PUBG: OATH win ESL Masters Americas ahead of PCS5
ESL
OATH secured first place in the ESL PUBG Masters Americas Grand Final. Their victory has set the stage for an even larger competition, PUBG Continental Series 5.
PUBG Esports hasn’t slowed down since the completion of the PCS4 Americas Grand Final. Over the last two weekends, the ESL PUBG Masters Americas Grand Final played host to sixteen of the region’s best teams. Prize money and PGC Points were up for grabs and the competition exceeded expectations as teams fought for their share.
The money is always a nice reward, especially for those competing independently, but the real prize is the PGC Points. Following the PCS5 Americas Grand Final, we’ll know the six teams who will represent the region at the 2021 PUBG Global Championship. PUBG’s biggest event of the year draws the greatest teams in the world, producing an incredible finale to the season.
ESL PUBG Masters: Americas Grand Final
This past weekend, the ESL PUBG Masters presented some interesting results, rearranging the standings we would have envisioned coming into this event. Some of the region’s strongest squads struggled, while a handful of up-and-coming teams left their mark.
Young Kings, Gascans, and Fiumba all overachieved considering the strong opposition they faced. Meanwhile, the Soniqs, Spacestation Gaming, and Dignitas had a tough time finding their footing. Three teams expected to perform at a high level each and every tournament failed to do so this time around. For at least one of these squads, the roster changes have already begun. Ultimately, it was OATH that rose to the occasion and settled into the top of the leaderboard. The team crowned themselves ESL PUBG Masters Phase 2 Americas Grand Final Champions behind two solid weekly performances.
Scores across two weekly series were combined to determine the winning team – OATH claimed first during Week One and sixth during Week Two. The team’s consistent performance all around earned them their first tournament trophy since the ‘Most Chickens’ format adaptation. The format has affected every squad differently, but OATH truly seems to be coming into their own. We already knew about the individual skill and ability on OATH’s roster, however, this win cements them into the conversation as a top contender moving into PCS5.
OATH’s success wasn’t the only takeaway from this two-week event. The defending three-time PCS winners and PGI.S Champs struggled to get the ball rolling throughout this event. Soniqs entered the ESL PUBG Masters as overwhelming favorites, especially considering the team’s regional and international success this season. Viewed as the gold standard in the Americas region, Soniqs are due for a massive comeback during PCS5.
Looking ahead to PCS5
Exiting the ESL PUBG Masters Americas Grand Final, there is a handful of questions left unanswered. We have the resurgence of OATH and TSM FTX, two teams I’m confident can challenge for the PCS5 top position. Behind that, the Gascans and Young Kings delivered some impressive results that we can’t undervalue moving ahead. They haven’t moved into the conversation with the region’s “big-five” just yet, but deserve credit for an excellent outing during the ESL PUBG Masters Grand Final.
Obviously, the most pressing questions surround the teams who experienced a subpar series during this event. PCS5 is going to be the most important tournament of the season for most of these teams. Each team’s play during this upcoming event will help determine who gets invited to the PUBG Global Championship. The event that every PUBG Esports player dreams of competing in. Looking over the current PGC Point standings, many of the region’s best teams currently sit on the bubble.
Teams who have fallen behind in the PGC Point race still have a chance to represent their region on the big stage. It won’t be easy, but the PCS5 Americas Grand Final Champion will earn a direct invite to the 2021 PUBG Global Championship. In addition to the PCS5 Champion, the highest-ranked team from the sub-region (NA, LATAM) that doesn’t win PCS5 also earns an invite. This ensures that both sub-regions have a team at the biggest event of the year. The remaining four invites are given to the teams with the most PGC Points.
PCS5 will be here before we know it, Open Qualifiers have already begun meaning that the Group Stage isn’t far behind. You can follow all of the action on PUBG Esports’ social channels or on the Dexerto coverage hub.