both teams showed strong performances, but ultimately Mindfreak managed to win 5-3.
Room Factory (EU) :
The Russian side’s lineup consists of Shockwave, ShepparD, JoyStiCK, REDGROOVE, and PWN3F. Their qualification for the Invitational makes them the first team from their country to play an international LAN event in Rainbow Six Siege.
After having finished first in the Y2S3 Challenger League, the team had failed in their attempt to achieve promotion to the Pro League. Undeterred, they pressed on and finished a strong third in the EU Open Ladder.
Congratulations to @ROOMFACTORY1! They win 3-1 over #Patokalipsa and have earned themselves a spot in the Invitational! See you in Montreal! pic.twitter.com/W7QgukEEKa
— Rainbow Six Esports (@R6ProLeague) January 11, 2018
In the playoffs, they took down Team Requiem in the “Quarter-Finals”, before moving on to the “Semi-Finals”. There, they faced fellow Challenger League team sO-On. Room Factory showed determination and beat them 2-0 to move on to the Bo5 “Final”. Up against them were the 15th seed Patokalipsa from Poland, a team that no one had expected to see in the final. Room Factory, though, proved to be the superior side with a 3-1 win.
They will be looking to carry the Russian flag high in Canada, and while still not a Pro League side, they are definitely not a team to be underestimated.
For the latest updates, please visit the Rainbow Six Esports Twitter page or Subreddit.
