[GameSpot] - Fortnite Experts Predict FNCS Winners, Surprises, And More

[343iBot]

Fortnite has a huge weekend ahead. The Fortnite Championship Series (FNCS) Invitational will unfold live in Raleigh, North Carolina on November 12 and 13. The Duos tourney will not only be the first in-person Fortnite event since the COVID-19 pandemic stalled such gatherings for a few years, it'll also be streamed around the world, of course. With 50 teams full of rising stars and former winners colliding in one chaotic weekend, we reached out to several of the experts covering the event to put some context behind the event's biggest names, take predictions, and offer a few tips for players, like me, who aren't (yet) good enough to compete on Fortnite's biggest stage.

Speaking with a caster, an analyst, and a host for the upcoming tournament, we were able to get a well-rounded view of the event in this period of calm before the inevitable storm that will be the FNCS Invitational 2022. Let's meet our experts.

Javier: My name is Javier Collazo, and I go by the online alias "MonsterDface." I started my journey into esports as a player in 2012 and since then have branched into professional commentary and now operate my own esports production company, the Practice Server.

My history with Fortnite started with the game's Battle Royale release in 2017. I immediately fell in love with how different the universe was. It wasn't long before I found myself leading the push with educational content on YouTube, and then receiving an invitation to cast my first Fortnite tournament. It was at that moment I knew what my career would be.

Noah: My name is Noah, also known as “Vivid,” and I am currently an analyst for the Fortnite Competitive broadcast and have been for almost two years now.

Prior to that, I primarily played Fortnite competitively whilst also streaming and creating content. During my time competing I played and practiced very intensely and ultimately won several events and even played in the Fortnite World Cup that took place in 2019. As a result of said experience competing, I now take great pride in trying to bring the best insight into what players are possibly thinking throughout the competitions that take place.

The upcoming FNCS Invitational 2022--it being a global event, the first in-person event hosted by Epic in 3 years, and having a live audience--is bringing all the hype and I cannot wait to be a part of it.

Kelly: I'm Kelly Link, also known as HelloKellyLink online. I've been hosting esports events for almost a decade now and started working on Fortnite tournaments back in 2020.

In your opinion, who are the five players to watch out for in the FNCS Invitational 2022?

Pick 1

Javier: Bugha and Mero. Bugha and Mero have this edge over the competition. Not only have they been one of the most consistent duos to rise out of the most recent Chapter, but they also have done so uncontested. With Bugha and Mero also having a large amount of LAN experience they are an easy shoo-in pick for me. Don't forget, Mero also has one of the most ridiculous streaks of online tournament performances, finishing in first place or better in his last seven FNCS tournaments, including four victories.

Noah: Bugha, in my opinion, is at the top of the list of players to look out for coming into the FNCS Invitational. Currently, he is on an incredible competitive run as he has placed top three in the last five FNCS tournaments, with three of those being wins! His competitive prowess does not stop at FNCS though as his most impressive and biggest accomplishment ever was winning the Solos Fortnite World Cup.

Teaming up with Mero, who has five FNCS wins himself, Bugha is looking to further solidify himself as the best player in the world as winning two international events at this level would undeniably earn him that title.

Competitively staying on top for Bugha is all about how well he plays the game and can adapt to any meta. Bugha’s rotations throughout the mid-game are some of the best in the world and never fail to put him and his team in a great position to get into the end game. End game is arguably where he shines as when he makes it there, he always finds a way into the top 10 of the lobby. The solo clutch potential that Bugha and Mero have is what carries a lot of these competitive runs as well, as where many would fail to place any higher, Bugha, and his teammate Mero, always seem to put up extra points when the odds are against them.

Kelly: Bugha and Mero are absolutely unstoppable. They won back to back to back FNCS titles between the end of Chapter 2 and start of Chapter 3. Even when they "underperform" they are still at the top of the leaderboard. In the most recent season of the FNCS they placed second, missing first by just a single point. Their mechanical ability paired with their situational awareness is unrivaled and many will be looking to them to win the whole thing.

Pick 2

Javier: Kami and Setty. Kami and Setty are outliers that exist within our Fortnite ecosystem. Here we have two players who have, for several seasons, innovated drop spots around the Fortnite world as we know it. They typically call them the “Kami split” and it usually goes uncontested. This is a team that is quick to adapt to the meta and constantly practice to keep that winning edge.

Noah: The Brazilian talent, K1ng, is someone that I am very interested in seeing how they perform at the FNCS Invitational. Whilst the previously mentioned Bugha won the trophy at the World Cup, at the end of the day it was K1ng who had the hearts of everyone during the games.

K1ng came out swinging at the World Cup and played an extremely aggressive playstyle that was very exciting to watch. K1ng ended up placing 5th overall but for sure had everyone convinced that he was the best at fighting and being aggressive. K1ng followed up his World Cup performance with two FNCS wins and has continued to impress everyone in the Brazilian region with his aggressive playstyle. Be it that he made that aggressive name for himself on the international stage, I am excited to see him return to that stage here at the FNCS Invitational.

Kelly: EpikWhale and Reet are two of the best players in NA West. Reet is the ultimate fragger and has proven himself as an international star after placing in several tournaments outside of his home region. Paired with EpikWhale, who is a six-time FNCS winner, as well as the champion from the most recent international Fortnite tournament at Gamers8, it's easy to see why these two are a force to be reckoned with.

Pick 3

Javier: EpikWhale and Reet. EpikWhale and Reet are two of my favorite individual players to rise up and pair together. I had the pleasure of standing directly behind EpikWhale and Reet competing in a solos competition back in early August, and all I can say is these players are incredible. You have to be inspired by EpikWhale’s most recent showing during an international competition, proving to the global community that he is still one of the best in the world. EpikWhale is one of the few legacy competitors that has managed to stick around since the Fortnite World Cup days.

Noah: Another player looking to add to their already impressive list of accolades is Muz. Muz is originally from the OCE region but has been living and competing on the NAE region for the past couple of years. Muz’s greatest accomplishment in Fortnite Competitive is that he is the only player to ever win an FNCS on multiple regions. Muz won two FNCS tourneys before moving to NAE where he ended up winning another.

Looter, who is Muz’s former OCE teammate from when Muz won notched both of his OCE victories, could no longer play with his teammate that he qualified with and has asked Muz to be his teammate for the FNCS Invitational. These two, of course, have not played together in quite some time, so it will be interesting to see how well they play together and how quickly they can formulate a strategy and playstyle.

Muz being the only player to ever win an FNCS in multiple regions would for sure love to add an in-person international event to their achievement list.

Kelly: JannisZ and Vadeal are the reigning FNCS champs coming from EU. They were able to grab two Victory Royales as well as place top 10 in nine of their games. This isn't the first time we've seen Jannis in the winner's seat. He has been able to take first place twice before and with his new duo mate, Vadeal, it looks like they aren't stopping anytime soon.

Pick 4

Javier: TaySon and Chapix. Tayson and Chapix could arguably be the greatest duo in the world. Chapix has a tremendous amount of in-person and virtual event success under his belt which will naturally give this team an edge over most. But then you have TaySon who is undeniably one of the greatest solo players to ever touch the Fortnite landscape. TaySon is one of few who have achieved the Axe of Champions consecutively in a single Chapter!

Noah: The most represented region coming into the FNCS Invitational is EU with 46 of the 100 players--nearly half! Over the past couple of FNCS tournaments, the EU region has seen an incredible takeover by none other than Malibuca. Alongside his Duo, Merstach, they together have continued to not only get significantly better from Season to Season but do so whilst impressing everyone that is watching. They are arguably the best fighting team within the EU region and they love to use it to snowball them into endgames where they are explosive.

Malibuca has time and time again put out incredible Solo clutches at the highest level that really show off his individual skill. In Chapter 3 Season 2, this Duo threw out the once-believed notion that it was near impossible to do well when you are contested off spawn. In qualifier 1 leading up to the FNCS finals, this Duo was contested and went down early in 3 of the 6 games. Those other 3 games… Victory Royales! They went on to win this qualifier and ultimately take fourth place in the FNCS finals of Chapter 3 Season 2. They followed up their fourth-place finish the next Season with second place, losing out by only 19 points.

Malibuca was also recently a part of the Gamers8 international event that saw amazing talent from all around the world compete. Not able to play with Merstach, Malibuca teamed up with EpikWhale and went on to win the event and secured himself MVP.

Malibuca has proven himself to be very good individually, even better with his Duo, and has experience on an international stage. With the Duo’s most recent finish of second place and their continuing habit of improving, that only leaves room for a first-place finish at the FNCS Invitational. With the stakes and competition at the highest they have ever been, will Malibuca alongside Merstach be able to rise to the occasion?

Kelly: Muz and Looter are an incredible Duo from the OCE region. However, winning two FNCS titles wasn't enough for Muz. He would go on to move to the NA East region and win another title with the likes of Bugha and Mero. Although his reign in NA East didn't last long, he has since gone back to OCE, joining back up with his old teammate, and they are poised to go back to their former glory.

Pick 5

Javier: Veno and Queasy. Veno and Queasy are the dark horses of the FNCS Invitational and I'll tell you why. Here’s a duo who will unequivocally play for high ground. In Fortnite, high ground is king and every duo knows it. But what separates Veno and Queasy from the rest of the roster is that they are not afraid to take that risk. In Fortnite, something special always happens in those final moments of the circle. When a team as sharp as this one finds a flaw in your game, they capitalize. The confidence to go for height is usually followed by a win and that's what Veno and Queasy have to offer us.

Noah: As previously mentioned, the Gamers8 international event was won by Malibuca and EpikWhale! EpikWhale himself has done much more than just win Gamers8. In fact, EpikWhale has won the most FNCS tournaments out of any player attending the FNCS Invitational... with 6!

His accolades do not stop there as he also placed third at the solo Fortnite World Cup! EpikWhale is representing the NAW region alongside Reet. Whilst EpikWhale has proven that he can win events, he has also proven that he is very good at adapting. For much of EpikWhale’s career, he has played Fortnite on keyboard and mouse, however for a few Seasons he fully switched to controller, and continued to perform at the top level--something that no other player has been able to do. He has been back on keyboard and mouse for quite some time but his ability to adapt to any situation that arises should give him an edge when it comes to the FNCS Invitational.

Kelly: Lastly, I think another great team to look out for is Malibuca and Merstach. They started the year off in a pretty good spot, taking 15th place in the EU finals. Since then they have steadily improved. Placing fourth in Season 2 and grabbing a second-place finish in the most recent Season. They have been consistently improving and the only place to go from here is that number 1 spot.

Odds-on favorite to win alongside his Duos partner Mero, Bugha was immortalized in Fortnite with his own character skin in 2021.

If you had to predict a winner, who would it be and why?

Javier: My winning pick is going to be Kami and Setty. I believe this duo is destined for greatness. They check all of the boxes for a big LAN event like this. They are the kings of adaptation, respected enough to get a drop spot uncontested, and they are comfortable under the lights and cameras when it matters. You can’t pay for instincts and that’s what Kami and Setty bring.

Noah: The FNCS Invitational has got to be one of the hardest events to predict ever. I personally believe that any of the teams competing has a chance to win. I would have to give the best chance to Bugha and Mero though. They are a Duo that has accomplished so much together, including three FNCS wins. Together, they have not placed outside of the top three throughout the past five FNCS events, and they are so consistent when it comes to having a set strategy for every game that they play. Fortunately for them, they are also expected to be uncontested at Chonker’s Speedway, a drop spot that they are extremely familiar with as they have landed here for the entirety of Chapter 3.

Kelly: I predict Bugha and Mero to walk away as the champions of the FNCS Invitational. In the last year, they have been the most consistent team in the world. They've won multiple FNCS titles and their worst performance recently was a close third place. As the 2019 World Cup champ, Bugha's legacy is far from over.

What are some of the high-level strategies you see in competitive Fortnite that most Fortnite players could benefit from?

Javier: Fortnite is a game of strategy. The best players have realized that and have used their precise decision-making to take them to the top. There is such an interesting relationship between the players that are “mechanically gifted” and those who know how to play smart, achieving similar results. One cannot reach the top without the other. But those who can achieve both climb straight to the top!

Noah: Fortnite is arguably one of the hardest games to continuously stay good and compete at primarily because it is ever-changing especially from Season to Season. Each Season of Fortnite typically changes how the game is played out greatly, which can play into or against some people depending on play styles.

Currently in Chapter 3 Season 4, some of the best strategies that can be seen used is prioritizing Chrome Splashes in the inventory so that some rotations later in the game can be made significantly easier by becoming a “Chrome Blob.”

Another big part of this Season is that there is plenty of Vaults that can be found around the map and these Vaults have a lot of loot within them which can be a surefire way for a player to get higher tier weapons and plenty of heals to give them the best chance in any fight they may find themselves in.

Whilst a lot about Fortnite Battle Royale changes over time, one thing always remains the same and that is building! No matter the Season, making sure that a player has enough builds to provide themselves with cover throughout the game is always a high priority. Competitively, players are also always mindful of their positioning and tend to favor ones that are elevated. Building on top of mountains, hills, high buildings, etc. will be very advantageous in any players' next Victory Royale.

Kelly: It's a bit daunting to become a Fortnite pro. There is so much to learn and master before you can even contend with the top. Knowing the ins and outs of your drop spot is a great starting point. From there, optimizing your rotation into zone can help you get much-needed storm surge tags as well as set yourself up for success for the rest of the game. Lastly, it might be a bit obvious, but having a good mentality and communicating well with your team is invaluable.

Any other predictions you'd like to make ahead of the tournament?

Javier: I think K1ng is going to show up and shock the world again. If you know, you know. K1ng is one of few Brazilian players to break into international stardom amongst the Fortnite community and he’s done it through his sheer fearlessness to take on any opponent head to head. I can’t wait to see what he surprises us with next.

Noah: I truly believe this will be one of the best events Fortnite has ever had. Competitively speaking, the competition is going to be extremely close and I really expect there to be a tight race until the very end. Competition aside, this is the return of an in-person event for Epic, including a crowd. I expect there to be some amazing interactions between fans and players and for the hype to be through the roof.

How to watch

The FNCS Invitational 2022 kicks off on Saturday, November 12 and runs through the following day. If you won't be attending live in-person, you can catch it live online across any of Fortnite's official video platforms, including Twitch, YouTube, and the official website.

You can even watch it in-game with the Epic-made Legends Landing, a virtual hangout space where Fortnite players can watch competitive gaming such as Fortnite and Rocket League. To visit, use in-game creative map code 3303-7480-5925. Cosmetic rewards will be unlocked for players who watch the FNCS within Legends Landing and complete in-game quests. Twitch Drops will also be enabled with participating streamers.

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