Eight of the biggest Game Changers teams in APAC will be battling it out, all vying for that one coveted berth in São Paulo, Brazil.
APAC –The stage is set for the VCT Game Changers APAC Elite event, running from October 9-15. It will spotlight eight of Asia’s best Game Changers teams, battling it out in a double-elimination bracket for a total prize pot of US$35,000. While six teams secured their spots based on circuit standings from their performances in the trio of Open tournaments, two found their way in through the Last Chance Qualifier.
The season’s pinnacle will see the victors jetting off to São Paulo to stand for the APAC region at the VCT Game Changers Global Championship this November.
The team list for VCT Game Changers APAC Elite is as follows:
| Team SMG | Rex Regum Qeon Kaguya |
| Orangutan X | SCYTHE NWJ |
| FULL SENSE Sapphire | GE Phoenix |
| MLT Esports GC | NYX Kyosei |
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Team SMG
Player to watch: Odella “enerii” Abraham
- 🇸🇬 Abigail “Kohaibi” Kong
- 🇵🇭 Kelly “shirazi” Jaudian
- 🇵🇭 Alexandria “Alexy” Francisco
- 🇵🇭 Camille “Kamiyu” Enriquez
- 🇮🇩 Odella “enerii” Abraham
- 🇮🇩 Ryona “Tarathiel” Tan
- 🇸🇬 Alex “falfalfal” Cheang (Coach)
Team SMG’s form is hard to ignore, capturing everyone’s attention with their impressive 30-0 streak since the season commenced in March, with no intention of slowing down.
In their streak of 30 series wins, only FULL SENSE Sapphire managed to give them a run for their money. Team SMG did concede four maps only to this team, which featured four members from the previous year’s Global Championship representatives but emerged victorious in every face-off.
The gaps continue to narrow, and as the saying goes, staying at the top is harder than reaching it. Nevertheless, Team SMG stand as the undeniable favorite.
FULL SENSE Sapphire
Player to watch: Chalita “Muffyn” Buathong
- 🇹🇭 Pornlapat “babytz” Wittayanan
- 🇹🇭 Patcharapron “poly” Sanitchai
- 🇹🇭 Sarindhorn “JinNy” Wanothayarnchai
- 🇹🇭 Chalita “Muffyn” Buathong
- 🇹🇭 Annitta “Alyssa” Peerwantanagul
- 🇹🇭 Yuranun “0bi” Sangurang (Coach)
FULL SENSE Sapphire are setting their sights on mirroring their prior year’s triumph on the Elite stage, hoping history will indeed repeat itself. The then-X10 Sapphire were not entirely pegged as frontrunners when they triumphed over Alter Ego Celeste in the previous Elite tournament, so FULL SENSE Sapphire are no strangers to this situation, with Team SMG as the current standout contenders.
Recall our earlier mention of them having just four members from their Berlin campaign last year? After moving to FULL SENSE, the team tried incorporating former AE Celeste player Dhammamitta “margeaux” Marvella into their Thai lineup.
While it was enough to push them deep into the bracket, it was not sufficient to lift a single trophy in the Open stage. And now with margeaux out of the equation, Sarindhorn “JinNy” Wanothayarnchai and her crew have reunited with their former teammate, Annitta “Alyssa” Peerwantanagul, who spent the season competing with Kizuna Tsuki, to help them in their most important run this year.
Rex Regum Qeon Kaguya
Player to watch: Nurul “Ayumiii” Aini
- 🇮🇩 July “Eisberg” Kusuma
- 🇲🇾 Nurul “Ayumiii” Aini
- 🇮🇩 Nabila “nabbsky” Sulthana
- 🇵🇭 Tiara “Alluka” Pleno
- 🇵🇭 Karla “bes” Reyes
- 🇺🇸 Daniel “Ducky” Duong (Coach)
Rex Regum Kaguya still have an opportunity to shine at the 2023 season’s concluding Game Changers APAC event. The once-reigning Queens of APAC now rally under a new identity but without star player Odella “enerii” Abraham. Quite the change. Considering a team that reigned over the first three seasons of FSL/Game Changers, only to falter in the final match of their third season, it is clear it was a pivotal moment for them and the entire Game Changers APAC scene.
Once sitting at the top of the chain, the road ahead is an uphill battle for RRQ Kaguya. Their recent grand finals appearance in the VCT Game Changers APAC Open 3 tournament shows that they are still here to contest the crown. With ample preparation behind them, they are keen to frame last year’s challenges as mere bumps in their journey to reclaiming their stature.
Orangutan X
Player to watch: Neha “CaspeR” Sottany
- 🇮🇳 Neha “CaspeR” Sottany
- 🇵🇭 Jefferlynne “Japips” Hernandez
- 🇵🇭 Anrionel “Twirly” Cajanding
- 🇮🇩 Elmarian “Erumaa” Haessel
- 🇮🇳 Swayambika “Sway” Sachar
- 🇵🇰 Ayesha “Mythica” Samman
- 🇵🇰 Asad “GuNNeR” Azam (Coach)
Orangutan X only recently made significant mid-season adjustments that proved to be the right choice to maintain and potentially improve their performance this season. However, the unprecedented exit of Emily “Emi” Lauw means OGX have lost one of their best-performing players. It is anticipated that Swayambika “Sway” Sachar will fill the void, where she will look to help the team beyond her prior achievement of a 5-6th place finish last year.
SCYTHE NWJ, Global Esports Phoenix, MLT Esports GC, and NYX Kyosei complete the lineup of contenders, each with aspirations of causing a surprise upset.
The opening playoff matches of VCT Game Changers APAC Elite are as follows:
Monday, October 9
- 5:00 PM SGT – Team SMG vs. NYX Kyosei
- 7:30 PM – Orangutan X vs. MLT Esports GC
Tuesday, October 10
- 5:00 PM – FULL SENSE Sapphire vs. Global Esports Phoenix
- 7:30 PM – Rex Regum Qeon Kaguya vs. SCYTHE NWJ
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Cover photo courtesy of FSL
