Editors note: This story has been updated to show that Bren Esports will not attend the tournament.
Following months of qualifier after qualifier (after an even bigger qualifier), we’ve reached the end of summer and its final destination: VALORANT Masters Berlin.
There will be 15 of the best teams in the world from seven regions (after Bren Esports’ visa issues) that embark to Germany to capture the trophy and automatic qualification to the upcoming world championship. As a bonus, the winning team will also secure an extra spot at Champions, for their respective region.
As we count down to curtain opening in Berlin, I will guide you through each of the 15 teams vying for masters victory about their roster, map pool and the burning questions surrounding them.
Vivo Keyd starting lineup
Olavo “heat” Marcelo (Brazil)
Agents played (past 60 days): Jett (34)
Signature agent: Jett
Stats on Jett (past 60 days):
- 261.9 Average Combat Score
- 1.45 Kill:Death ratio
- 0.99 Kills Per Round
- +45 First Kills-to-First Deaths (134 FK, 89 FD)
Murillo “murizzz” Tuchtenhagen (Brazil)
Agents played (past 60 days): Skye (13), Reyna (7), Sage (6), Phoenix (4), Raze (3), Viper (1)
Signature agent: Reyna
Stats on Reyna (past 60 days):
- 237.6 ACS
- 1.15 K:D
- 0.83 KPR
- Even First Kills-to-First Deaths (21 FK, 21 FD)
Gabriel “v1xen” Martins (Brazil)
Agents played (past 60 days): Astra (14), Viper (13), Brimstone (4), Omen (3)
Signature agent: Viper
Stats on Viper (past 60 days):
- 199.4 ACS
- 1.24 K:D
- 0.72 KPR
Lucas “ntk” Martins (Brazil)
Agents played (past 60 days): Sova (31), Sage (3)
Signature agent: Sova
Stats on Sova (past 60 days):
- 221.2 ACS
- 1.17 K:D
- 0.73 KPR
Jonathan “Jhow” Glória (Brazil)
Agents played (past 60 days): Killjoy (21), Viper (6), Cypher (4), Sage (3)
Signature agent: Killjoy
Stats on Killjoy (past 60 days):
- 164.6 ACS
- 0.82 K:D
- 0.57 KPR
Stage 3 Map Pool
Breeze: 4-0, 100% (78% Attack Round Win, 50% Defense Round Win)
Icebox: 7-2, 78% (52% ATK, 64% DEF)
Ascent: 4-2, 67% (46% ATK, 64% DEF)
Split: 2-1, 66% (45% ATK, 53% DEF)
Bind: 3-3, 50% (55% ATK, 52% DEF)
Haven: 3-3, 50% (53% ATK, 46% DEF)
My player to watch: heat
In a tournament that ace Jett players could define, Vivo Keyd believe they’re bringing one of the sharpest swords to the battle royal at Masters Berlin. What began as a loss in the first round of the upper bracket during the Berlin qualifiers turned into a showcase for Brazil’s newest VALORANT phenom: heat.
After that first loss, they were a game away from being ejected from the tournament entirely, tied 1-1 with Gamelanders Blue. Heat, though, took over in that last set and put up one of the mightiest individual performances we’ve seen yet in the game’s short history, throwing up 37 kills in a regulation 22-round contest. From there, the heat show only continued, burning through the rest of the lower bracket and culminating in not only Vivo Keyd’s qualification but the crowning of the new champions in Brazil.
When teams play against heat, they know what they’re getting. In the 127 professional games heat has recorded in his career, he’s played Jett in all of them. No Raze. No Phoenix. Don’t even think about Reyna.
You know heat will be playing Jett, regardless of the location or situation, but the real question isn’t what he’s going to lock in. It’s if you have any chance of stopping him when he does.
The big question going into Berlin: Can Vivo Keyd bring back confidence to a wilted Brazilian region?
Before the first-ever international Masters event in Reykjavik, Iceland, there seemed to be three major regions in VALORANT: North America, Europe and Brazil. North America and Europe had the most players, but Brazil, a fervent first-person shooting nation, believed their teams could compete and overcome the best their rival regions.
At the event itself, those top three regions both sent two teams each. And while Sentinels and Fnatic would break viewership records in the final, Brazilian fans were left disappointed and shell shocked by both of their teams failing to even make it into the top four of a tournament that only had 10 participants.
It was an embarrassment for a region with so much pride in its esports and the players they championed. Since Reykjavik, Brazil has been in a state of flux, trying to win back the energy they once possessed.
Vivo Keyd could be that team to bring that excitement back to Brazilian VALORANT. Not only do they have a mechanical duelist at the level of heat, who can match up with some of the better ace players in the world, this team, unlike its previous representatives, can play to the meta.
Astra befuddled the Brazilian teams in Iceland. Don’t expect that to happen twice with an adept controller in the middle of Vivo’s lineup, v1xen, having played her the most of any agent in Stage 3. They’re exciting, have a swagger to their play and seem prepared to at least give the Sentinels and Acends of the world a fight they won’t soon forget.
In Berlin, Vivo Keyd should be aiming for: Playoffs and bringing enthusiasm back to Brazilian VALORANT
O VIVO KEYD É BRASIL NO #VALORANTMasters 🇧🇷🇩🇪
Nossos guerreiros além de representarem as cores de nosso clube, também representarão as cores da bandeira brasileira em solo Europeu!
Vamos para a Alemanha com muita garra e dedicação para representar o nosso país! 🇧🇷#GoVK pic.twitter.com/B2MZX5zL3M
— Vivo Keyd Stars (@VivoKeyd) August 27, 2021
Vivo Keyd is a difficult team to place in the grand scheme of Masters Berlin. In terms of compositions, star players and an experienced IGL, they have the makings of a team that could surprise even the highest-ranked squads in Berlin. Still, there’s a bitter aftertaste following Brazil’s stumbles in Iceland with Team Vikings and Sharks, meaning it will be up to heat and the crew to regain the respect their region lost in the previous international affair.
Overall, this team is good enough (and scrappy enough) where my jaw wouldn’t drop to see them upend one of the favorites in a best-of-three. For Berlin, Vivo should focus on recalibrating their skill level next to the top teams and hopefully returning to Champions with even loftier goals.
All stats for this article provided by vlr.gg
