Arena of Valor (AoV) - Valor Series, AOG Winter Championships Concluded, 16 Teams Decided for AIC 2018 (Esports Roundup November 11, 2018)

The Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC) 2018 regional qualifiers have ended. Now, 16 teams are set to duke it out and raise the banners of their respective regions in yet another pinnacle of the game's competitive landscape since the Arena of Valor World Cup (AWC) 2018.

Overview

The regional qualifiers for the Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC) 2018 have concluded as 16 teams are set to vie for dominance in the game’s biggest competitive stage yet. AIC 2018 will be held  Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam and Bangkok, Thailand. Boasting a record-breaking prize pool of $600,000 USD, the tournament will run from November 23 to December 16, 2018.

Valor Series

Nova Esports Crowned Valor Series Europe Champion

Source: Arena of Valor Facebook

Nova Esports defeated rivals Bubble Team at the Valor Series Europe grand finals to secure the AIC 2018 ticket for their region. Despite Bubble Team displaying early consistency to put game 1 in the bag, Nova Esports answered back with calculated pick-offs of their opponent’s squishy heroes.

Key to Nova Esports’ momentum was their impressive turnaround during game 3. Excellent calm and coordination to defend their core led to the near total annihilation of Bubble Team (with Darkbreaker on the Omen the only one left alive). With no time to respawn for Bubble Team, Nova Esports was able to sprint to their core and close out the third game.

Nova Esports went on to win a clearly one-sided game 4 against a shaken Bubble Team who were completely swept in just a little over 10 minutes. Nova Esports will  represent Europe in AIC 2018.

Nova Esports Emerges Victorious at Valor Series Latin America

Source: Arena of Valor Facebook

Nova Esports and GeO Esports played a well-matched game during the Valor Series Latin America finals to decide which team will be declared the representatives of the region at AIC 2018.

Throughout the course of the matches, both teams displayed early aggressiveness and frequently engaged in team fights. Employing good protection of their jungler, Nova Esports was able to take the first game just after a requested (technical) pause from GeO Esports. Game 2 was a different picture for the previous victors, as SrMusTer found himself easily picked-off and constantly under threat from GeO Esports’ Violet, Raz and Maloch. GeO Esports eventually took the second game to tie the series.

Game 3 saw Nova Esports’ SrMusTer kick the aggression up a notch on Lindis, being very slippery and stacking up on damage to easily mow down all but the tanky heroes like Liliana and Maloch from GeO Esports. Nova Esports bagged game 3 to push themselves into match point.

With a do-or-die match coming up at game 4, GeO Esports turned things around by winning majority of their team fights despite a share of their own slip-ups. Compounded by the fact that Nova Esports missed every objective besides towers, GeO Esports evened the score again to go into a tie-breaker.

The last game proved very interesting for the side of Nova Esports as they now introduced a Natalya in the mix, keeping in-check GeO Esports’ players from bunching up or otherwise be killed in masses. Approaching 18 minutes in the game, GeO Esports’ Angra made a critical misplay on the Skud by not committing to the last team fight to turn things around for the team near the Abyssal Dragon. Capitalizing on these turn of events, Nova Esports rushed to their opponent’s core to take the Latin America championship.

Allegiance Reigns Supreme at Valor Series North America

Source: Arena of Valor Facebook

AWC 2018 veterans Allegiance asserted their claim to the AIC 2018 ticket, defeating Tribe Gaming at the Valor Series North America grand finals with a 3-0 sweep.

Game 1 was a good start for Tribe Gaming as Zane on the Violet was able to score early kills against Allegiance, in addition to his team having a very significant lead in objectives. Unfortunately, a clear lack of coordination at the bot lane high ground tower of Allegiance cost Tribe Gaming a heartbreaking wipe. Holding their ground, Allegiance took the opportunity to plow through their opponent’s mid lane and straight into Tribe Gaming’s core.

Using the momentum, Allegiance also dominated in game 2, though still keen to focus on objectives as they employed a dual marksman setup (Wisp and Valhein). A laudable triple kill from Allegiance’s Sleepy on the Jinnar assured his team the opportunity to strike at Tribe Gaming’s core to win game 2.

Maintaining their precision play, Allegiance were also in control in game 3. Tribe Gaming’s tenacity during the early stages of the game allowed them to take 2 Abyssal Dragons, though they easily lined up on a self-sustaining Moren’s sights played by Rocker. A final siege with rains of damage from Ignis and Moren at the gates of Tribe Gaming’s core eventually snagged them the North America title and an invitation to represent their region at the world stage once again at AIC 2018.

The Valor Series playoffs were held in São Paulo, Brazil from November 9-10. You can catch the action on the official Arena of Valor Facebook page.

Team Flash Wins AOG 2018 Winter Championship

Team Flash defeated Swing Phantom at the Arena of Glory (AOG) 2018 Winter grand finals. The former team’s dominating performance ended with a 4-1 record to end the series and a slot at the AIC 2018.

Game 1 saw good plays from Team Flash’s ADC on the Kriknak despite being susceptible to being burst down himself from Swing Phantom’s offensive lineup. Their focus on objectives gave them the boost snowball their way in team fights and eventually destroying Swing Phantom’s core. They would bank on this momentum in game 2 and 3 as well to be at match point in the finals.

Swing Phantom would go on to turn things around at game 4 against Team Flash’s dual marksman setup (Violet and Elsu). They established an early kill lead well over 5 minutes in the game, as well as consistently securing the Abyssal Dragon and Dark Slayer. They took game 4 to keep themselves alive for the next match. The hype was short-lived however, as Team Flash returned the favor while still on match point in game 5 to secure the AOG 2018 Winter Championship title.

As per the AIC’s arrangements, Swing Phantom will also be invited to the tournament to serve as the region’s second representative.

AIC Qualified Teams

The following teams have qualified for the Arena of Valor International Championship (AIC) 2018:

Group Stage:

  • Bazaar Gaming (Thailand)
  • AHQ e-Sports Club (South Korea)
  • J Team (Taiwan)
  • Team Flash (Vietnam)

Knockout Stage Teams:

  • ALPHA Red (Thailand)
  • Toyota Diamond Cobra (Thailand)
  • Flash Wolves (Taiwan)
  • Swing Phantom (Vietnam)
  • OverClockerS (Vietnam)
  • Saudara e-Sports (Indonesia)
  • Oh My God (China)
  • Exdee Gaming (India)
  • Team Tamago (MSP)
  • Nova Esports EU (Europe)
  • Allegiance (North America)
  • Nova Esports LatAm (South America)

Road to AIC Coverage

Post-AWC Coverage

Arena of Valor (AoV) Recommended Article List

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