Atlanta FaZe emerged victorious at the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III event during the Esports World Cup held on Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The team triumphed over 100 Thieves in a gripping grand final, overcoming a 2-1 deficit to secure the championship and claim the top prize of $600,000 along with 1,000 Esports World Cup club points.
Grand Final Showdown: Atlanta FaZe vs. 100 Thieves
The intense final series saw FaZe taking the first map, Sub Base Hardpoint, with a score of 250-202. However, 100 Thieves quickly bounced back, edging out close victories on Invasion Search and Destroy (6-5) and Highrise Control (3-2) to take the lead in the series.
With their backs against the wall, Atlanta FaZe rallied with a dominant performance. They crushed 100 Thieves in Karachi Hardpoint with a 250-109 score, followed by a decisive 6-1 victory in Rio, and finally sealed the championship with a narrow 3-2 win on Invasion Control.
Path to the Finals
Earlier in the day, both teams secured their spots in the grand final with semifinal wins. Atlanta FaZe defeated OpTic Gaming 3-1, while 100 Thieves swept Vancouver Surge 3-0 to advance.
The tournament, featuring a $1.8 million prize pool, began with 16 teams divided into four groups in a double-elimination format, with matches played best-of-five until the grand final, which was a best-of-seven showdown.
MVP Honors
McArthur “Cellium” Jovel of Atlanta FaZe was named the tournament’s MVP, earning an additional $50,000 for his outstanding performance throughout the event.
Semifinal Recap
In their semifinal match, FaZe had to come from behind after OpTic Gaming took the first map, Karachi Hardpoint, with a score of 250-92. FaZe responded by winning the next three maps: Highrise Search and Destroy (6-1), Invasion Control (3-1), and Sub Base Hardpoint (250-128).
On the other side, 100 Thieves defeated Vancouver Surge with a clean 3-0 sweep, winning 6 Star Hardpoint (250-184), Highrise Search and Destroy (6-3), and Karachi Control (3-2).
Prize Distribution
The prize distribution for the Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III event at the Esports World Cup was as follows:
- Atlanta FaZe: $600,000, 1,000 points
- 100 Thieves: $320,000, 600 points 3-4. OpTic Gaming, Vancouver Surge: $160,000, 275 points each 5-8. Cloud9, Boston Breach, Toronto Ultra, Carolina Royal Ravens: $80,000, 60 points each 9-12. Las Vegas Legion, Gentle Mates, Stallions, Lore Gaming: $40,000 each, no points 13-16. OMiT Brooklyn, G2 Esports, Team Heretics, Team Falcons: $20,000 each, no points
Conclusion
Atlanta FaZe’s victory not only marks a significant achievement for the team but also solidifies their position as one of the top contenders in the competitive Call of Duty scene.
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