By Sagar V. Mankar In a stunning display of skill and teamwork, Crazy Raccoon emerged victorious in the Overwatch 2 event at the Esports World Cup (EWC), clinching the title and a whopping $400,000 from the $1 million prize pool.
The team’s roster, consisting of skilled players like LIP, HeeSang, Junbin, MAX, CH0R0NG, and Shu, demonstrated exceptional synergy and strategic prowess.
Crazy Raccoons’s Journey to Victory
The Japanese powerhouse dominated the tournament, maintaining an undefeated streak throughout the group stage and beyond. Here’s a breakdown of their journey:
- Group Stage: Swept all matches with a 3-0 scoreline
- Quarterfinals: Defeated EU powerhouse ENCE
- Semifinals: Bested local favorites Team Falcons 4-1
- Grand Finals: Triumphed over Toronto Ultra 4-1
Kim “Shu” Jin-seo of Crazy Raccoon was crowned the tournament MVP, earning an additional USD 50,000.
What Happened in the Grand Finale Against Toronto Ultra?
The grand final was a clash of titans, with Crazy Raccoon facing off against Toronto Ultra. The match was intense, but Crazy Raccoon’s superior tactics and teamwork shone through. They secured a 4-1 victory, showcasing their dominance across multiple maps:
- Lijiang Tower Control: 2-0
- Circuit Royal Escort: 5-4
- New Junk City Flashpoint: 3-1
- Fourth map: Toronto Ultra’s sole win
- Final map: Crazy Raccoon’s victory
The backline support duo of Shu and CH0R0NG played a crucial role in keeping their teammates alive, enabling aggressive plays and sustaining their advantage throughout the match.
Final Prize Distribution
The Esports World Cup 2024 featured a generous prize pool. Here’s how it was distributed:
- Crazy Raccoon: $400,000
- Toronto Ultra: $160,000
- Team Falcons and ZETA DIVISION: $80,000 each
- 5th-8th place: $40,000 each
- 9th-12th place: $20,000 each
- 13th-16th place: $10,000 each
New Hero Ban System in the Tournament
One of the most fascinating aspects of this tournament was the introduction of a new concept – a hero ban mechanic, in the Overwatch 2 esports. The ban system worked as follows:
- Each team could ban one hero per map
- Bans affected both teams
- The losing team from the previous map chose the ban order
- The second team had to ban a different role than the first
- Teams couldn’t repeat their own bans but could repeat bans from the opposing team
This mechanic was particularly well-received by the community, especially in light of concerns about certain heroes like Mauga being overused or overpowered.
What Was the Viewership?
The Esports World Cup Overwatch 2 tournament drew considerable viewership, although it saw a slight decrease compared to last month’s Overwatch Champions Series 2024 Major. Key statistics as per the Esports Charts:
- Peak viewership: 100,188
- Average viewership: 33,310
- Total runtime: 51 hours
Interestingly, runner-up Toronto Ultra was the most-watched team with 674,800 hours viewed, compared to Crazy Raccoon’s 487,800 hours.
The English-language broadcast dominated viewership with a peak of 68,900 viewers, followed by Arabic (19,997), Spanish (14,378), Japanese (11,492), and Portuguese (9,017) broadcasts.
Twitch remained the preferred streaming platform with 89,475 peak viewers, while TikTok Live (13,867), YouTube (5,401), Afreeca TV (5,018), and Kick (979) also contributed to the overall viewership.
What’s Next for Competitive Overwatch 2?
The success of the hero ban system at the Esports World Cup could potentially influence future tournaments, including the Overwatch Champions Series (OWCS).
As for Crazy Raccoon, they’ll be heading back to South Korea to participate in the Stage 2 Korea event of the OWCS in August.
For more information, visit the official EWC website. And remember to subscribe to Gaming Foodle for more news!