Ten weeks of thrilling action reached a wild conclusion in EGC’s flagship event, as the second instalment of the popular ‘Golden League’ drew to a close.
There was no shortage of controversy and intrigue in the build up to Golden League II, with its unusual ruleset and new game modes drawing a mixed reception from players, though a positive reception from the audience. As expected, the $70,000 esports event attracted all of the best players in the world, and they rose to the task, providing fans with a thrilling tournament full of twists, turns, and surprises.
The tournament consisted of three double-elimination rounds, each with its own unique theme, and playoffs for the final four players. Heading tinto the event, MarineLorD was considered the favorite, having won Red Bull Wololo, while Beastyqt was a close 2nd favorite. The Spanish brothers VortiX and LucifroN and Canadian twins PuppyPaw and Wam were also well fancied while Bee and DeMusliM were fancied by many for a deep run.
The first round was “Wars of the No-Stone Age,” and it prohibited the use of stone walls or towers. This rule led to some unconventional strategies and gameplay, and the Spanish brothers dominated the round. LucifroN beat VortiX 4-0 in a dominant final, Beastyqt came in third, while Bee finished fourth. The biggest surprise was MarineLorD, who came fifth, failing to make a huge impact.
Round 2 was “Fast Start Frenzy,” and it gave every player a head start with 12 villagers instead of the regular 6, leading to fast-paced, frenetic games. This round saw MarineLorD bounce back to form and win, beating VortiX 4-2 in the final. LucifroN finished third, while Wam came in fourth. Beastyqt finished in fifth place, leaving him in a precarious position heading into the final round.
The third round was “Off Meta Madness,” and it banned the best civs on every map, leading to unconventional matchups. Beastyqt needed a deep run to make it to the playoffs, and he pulled it off, coming in first, beating MarineLorD in the final. The final was an unusual match in which Beastyqt played Mali every match on his way to a 3-2 victory, earning him the title “The Mali King.”
The semi-finals were intense, with the Spanish brothers matched against each other, while the two pre-event favorites, MarineLorD and Beastyqt, faced off as well. LucifroN edged the first semi-final 4-2 while Beastyqt, on the other hand, produced one of the great performances in AOE4 esports history by demolishing MarineLorD 4-0, leaving fans stunned by the lopsided result.
The Grand Final was the highlight of the event, with Beastyqt facing off against LucifroN for the top prize of $18,300 (including round bonuses). LucifroN got off to a rapid start, taking the first two games. In game one on Mountain Clearing LucifroN’s Holy Roman Empire took out Beastyqt’s Rus and he followed it up by beating Beasty’s China with Mongolia on Golden Heights.
With his back up against the wall, Beasty drafted Mongolia in game 3 on The Pit and came up against LucifroN’s Ottomans. A great performance saw him drag the score back to 2-1 as the players headed to an Abbasid mirror on Lipany. LucfiroN pulled off a huge win, taking the score out to a dangerous 3-1.
With all the pressure on him Beastyqt drafted his trusty Malians in game 5, while LucifroN drafted China as they battled it out on Basin. Pulling out a crucial win and bringing the series to 3-2, the next match saw LucifroN’s English come up against Beastyqt’s Delhi on Dry River. A second win in a row saw the series all tied but as the players now tied at 3-3 began a virtual best of 3 final.
Game 7 saw the players go to Dry Arabia as LucifroN’s Mali lost out to Beatsyqt’s Ottoman’s, bringing up match point for the Serbian. The players headed to Rocky Canyon as Beastyqt sought to wrap up victory with the Holy Roman Empire against LucfiroN’s Delhi. An incredibly fourth victory in a row saw him wrap up the event and secure a famous victory!
Golden League II will surely not be quickly forgotten, with the action and sub-narratives providing the audience with a rollercoaster ride. The event’s viewership excelled, providing over 15 million minutes of watched content and over 500,000 views. In addition tens of other casters covered the event generating many tens of thousands more views and we paid a record 71 players prize money!
The whole team at Elite Gaming Channel congratulates Beastyqt on his win, we’ll see you all again soon!