Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment
The Chengdu Hunters went from mediocre, yet exciting, in 2019 to outright homely in 2020. But the league’s meta has shifted to a quicker tempo and, with out notice, everyone’s favourite masters of chaos possess won three straight in the previous two weeks.
The Hunters done 2019 at 13-15. Regardless of in conjunction with a extremely touted rookie DPS, Leave, in the offseason, they were 4-14 thru 23 weeks of 2020 movement. After beating the Unusual York Excelsior 3-2 in Week 24 followed by the Seoul Dynasty (3-2) and Hangzhou Spark (3-0) this weekend, Chengdu has now overcome extra than one top-10 teams and proved that it would no longer hesitate to possess interplay advantage of dysfunction.
With Genji defining the meta and LateYoung settled in as the team’s flex-tank, the Hunters look extra cushy than ever. Working Leave and JinMu at DPS, Ameng and LateYoung at tank and Molly and Yveltal at improve—Chengdu hasn’t well-known to get a substitution in two weeks.
Right here’s another week of excessive-octane disarray conducted out, with some analysis of the Hunters’ top performs and outlook heading in opposition to the OWL postseason.
Friday, July 24
Atlanta Reign 3-1 Boston Insurrection
Florida Mayhem 1-3 San Francisco Shock
Saturday, July 25
Seoul Dynasty 2-3 Chengdu Hunters
Shanghai Dragons 3-2 London Spitfire
Unusual York Excelsior 3-0 Guangzhou Payment
San Francisco Shock 3-0 Vancouver Titans
Florida Mayhem 3-0 Washington Justice
Boston Insurrection 1-3 Dallas Gasoline
Philadelphia Fusion 3-2 Los Angeles Gladiators
Sunday, July 26
Chengdu Hunters 3-0 Hangzhou Spark
Shanghai Dragons 3-0 Seoul Dynasty
Los Angeles Gladiators 0-3 Paris Eternal
Toronto Defiant 0-3 Philadelphia Fusion
Washington Justice 3-1 Houston Outlaws
Plump schedule and standings on hand right here.
Ameng is identified as the “Yottachad” as a result of his relentless self assurance in playstyle and prioritization of an unconventional hero love Wrecking Ball. In metas which were outlined by a slower, methodical tempo, this style hasn’t been very a hit. In a messy meta, his comfort in chaos is well-known—as evidenced by a come slapstick sequence of occasions in the match in opposition to Seoul.
With a constantly rotating flex-tank and lately unsure flex-improve, Chengdu’s momentum has repeatedly depended straight on the success of its brashest players, Ameng and JinMu. Whereas JinMu excelled in 2019 and emerged as an All-Neatly-known particular person, this season has been shakier.
But the projectile DPS and his associate, the hitscan-leaning Leave, get a large pairing, as every are cushy running Genji despite every having his most current style. With Leave locking down hitscan wants as Ashe and Ameng wreaking sporadic destruction, JinMu proved why Genji is so deadly in Chengdu’s match in opposition to Hangzhou.
Genji nerfs are likely coming, nonetheless nothing is sure. That’s ideal for Chengdu, which has proved that it could perhaps most likely thrive when improvising to the spontaneity of uncertainty. The Hunters’ unusual season is over, so now they head in opposition to the playoffs with extra momentum than they’ve had all year.
The 2020 playoffs will award $1.5 million for first situation, $750,000 for 2nd and $450,000 for third. These numbers have not been in particular relevant to Chengdu this season nonetheless, meta withstanding, they indubitably are now.
