The WorldGaming Championship Series saw some of the best Call of Duty players travel north to Toronto to compete for $50K (CAD). In what has become Canada’s annual event, eight teams fought through online qualifiers to reach the finals held in the city of Toronto. The pick-up squad “Yerr” managed to power their way through the tournament, taking a 3 – 1 victory in the finals against FaZe Clan Black.
With “Yerr” chants echoing in the theatre, the mixed team was the favorite to take the tournament. Don’t be fooled though — the roster was an all-star team composed of some of CWL Pro League’s best players.
Team Envy’s AR slayer Justin “SiLLY” Fargo-Palmer returned to Toronto for another WorldGaming finals. He was joined by two star members of eUnited, main AR Alec “Arcitys” Sanderson and SMG entry Tyler “aBeZy” Pharris. There were also Matthew “Skrapz” Marshall, AR slayer from Red Reserve, and Peirce “Gunless” Hillman, Luminosity Gaming’s MVP AR slayer and local Canadian favorite.
A mixed bag
While the prize pool and stakes weren’t the highest, a handful of pro teams and numerous amateur (AM) teams took this event as an opportunity. For pro teams, it was essential LAN practice, while for AMs, it was their chance at a spotlight.
Group stages played out in a GSL format with two groups consisting of four teams each. The eight teams that qualified were as follows (corresponding from left to right with the image below):
- FaZe Clan Black
- UYU
- Yerr
- Evil Geniuses
- Team War
- Nation of Power
- Cyclone
- Nemesis Esports
All-stars and the amateurs
Yerr’s road to the finals didn’t go without bumps. After beating Nation of Power, they were knocked down to the losers bracket by Cyclone in round two of the group stages. There, they faced Nation of Power once again, easily 3 – 0ing them this time. After dismantling Evil Geniuses in the semifinals, Yerr faced off against FaZe Clan Black.
https://twitter.com/WorldGaming/status/1115048056058023936
FaZe Clan Black were also favorites to take the tournament. Besides the addition of veteran Thomas “ZooMaa” Paparatto to the roster, the squad is the top amateur Call of Duty team. Coming off of a CWL Fort Worth Open tournament win, the squad is filled with talent. Despite falling to Evil Geniuses in round two of the group stages, FaZe Clan Black fought through to the finals. They quickly swept Cyclone for a chance to prove themselves against the all-star team. Despite a strong start to the series, Yerr’s raw talent proved to be too much for FaZe Clan Black.
A chill tournament
Despite technical difficulties and postponed matches on the first day, the WorldGaming Championship Series finals was nothing if not a fun event. While you didn’t have the roar of stadium-filled crowds, the passion for the game was still present. The smaller-scale event allowed for a more intimate atmosphere for fans to meet the professional players they look up to.
The amateur teams that participated hopefully gained some valuable experience. As for the professionals that attended, they received some additional LAN practice before the next CWL open major. April marks a halfway break for the season with more action returning after the month finishes. Stay updated with everything Call of Duty right here on Daily Esports.
