Tranmere Rovers’ E-sports team, Tranmere Vikings, finished second in the Rocket League tournament at the UK's largest gaming festival, Insomnia.
Insomnia once again brought together E-sports enthusiasts, casual gamers, and content creators from around the world for a gaming extravaganza. Tranmere Vikings submitted a team for the Rocket League competition and were out to impress.
Meet the team:
- Jamie (Stat), 21, hailing from Herefordshire, serves as the team's experienced leader, managing most of the out-of-match responsibilities. He has been competing for two years and brings a wealth of knowledge.
- Sebastian (Seeb), 20, all the way from Norway, boasts previous LAN event experience as a substitute for FC Barcelona and Triple Trouble, earning him the coveted "pro player" status.
- Reece (Reeho), the youngest player at just 16, is considered one of the UK and Europe's best young talents. His raw potential and strong gameplay make him a key asset to the team.
This formidable trio have been honing their skills together for four months, leading up to their impressive showing at Insomnia.
Behind the scenes, the team received crucial online coaching from DRK (Dan), who played a pivotal role in helping them through tough games and some shaky performances. His guidance was instrumental in the team's success.
The team's journey at Insomnia kicked off with an outstanding performance in the group stage. They went undefeated against tough opponents, including GONXT Esports, Brave Esports, RAF Stormshadow Blue, British Army, Boosted Monkeys, and RAF's Blue Team. They only dropped a single individual game against GONXT, a series which they ultimately won 2-1.
Friday marked the beginning of the playoffs, and the team's resilience shone through:
- They secured a bye win in round 1.
- In the quarter-finals, they displayed dominance with a 3-0 victory against RAF's White Team.
- Despite a valiant effort, they fell 3-1 to ExceptionalGM in the upper semi-finals.
- In the lower quarter-finals, they bounced back with a convincing 3-1 win against Buzzkill Esports.
- The lower semi-finals saw them overpower GONXT Esports with a 3-0 scoreline.
- In a nail-biting clash, they managed to defeat ExceptionalGM on the stage in the lower finals with a thrilling 3-2 victory.
The highlight of their journey came in the grand final, where they faced off against the formidable Team Hosky. Unfortunately, the title eluded them as they were beaten 4-0 on the stage. However, they can hold their heads high for their incredible performance against a team that had brought in a professional French player, Parka, to gain an edge.
In recognition of their remarkable second-place finish, the team secured a prize of £600, a testament to their skill and determination.
Team Hosky, the reigning champions from i70, defended their title at i71 with the help of Parka, making the team's performance all the more impressive. The closely contested games could have gone either way, with individual goals often being the deciding factor.
This young Rocket League squad has proven that they have the talent and potential to compete at the highest level. With their dedication and continued growth, we can expect to see even greater achievements from them in the future. This will be remembered as the tournament where Stat, Seeb, and Reeho announced their arrival on the E-sports scene under the Tranmere Vikings umbrella.