Season 2 of the Gfinity Elite Series Australia, presented by Alienware, has kicked off with plenty of skill on show across Counter Strike: Global Offensive, Rocket League and Street Fighter V. This week saw Season one victors Melbourne ORDER engaged in an interstate clash with Sydney Roar, narrowly missing out on all three wins thanks to some spectacular play by Roar in Rocket League.
Returning heroes and a total of 48 new faces took to the HOYTS Gfinity Esports Arena across Saturday and Sunday. With another $225,000 on the line, the next seven weeks are set to deliver some serious esports action. Here’s a recap of everything that happened in week one.
COUNTER STRIKE: GLOBAL OFFENSIVE
Melbourne ORDER weren’t messing around with their first game of Season two, bringing in their heaviest hitters to secure an early lead in CSGO. While Sydney Roar had added some talent to their roster with the likes of TopGun, ORDER’s all stars showed why they’re regularly at the top of Australian CSGO, taking the win 16-3.
Perth Ground Zero found a similarly dominant victory over Sydney Chiefs, taking them down 16-2 with fierce precision. The last game of the day saw Brisbane Deceptors and Melbourne Avant locked in tight competition, but the experience on the side of Avant won them the match 16-13. Despite the loss, Deceptors have some big names from Season one on their roster like Doom and Konii, with plenty of time to show just how good they can be.
ROCKET LEAGUE
Melbourne’s weak spot in week one seemed to be Rocket League, with both Sydney teams picking up wins. Sydney Roar’s squad managed to the start of the season by felling Melbourne ORDER 3-1, walking away with a lot of confidence moving forward. Brisbane Deceptors also came out swinging, taking the win 3-1 against the storied Melbourne Avant with six goals in a single game. The Deceptors will definitely be ones to watch over the course of this season.
Sydney Chiefs vs Perth Ground Zero was the closest match of the week, going to the full five games, and even reaching overtime in the final game. Chiefs ended up finding the impactful final goal and victory 3-2, but both teams were evenly matched, making for an incredibly exciting series.
STREET FIGHTER V
Last season Street Fighter V was Melbourne ORDER’s final test, but in week one it was their most decisive win. Fan favourite players ROF, TravisStyles and Bug returned to the stage to show Sydney Roar that the resident villains of SFV are still in charge. Despite Roar taking an early round win, ORDER’s Ibuki and Balrog play flattened everyone Roar sent after them, taking the series 4-1.
Runners up from Season one, Melbourne Avant, also showed they’re a force to be reckoned with for Season two. Taking out Brisbane Deceptors 4-1, Avant now sit neck and neck with ORDER at the top. Sydney Chiefs held their own this week also, with Bksama, ZG and Somniac managing to narrowly get the edge over Perth Ground Zero’s Syo, Freeser and Rupps, winning 4-2.
WHERE TO WATCH
For the first time ever, tune in on Twitch, Youtube, Twitter, and Facebook to watch every game live. CS:GO kicks off at 3PM Saturdays, with Rocket League starting at 11AM Sunday and Street Fighter V at 4PM Sundays. Rocket League will also be live on Network Ten’s Eleven from 11AM-1PM every Sunday.
All of Season 2’s games will once again be played live in the HOYTS Gfinity Esports Arena in the Entertainment Quarter, Moore Park Sydney. Tickets for all matches will be available in the coming weeks at www.gfinityesports.com.au.