G2 Esports is a team that needs no introduction. Three Major wins, three Pro League titles, and one DreamHack have certifiably cemented the roster as the all-time greatest. Recently, the team has been having more of a struggle, but their fire has not gone out and they are constantly hungry for more success.
G2 Esports with the Six Major shield in Paris last year (via G2 Esports)
Going from swift and unquestionable domination to fifth in the Pro League is not an easy pill to swallow, but it is the reality that G2’s players find themselves in and have vowed to pull themselves out of. Heading to the Six Major Raleigh, a prime opportunity for them to do so has once again presented itself. Just six months prior, at the halfway mark of Season 9, G2 was struggling online as well, but come the Six Invitational and they became the first back-to-back world champions in Rainbow Six. Then, G2 Esports had revealed that they had been hiding strategies -- and it had clearly worked.
However, the second half of Season 9 was beset with the same hiccups that had been present in the first half and -- for the first time ever -- G2’s roster missed out on a Pro League Finals appearance. Now in Season 10, it seems that history is repeating itself so far.
However, there are justifiably more doubts about G2 repeating their success in Raleigh given how far the rest of the scene has caught up and the fact that G2’s continued struggles hint at deeper issues. What’s more, G2 has signed up for DreamHack Montreal -- potentially as insurance for qualification for the Six Invitational 2020 given that they are almost certainly out of the running for the Season 10 Finals. While they could, of course, qualify through the open qualifiers, missing out on a Major is not a risk G2 would want to take, no matter how small.
To know more about G2 Esports’ preparation for the Six Major and their season so far, SiegeGG spoke to Niclas “Pengu” Mouritzen:
You currently sit in fifth place in Europe at the end of the first half of Season 10. After the end of Season 9, you had acknowledged that that third-place finish was not in your plans, but it seems there's an underlying issue. Could you help us understand what it is, and how are you working to rectify it?
Despite these unexpected results, G2 has yet to drop a single map against Team Empire across the eight played. What is the key to success against the reigning Pro League champions?
UUNO recently joined the roster in what was likely the biggest roster change in Siege history. How has he been fitting into the lineup?
UUNO signed for G2 Esports prior to the start of Season 10
Would you prefer the current format, a Swiss format, a double-elimination format, or another format for the Major?
A hypothetical seeded Swiss system (via HLTV)
The group stages were announced two weeks before the Major kicks off, how do you go about preparing for an event when you don’t know who you’ll be playing?
How do you usually warm up before a big match?
G2 Esports at their Berlin facility prior to Season 10 of the Pro League (via G2 Esports)
Which is one team you have faced (or anticipate) that has been (or will be) the biggest headache to play?
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The Six Major Raleigh 2019 is taking place from the 12th of August to the 18th, where G2 Esports will be pitted against the best teams on the planet, starting off with Cyclops Athlete Gaming, Team Secret, and Rogue in Group B, and will be looking to win fourth Major title in a row.