After the HCS Pro League Summer Qualifier, only two Halo Championship Series: Pro League spots remain. Over the weekend, eight teams traveled to the ESL studios in Burbank, California to fight for four HCS Pro League seats, and after a day full of Halo action, Renegades, Team EnVyUs, Team Allegiance, and Enigma 6 were left standing. Thanks to all who joined us for a tournament full of upsets, clean sweeps, trash talk, and everything in between. Here’s a look at how it all went down:
GROUP A
• Enigma 6
• Renegades
• Denial eSports
• Optic Gaming
Enigma 6 found themselves with a newly minted vigor after their performance at the PAX East Invitational. A reverse sweep of eLevate at the online portion of the Summer Qualifier paved their way to Burbank where they dominated the competition. E6 quickly swept Denial eSports in their first matchup and then went on to face Optic Gaming, where Cratos and Naded clashed yet again.
The last time these two teams met was the premier of both rosters at PAX East, where Optic came out on top with a score of 3-1. Cratos and Co. made sure that the Summer Qualifier went differently however, defeating Optic 4-1 in a tense series. Overall, E6 won both of their matches (7-1) to qualify for the HCS Pro League and are on their way to compete with the top teams in the world.
Renegades started off the day with their backs against the ropes. Their first foe, Optic Gaming, jumped out with an early 2-0 lead in the opening series, but RNG clawed their way back, forcing a Game 5. RNG then dug themselves a 10-kill deficit and were not able to recover, losing Plaza Slayer and the series, making their way to the losers bracket. RNG was then able to beat Denial eSports 3-1 and head to the losers bracket finals. With a Pro League spot on the line, RNG stepped back onto the stage to play Optic Gaming in a rematch. The first series between these two teams was close, but in the second, RNG swept Optic 4-0 and qualified for the HCS Pro League.
GROUP B
• Team Allegiance
• Team EnVyUs
• Soul Red
• Team Liquid
Allegiance had a relatively effortless road to the HCS Pro League in the final leg of the Summer Qualifier. ALG made quick work of Soul Red, winning the series 3-0 and advancing to the winners bracket finals where they went head to head against Team EnVyUs. ALG defeated nV 4-1, putting them at an impressive 2-0 (7-1) for the weekend and earning their spot among the best teams in North America.
Team EnVyUs was a force to be reckoned with at the PAX East Invitational, and proved themselves as one of the top North American teams after an intense struggle in the Summer Qualifier. nV defeated Team Liquid in their first match 3-1, which sent them on to battle ALG in the winners bracket finals. ALG got the best of them however, and nV was sent to the losers bracket after a rough 4-1 loss. With their tournament lives in the line, they were once again pitted against Team Liquid and took the match 4-0 to qualify for the HCS Pro League.
Team Liquid’s chances at qualifying for the Halo Pro League took a turn for the worst before the team even landed in California. APG was in a wreck the day he was flying out to Burbank that left him in a less than ideal circumstance.
TL struggled through the weekend and failed to qualify for the HCS Pro League after being swept by nV in the losers bracket finals. After the weekend was over, more information was released from APG himself regarding the status of his injury.
TL and a myriad of other teams have one last chance to make their way into the HCS Pro League. The Last Chance Qualifier on May 21-22 will award two teams the remaining spots, so be sure to sign your team up here or catch the broadcast on the the Halo Twitch channel.