DreamHack Anaheim 2020 is currently underway, with the group stages complete and the playoffs continuing for the next few days. However, the biggest news coming out of this event so far is not so much who’s going forward, but how the bottom of Group A finished, as UK team Endpoint managed to avoid the fourth-place finish and sent tournament favourite forZe instead.
The Story
forZe are a strong team we’ve seen quite a lot of recently. They frequently attend tier two events and have earned their way into the ESL Pro League Season 11 via the Mountain Dew League. For those unaware, Mountain Dew League is for national and tier two teams that reward pathways into top events. So forZe is no joke. Yet, they went out fourth place at the hands of the ESL UK Prem champions.
Endpoint and forZe had a good back and forth on Verirtgo, with a total of 54 rounds played on the map. Endpoint took the lead 28-26, taking the first win. forZe then won Inferno 16-12, but it was Endpoint who took the series 2-1 after a 16-7 win on Train.
The UK Premiership champions following series was against North. Whilst that was a 2-0 victory for North, it was the second map that was the most important aspect. A 19-17 loss on Dust II is a good result contextually speaking. Say what you want about North, but they are a team that can punch into the top ten from time to time. For a UK team getting their first international LAN on a big stage, it’s great news they can compete on this level.
The UK scene is surrounded by great regions producing impressive CS:GO teams. Fighting against Brazil, Denmark, and CIS teams in their group is hard when you’re a UK core. But this result is a sign that the UK has a potential in the market. Hopefully, this bolsters the scene and Endpoint to compete in further ESL Pro Tour opportunities.
Just who are Endpoint?
Endpoint is a UK-based organisation that earned their way into DreamHack Anaheim through the ESL UK Premiership seed. The team experienced roster drama earlier this year because of their mix status when they lifted the trophy.
Heading into the tournament, the team had to make difficult decisions on who they sent to the event. The roster features players who have made a name in several second tier teams and smaller events. Thomas “Thomas” Utting is one such member, having stood in for CR4ZY and played with NoChance in the StarLadder Major qualifier.
With their result, this team now has a roster that is collectively building international experience. The best part of this is that they can get over their LAN jitters. Getting wins over forZe and taking North to overtime is a good result for them. Whilst they cannot go further in the tournament this is promising. Endpoint is on the rise. And it’s a sign that the ESL Pro Tour is working as intended for grassroots teams.
DreamHack Anaheim concludes Monday, February 24. IEM Katowice 2020 begins straight after DreamHack Anaheim ends. That event will no doubt be fantastic. We’ve truly been spoilt for CS:GO action in just the second month of 2020.
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Feature via DreamHack. Photographer: Stephanie Lindgren
