This week saw the crowning of the PCS 2020 Summer Split champions. It all began last Friday with the Upper Bracket Semifinals match between PSG Talon (PSG) and Machi Esports (MCX). Prior to the start of the match, both teams had played each other 16 times on stage; winning 8 apiece, in this calendar year and established their rivalry as a true “El Clasico” of the PCS.
The two teams were best known for their head-to-head matches going the length of all five games in the past and it was no surprise that history repeated itself, with MCX almost mounting a sensational reverse sweep. PSG was up 2-0 heading into Game 3 and most would have been forgiven thinking they’d break tradition to sweep MCX, especially after a surprise decision by MCX to bench its Bot laner, Bruce to bring on Atlen. Back in Spring, Atlen had played for Alpha Esports but was part of the massive clearout and found a new home with MCX in Summer as a substitute for MCX’s Bot lane.
This was Atlen’s first game for MCX the entire split and PSG certainly did not expect his Ashe’s Enchanted Crystal Arrow that caught Unified while PSG, with a Baron buff, was sieging MCX’s Inhibitor Tower. This presented an opportunity for MCX to go all-in with their engage, winning a teamfight leaving PSG Kaiwing as the only escapee. With the death timers on PSG side hitting over 40 seconds, it was more than enough time for MCX to push straight into the Nexus & turn the game around. PSG 2-1 MCX. Game on.
Atlen showed up big time yet again with Ashe in Game 4 alongside his Mid laner Mission who both managed to pick up early kills against PSG to snowball their way to tie the series 2-2. The famous Silver Scrapes tune was queued and yet another Game 5 was to be played by these rivals.
Unfortunately for MCX, PSG rediscovered their winning touch with River securing 3 kills within the first 10 minutes to put his team ahead. By the 25 minutes, River had 6 kills and PSG was up almost by eight thousand gold and pushed on to prevent the reverse sweep. PSG won the Upper Bracket Finals 3-2 and secured the first of two Worlds 2020 spots available for the PCS.
MCX had no time to ponder about their missed opportunity as they dropped to the Lower Bracket Semi-finals to meet Taipei J Team (JT) the next day.
Both teams had met earlier in the Summer Playoffs Round 2. JT was heavily favored but fell to MCX 3-1. The Lower Bracket Semifinals had plenty at stake, with the qualification for Worlds 2020 and a chance to challenge PSG in the Grand Finals, MCX came into the match with fire in their belly. They wasted no time against JT, sweeping them 3-0 with each game lasting no longer than 30 minutes each, the fastest Best-of-5 series in PCS history. MCX secured its tickets to Worlds 2020 as well as an opportunity to avenge their defeat against PSG in the Grand Finals.
It was all too familiar in the Grand Finals, PSG vs MCX, a repeat of the Spring Finals but this time, it was MCX that had to secure their spot from the Lower Bracket. Buoyed by their qualification for the Worlds 2020 as well as the desire to banish their demons in the form of PSG, MCX came into the Grand Finals firing on all cylinders. PSG played a slightly different game than usual, being especially pro-active during the laning phase to secure early kills but MCX was able to punish PSG’s aggression time after time which was especially evident in Game 1. MCX turned Game 1 around with exceptional coordination and teamfighting, picking off Tank who was found out of position all too often.
In Game 2, MCX Gemini played the best game of his life to keep his team ahead in kills, but PSG played better around objectives and managed to get ahead in gold despite the being behind on the kills scoreboard. With both teams only needing just one Infernal drake to secure soul point, PSG River sneakily took the soul against the run of play while MCX was distracted. MCX had no right beating PSG from that point on, but a fight broke out in the top lane due to Hanabi’s overextension. Hanabi was then caught out by PK’s Call of the Forge God followed by Mission’s insane Shockwave that pulled three other PSG players together, allowing the rest of MCX to decimate PSG. MCX grabbed the opportunity with both hands to push onto PSG’s Nexus to secure the match point.
With the traditional script thrown out of the window, MCX wanted a clean sweep and subbed in Bruce, who came back as the starting Bot laner in the Grand Finals. He stepped up to play aggressively against PSG and his efforts paid off. With PSG being unable to match MCX’s aggression, PSG ultimately failed to defend their Spring Split Championship title and was completely outplayed by MCX in the Grand Finals.
After 11 games in 3 days over the weekend, MCX emerged as the PCS 2020 Summer Split Champions, their first-ever domestic title after 7 years of competing in the PCS and LMS.
Both MCX and PSG will be representing the PCS region at Worlds 2020 in Shanghai.
For the Top Five highlight plays of the week, please check out the video here:
Match of the Week - PSG vs MCX (Finals Game 2)
Player of the week - PSG Unified
Full match week results
Publishers or Game Developers can send their press release on our site, simply follow the guide here: https://pinoygamer.ph/pages/press
The two teams were best known for their head-to-head matches going the length of all five games in the past and it was no surprise that history repeated itself, with MCX almost mounting a sensational reverse sweep. PSG was up 2-0 heading into Game 3 and most would have been forgiven thinking they’d break tradition to sweep MCX, especially after a surprise decision by MCX to bench its Bot laner, Bruce to bring on Atlen. Back in Spring, Atlen had played for Alpha Esports but was part of the massive clearout and found a new home with MCX in Summer as a substitute for MCX’s Bot lane.
This was Atlen’s first game for MCX the entire split and PSG certainly did not expect his Ashe’s Enchanted Crystal Arrow that caught Unified while PSG, with a Baron buff, was sieging MCX’s Inhibitor Tower. This presented an opportunity for MCX to go all-in with their engage, winning a teamfight leaving PSG Kaiwing as the only escapee. With the death timers on PSG side hitting over 40 seconds, it was more than enough time for MCX to push straight into the Nexus & turn the game around. PSG 2-1 MCX. Game on.
Atlen showed up big time yet again with Ashe in Game 4 alongside his Mid laner Mission who both managed to pick up early kills against PSG to snowball their way to tie the series 2-2. The famous Silver Scrapes tune was queued and yet another Game 5 was to be played by these rivals.
Unfortunately for MCX, PSG rediscovered their winning touch with River securing 3 kills within the first 10 minutes to put his team ahead. By the 25 minutes, River had 6 kills and PSG was up almost by eight thousand gold and pushed on to prevent the reverse sweep. PSG won the Upper Bracket Finals 3-2 and secured the first of two Worlds 2020 spots available for the PCS.
MCX had no time to ponder about their missed opportunity as they dropped to the Lower Bracket Semi-finals to meet Taipei J Team (JT) the next day.
Both teams had met earlier in the Summer Playoffs Round 2. JT was heavily favored but fell to MCX 3-1. The Lower Bracket Semifinals had plenty at stake, with the qualification for Worlds 2020 and a chance to challenge PSG in the Grand Finals, MCX came into the match with fire in their belly. They wasted no time against JT, sweeping them 3-0 with each game lasting no longer than 30 minutes each, the fastest Best-of-5 series in PCS history. MCX secured its tickets to Worlds 2020 as well as an opportunity to avenge their defeat against PSG in the Grand Finals.
It was all too familiar in the Grand Finals, PSG vs MCX, a repeat of the Spring Finals but this time, it was MCX that had to secure their spot from the Lower Bracket. Buoyed by their qualification for the Worlds 2020 as well as the desire to banish their demons in the form of PSG, MCX came into the Grand Finals firing on all cylinders. PSG played a slightly different game than usual, being especially pro-active during the laning phase to secure early kills but MCX was able to punish PSG’s aggression time after time which was especially evident in Game 1. MCX turned Game 1 around with exceptional coordination and teamfighting, picking off Tank who was found out of position all too often.
In Game 2, MCX Gemini played the best game of his life to keep his team ahead in kills, but PSG played better around objectives and managed to get ahead in gold despite the being behind on the kills scoreboard. With both teams only needing just one Infernal drake to secure soul point, PSG River sneakily took the soul against the run of play while MCX was distracted. MCX had no right beating PSG from that point on, but a fight broke out in the top lane due to Hanabi’s overextension. Hanabi was then caught out by PK’s Call of the Forge God followed by Mission’s insane Shockwave that pulled three other PSG players together, allowing the rest of MCX to decimate PSG. MCX grabbed the opportunity with both hands to push onto PSG’s Nexus to secure the match point.
With the traditional script thrown out of the window, MCX wanted a clean sweep and subbed in Bruce, who came back as the starting Bot laner in the Grand Finals. He stepped up to play aggressively against PSG and his efforts paid off. With PSG being unable to match MCX’s aggression, PSG ultimately failed to defend their Spring Split Championship title and was completely outplayed by MCX in the Grand Finals.
After 11 games in 3 days over the weekend, MCX emerged as the PCS 2020 Summer Split Champions, their first-ever domestic title after 7 years of competing in the PCS and LMS.
Both MCX and PSG will be representing the PCS region at Worlds 2020 in Shanghai.
For the Top Five highlight plays of the week, please check out the video here:
Match of the Week - PSG vs MCX (Finals Game 2)
Player of the week - PSG Unified
Full match week results
Publishers or Game Developers can send their press release on our site, simply follow the guide here: https://pinoygamer.ph/pages/press
