by Kyle “beef” Bautista
The playoffs are over, the brackets are set, and the teams are in route as 20 of Heroes of Newerth’s top players travel to Sin City to compete for $60,000 in the HoN Tour Season 1 Grand Finals. Qualifiers for the event started more than six months ago where nearly 20,000 players tried to make their mark. Eight two-week competition cycles later, the top four teams were invited to participate in the first ever HoN Tour Grand Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada. Held in the Hardwood Suite at the Palms Casino and Resort, the tournament offers a unique VIP experience with host S2 Games treating players to limousine rides, award winning shows, and other exclusive perks.
compLexity’s journey to the Grand Finals started in October 2012 where they were the designated as the favored team in the HoN Tour Qualifiers. After an upsetting early drop into lower bracket, coL.HoN was eliminated by rival team Trademark eSports, and finished in third place. The losses were the team’s first since being acquired in the Summer of 2012. After a taste of their mortality, the boys in black and red would be denied in five consecutive series to Trademark eSports, resulting in second place finishes for the first two HoN Tour cycles, and a silver medal at DreamHack Winter LAN.
Throughout the rest of the season, compLexity experienced a series of ups and downs. The team took a hard blow when jungle player Chessie left to join the Miami powerhouse stayGreen, just after the new-year. While searching for a replacement, coL.HoN failed to make the podium, and posted a handful of 5 – 8 finishes during the middle cycles. compLexity rebounded late in the season with the addition of Andrew “Riser_” Bronze (formerly of Tt eSPORTS) and made it to the podium in the final three HoN Tour cycles. The team capped off their season with a first place performance in the prestigious $30,000 Sound Blaster Heroes League.
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coL.HoN is heading in to the tournament with confidence, despite having to face Trademark eSports in their first match on Wednesday. Trademark eSports brought home an impressive four of the first five HoN Tour cycle championships and boasts a strong record against compLexity, including a victory in the Garena Star League Qualifier 2 Grand Finals, which denied the coL.HoN team a trip to Thailand and a chance at $60,000.
The tournament’s other participants include Swedish team LION eSportsKlubb, who comes in with momentum from their recent victory in the HoN Tour Playoffs, and stayGreen, who rides in fresh off a victory in Thailand and three consecutive HoN Tour Cycle championships.
The HoN Tour Grand Finals will surely be a memorable weekend for players and fans alike. The stakes are high in the city of Sin and each team will be looking to strike it rich in the Hardwood Suite. Tune in all week for compLexity’s continued coverage of the HoN Tour Grand Finals.
For an additional preview, be sure to read The Road to Vegas: compLexity Gaming at Hontour.com.
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HONTOUR
Cycle 1: 2nd place
Cycle 2: 2nd place
Cycle 3: 5th/6th place
Cycle 4: 4th place
Cycle 5: 7th/8th place
Cycle 6: 2nd place
Cycle 7: 3rd place
Cycle 8: 2nd place
RELATED
GSL Qualifiers #1: 3rd/4th place
GSL Qualifiers #2: 2nd place
Dreamhack Winter 2012: 2nd Place
Sound Blaster Heroes League: 1st place