Our favourite news and highlights from A/NZ Esports this week!
Australia and New Zealand esports has a huge helping of exciting news this week — as well as some cracking highlights. In the CSGO, Tainted Minds managed to extend their undefeated streak in the ESEA MDL. In League of Legends the OPL finally has a clear leader thanks to a showdown between Order and the Dire Wolves. Elsewhere LPL opened launched their Esports Broadcast Studio in Auckland, and two OCE PUBG teams have secured spots in separate overseas competitions.
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CSGO – ESEA MDL Season 27
Order and Tainted Minds continued a dominant run through ESEA’s MDL Season 27, as both teams won their games. Order has been churning through the games ahead of their trip to IEM Katowice, but Tainted Minds remains the only team undefeated in the competition so far. The team formerly known as Sin Gaming (the crew is currently looking for an Org) looked like they could have been the first to break the streak, but the green machine secured the win anyway. Watch Ins go huge to give TM a late lead on Train — be sure to keep an eye out for Yam’s disgusting no scope shot as well.
League of Legends – OPL Week 4
This was a much better week for the OPL, as every single team slogged it out in close matches. Avant Gaming squeaked past Tectonic in a 2-1 victory. The Chiefs defeated Legacy 2-1 as well, which was very reminiscent of the old days when those two juggernauts would meet in the finals for a slobberknocker. The Bombers took a map off Sin Gaming, which means they’ve tasted victory now — but they still lost overall 2-1. And the marquee match-up of the week saw Dire Wolves and Order duke it out — whoever won would secure first place on the ladder. The 2-1 trend continued here as well, as Dire Wolves got up, Order hit back and then DW reminded everyone who the big dogs are in the OPL. The arrogance on display from both teams was something to behold, you can tell both sides back themselves all the way. Watch as Order contests the Baron, DW over-extends while shoving Order out, Order over-extends trying to punish and then K1ng dumps all over everyone to wrap it up.
Letsplay.Live Opens Esports Broadcast Studio at Sky Tower in Auckland, New Zealand
Letsplay.Live, in a partnership with SKYCITY Entertainment Group, has opened Australasia’s first direct-to-television esports studio at the Sky Tower in Auckland.
Head to the news story for more details, and scope their ‘making of’ video below.
Before we wrap this week, congratulations to two Aussie PUBG teams are in order this week. Tainted Minds is heading to Bucharest to compete in the PGL-PUBG Invitational, and Athletico Esports will be heading to the Ukraine for the StarSeries i-League PUBG Invitational!
Hit us up in the comments or on twitter if you think I missed any of the best highlights!
Joab Gilroy is an Australian-based freelancer that specialises in competitive online games and chicken dinner acquisition. You can tweet at him here.
