Gen.G esports vs G2 Esports

For our last quarterfinal match of the 2020 World Championship, we have an absolute spectacle on our hands: G2 Esports vs. Gen.G. This truly is a premier clash between two perennial giants, and the picture-perfect way to close out the first part of the oh-so-exciting Knockout Stage. Still, it’s not without its own intricacies and endlessly fascinating question marks.

G2 Esports — at least in this incarnation — has only been competing for two years and yet they’ve already solidified their spot in the competitive League pantheon. To say that they’re dominant and talented beyond reason would truly be an understatement, and it would also be fairly redundant, seeing how everyone’s been singing their praises for the last two years. Any superlative that might come to mind, odds are, can be immediately applied to this incredibly line-up stacked with Europe’s finest. Still, they’ve become a bit too complacent (a natural by-product that can occur when you’ve been dominating for as long as they have) and are often overeager to show off their swagger and flex over their opposition. This, of course, isn’t as easy as it might sound on the biggest of stages, and it came to bite them back during the Group Stage. The fact that they finished in second place right behind Suning isn’t exactly a scandal, but it’s definitely an unexpected twist that made little sense in the heat of the moment.

Suning, while obviously exceptional at the game, wasn’t supposed to outclass G2 Esports with such (relative) ease. The LEC champions fought back, but they were rarely in control, if ever. This one fact definitely upended things, even though most aren’t even aware of the fact. G2 was always considered as an actual threat coming into Worlds. They’re not the cleanest team around, but their bravado, aggression, mechanical prowess, and sheer craziness allows them to fight with a lot more vigor and impetus than most of their opponents expect. They’re also insanely flexible and are always willing to throw caution out the window and just go for a good ol’ fashioned fiesta, should the need arise. They can fight in many different ways and with such a stacked arsenal of weapons they can eke out a win through multiple different avenues. Simply put, this G2 Esports line-up — even at its worst — is a spectacle to behold. They’re never dull or boring, and often put entertainment above all else, even if it’s to their detriment. But, despite their approach being ill-advised, that’s why we all love them, and that’s why so many fans tune in and spectate whenever the “Kings of Europe” step foot on stage to compete.

Still, they’ve lost a bit of their sharpness it feels like. Whether that’s just a temporary setback or a sign of the things to come still remains to be seen. When they’re able to set things up and execute, they’re still the same old G2 we all know and love. But if they fail even in the most negligible sense, they look a lot more vulnerable — an obvious flaw that resulted in those back-to-back losses to Suning. Gen.G, however, aren’t quite as aggressive or dangerous as the third best team from China. They’re not far off, though, and they definitely have all the right tools to compete on even footing with the European champions and, at best, take them to five games.

That said, it feels like G2 has a much better read of the current meta. They’re not better or more efficient than an LPL team in today’s skirmish heavy style of play, but they should definitely be more adept at such an art of war when compared to Gen.G who are still struggling to adjust. We’re talking nuances here, but these minute differences often end up being the most important determining factors when we have such immensely talented line-ups. As far as Knockout Stage opponents go, G2 Esports definitely had a ton of luck. Getting Gen.G and not, say, Top Esports or DAMWON Gaming is, without a doubt, a cause for celebration. Now, make no mistake: Gen.G will fight tooth and nail to get the win and they’re certainly good enough to succeed, but if G2 Esports bring their A game and prepare to the best of their ability, they should definitely be favored, in spite of what the oddsmakers say. This team — at its best — is an absolute behemoth, and they’ve only dropped the ball a handful of times throughout the last two years. Gen.G, while talented, simply aren’t as clutch, although they’re not far off.

In the end, we’ll side with the LEC champions on this one, but it’s not going to be easy. Not in the slightest.