Banner Image: Ubisoft / Kiril B.
MNM Gaming will be in the spotlight on Sunday as the European side is challenging three of the best Asian teams in Tokyo, Japan.
Previously, the eight Japan League 2023 rosters competed in a double-elimination bracket to qualify for the final phase of the Japan Invitational 2023.
While CYCLOPS athlete gaming and IGZIST won their respective upper brackets, SCARZ got the final spot after winning the lower bracket.
Read more: Japan Invitational 2023 Qualifier Phase - Three teams join MNM Gaming in next weekend’s Finals
Last year, Team BDS and DWG KIA were invited to compete in the Japan Invitational 2022. Back then, the Frenchmen won the tournament flawlessly as they won their three games by 2-0 scores.
This year, the format is simpler. The four participants have been drawn in a single-elimination bracket. While the semi-finals will be to the best of one map, the grand final will be to the best of three.
Teams
Here’s a brief look at the teams competing in the Japan Invitational 2023.
#flag@20:jp SCARZ
Although they had to go through the lower bracket to get a Japan Invitational 2023 spot, the Japanese side is the best in the region right now.
Last year, SCARZ won the Japan League 2022 after defeating CAG multiple times in BO3 and BO5 matches. As the team got a spot in the region’s top-flight this year, the roster qualified for the BLAST R6 Major Copenhagen and reached the competition’s Top 8.
#flag@20:jp CYCLOPS athlete gaming
CYCLOPS athlete gaming come from a shaky transfer window as the team appointed Fumiya “Fuji3” Fujisaki and Toya “Papilia” Miyazawa as analyst and coach, respectively.
The team’s staff changes seem to have worked as the Japanese roster defeated Crest Gaming Lst and SCARZ in their bracket, arguably two of the best sides in the country.
#flag@20:jp IGZIST
Following two difficult matches against Varrel and FAV Gaming, IGZIST made it to the Japan Invitational 2023. We are in front of a team with a lot of talent, as they finished in third place in the Japan League 2023 Stage 1.
Unfortunately for the team, they couldn’t qualify for the May Major as they lost to the eventual BLAST R6 Major Copenhagen-bound Varrel.
#flag@20:eu MNM Gaming
Last but not least, the Japan Invitational 2023’s international participants of this year. There are some precious storylines with the European roster traveling to Japan, so let’s have a look at them.
PL Season 10 champion neLo returns to Japan
Leon “neLo” Pesić has nothing but good memories from Japan. On Nov. 11, 2019, the Croatian won the PL Season 10 Finals played in Tokoname, as Natus Vincere were crowned international champions after defeating DarkZero Esports.
If that wasn’t enough, SiegeGG named neLo’s 1v4 ace against Wildcard Gaming as the best play of Year 4.
Julio finally makes it to Japan
The Tokoname Finals were sweet for the Europeans, but they were a nightmare for the Brazilian sides. Both Ninjas in Pyjamas and FaZe Clan had visa problems as some of their players were not allowed to travel to the country.
Julio “JULIO” Giacomelli was one of them, as he and João “Kamikaze” Gomes couldn’t take part in the Finals. Instead, Ninjas in Pyjamas competed with two Spanish players in Álvaro “baroz” Valero and David “p0Lo” Gómez, who had played together in Giants Gaming.
Will MNM Gaming win the Japan Invitational 2023 or will a Japanese team upset the Europeans? CAG and IGZIST will play at 4:30 AM CEST while MNM Gaming will face SCARZ at 6:30 AM CEST. The grand finals will be played at 9:00 AM CEST!