The PUBG Global Invitational.S will be the longest e-sports event of the battle royale shooter. The eight-week LAN/online hybrid event starts on February 5th and will be broadcast live from the Paradise Studio in South Korea.
32 of the best PUBG teams in the world will participate in the on-site tournament. The prize pool amounts to $3.5 million and will be additionally increased through the Pick’Em Challenge. In this challenge, players can purchase exclusive in-game PGI.S items. 30% of the revenue from these sales will go into the PGI.S prize pool.
This is how PGI.S 2021 will take place in Korea
The 32 teams are already in Korea and were in quarantine due to the legal regulations regarding the Corona pandemic. After the quarantine, the tournament can finally begin for the teams.
The PGI.S begins: The first phase of the tournament starts on February 5th and ends on March 28th. The 32 teams have been divided into four groups and will compete in placement matches over the weekend. The group stage will determine the starting order for the following weekly survival matches.
In the survival matches, teams must prove their skills, as only a victory guarantees entry into the weekly final matches. The teams will do everything they can to win every match and secure as many chicken dinners as possible. In PUBG, the winner of a match receives what is known as a “chicken dinner.”
The final matches will be held on the weekends and guarantee a share of the prize pool for a top 4 finish.
Teams that did not directly qualify for the weekly survival matches from the group stage can still advance. If a team wins one of the weekly survival matches, the team with the next highest rank from the group stage automatically advances and takes their place.
The 16 teams that did not qualify for the weekly final will compete in an additional set of placement matches to determine their position on the waiting list for the following week.
The champion will be the team with the highest earnings: Each week, the sum that teams can win in the weekend matches increases. The team that earns the most money by the end of the tournament in March will be crowned champion. This keeps the tournament exciting and varied until the end.
The hygiene concept of PGI.S and how it will be implemented: Due to the global Covid-19 pandemic and the resulting measures, the tournament will be held without spectators on site. To ensure the health of the e-sports athletes and avoid infections, there is a comprehensive hygiene concept:
- Two-week quarantine for all teams
- Temperature patches worn by participants
- Mandatory masks throughout the venue
- Temperature checks at entry
- Thorough disinfection of the venue
- Regular PCR tests for participants
- Continuous presence of paramedics on site
For PUBG, the health of the participants is the top priority. If a player tests positive for Covid-19, immediate quarantine will be imposed, and all contacts will be tested promptly.
These teams are the favorites
These regions are home to the teams: Seven teams from Europe have qualified. In addition, there are six Chinese teams, four Korean teams, four North American teams, two Latin American teams, five Southeast Asian teams, two Japanese teams, and two teams from Chinese Taipei.
From a European perspective, some of the best teams from recent years have traveled to Korea to become the champion of PGI.S. We present the favorites for the title.
Two European teams have a good chance of landing in the top spots
Team Liquid from Europe has big ambitions: Team Liquid finished second in the PUBG Continental Series in October 2020, losing to the Russian team Northern Lights. For Team Liquid, Jord “ibiza” van Geldere, Jim “Jeemzz” Eliassen, Nikolaj “clib” Haugaard Madsen, Anssi “mxey” Pekkonen, and substitute Miloslav “PiXeL1K” Feik have traveled to Korea.
If Team Liquid can maintain the consistently high level of the past months, a podium finish could await them.
The chances for FaZe Clan: Another team from Europe, FaZe Clan, hopes for victory at PGI.S. Gustav “Gustav” Blønd secured first place with his team in the European PUBG Continental Series 2. He aims to build on this achievement alongside David “Fuzzface” Tillberg-Persson, Ludvik “Aitzy” Jahnsen, Ivan “ubah” Kapustin, and substitute Rory “rawryy” Logue.
After finishing second at the PUBG Global Championship 2019 with a prize of $600,000, FaZe Clan’s next objective is to become the champion of PGI.S 2021. Given the successes of the past two years, the team has a good shot at victory.
These teams are additional favorites at PGI.S in Korea
We present three additional favorites who have a good chance of becoming champions at PGI.S in Korea. Two teams are from Asia, and one from North America.
Gen.G has already won a major tournament: In 2019, the South Korean team Gen.G won the PUBG Global Championship 2019 and secured a prize pool of $2 million. In-game leader Cha “Pio” Seung-hoon aims to win the tournament in his home country alongside Park “Loki” Jung-young, Na “Inonix” Hee-joo, Go “Esther” Jeong-won, and substitute Bang “Alphaca” Ji-min.
The home advantage should benefit Gen.G and serve as additional motivation.
LG Divine could cause a stir: Another dark horse is the Southeast Asian team LG Divine. The team succeeded in the Asian PUBG Continental Series 2, winning the tournament and taking home a prize of $80,000.
Nguyen “Leviz” Huu Doan travels with his team from Vietnam to Korea. He will compete at PGI.S with Ngo “Nickyyy” Thanh Hung, Phùng “Turtle” Mạnh Hiếu, Dinh “JEnd” Viet Lam, and substitute Dinh “Junnn” Trong Thuan. As an underdog, the team could cause quite a stir.
Shoot To Kill compete without an org: Shoot To Kill come from North America and currently lack an organization. At PGI.S, they can showcase their skills and attract the attention of organizations.
Kurtis “Purdy” Bond is the in-game leader and will participate at PGI.S alongside Aaron “aLOW” Lommen, Timothy “Uncivil” Ebarb, Luke “luke12” Newey, and substitute Andrew “Pentalol” Franco. The team won the North American PUBG Continental Series 1 in 2020, securing a prize fund of $73,844.
In Korea, the team must push beyond its limits to become the champion in the end.
All PGI.S teams presented: The total of 32 teams are composed as follows:
| Team | Players |
| Europe FaZe Clan | Fuzzface Aitzy ubah Gustav rawryy |
| Europe Natus Vincere (NAVI) | ceh9 Besto TheTab Orange Kemba7 |
| Europe ENCE | SKUIJKE Rustanmar Tiikzu D1gg3r1 SENTEX |
| Europe TSM | Iroh Fexx vard MiracU Wookiebookie |
| Europe Team Liquid | ibiza jeemzz clib mxey PiXeL1k |
| Europe Digital Athletics | Mert Mitraleius Smash CodeMarco SIXMO |
| Europe Virtus.pro | BatulinS Lu spyrro H1RUZEN Dyrem |
| North America Soniqs | hwinn M1ME Shrimzy TGLTN Sharpshot4k |
| North America Shoot To Kill | Purdy aLOW luke12 Uncivil pentalo |
| North America Oath | Snakers Relo Balefrost PATKAPS Trevor |
| North America Zenith | Kickstart Roth Shinboi Poonage wolf |
| South America META GAMING | SzylzEN Ragnaldinho Wick2d sparkingg kriztem |
| South America FURIA | rustyzera necro raspu killdemo RDS149 |
| Southeast Asia Buriram United Esports | Noardra Eaddy GodMiao Conaxy Jowman |
| Southeast Asia Attack All Around | Gems SviTT Jayers J4nku2of Boblee |
| Southeast Asia Daytrade Gaming | Flash PuuChiwz Nourinz vanOtica Belmoth |
| Southeast Asia LG Divine | Leviz Nickyyy Turtle JEnd Junnn |
| Southeast Asia DivisionX Gaming | LongK Fergus NBK IQ500 NielT |
| China Tianba esports | LinShu M200 LuRen mingz Z9Max |
| China infantry | Boliang Jiaoyang longskr 9 L1nnnn |
| China Triumphant Song Gaming | VoliBEAR Peng ShanD1anX IAMSIA yuyu |
| China Multi Circle Gaming | Tank Summer LingDu EviLLee HangHang |
| China Four Angry Men | GODV XXLU 112 FOREVER PIGNAN |
| China Petrichor Road | XDD Mamu Myl longdd gray |
| South Korea Gen.G | Pio Inonix Loki Esther Alphaca |
| South Korea DAMWON KIA | Under Seongjang kAyle indigo |
| South Korea T1 | Starlord Adder Aqua5 Daengchae |
| South Korea Afreeca Freecs | Hikari Akad EJ R0wha |
| Chinese Taipei K7 Esports | BuYoHoo Lokslok ZhenNan Savior |
| Chinese Taipei Global Esports Xsset | YanLi Leo MaoYe CC |
| Japan DetonatioN Gaming White | Melofo Gokuri SSeeS Machao |
| Japan ENTER FORCE.36 | amonot satou Sylphia Pureboy |
PUBG promises entertainment experience in early March
Between the first tournament phase, which ends on February 28th, and the second phase, which begins on March 9th, there will be the so-called “survival tournament”. This fills the break between the two halves and offers viewers, according to PUBG, “a new entertainment experience.” What exactly this term entails is currently still unknown.
Anyone who has ever wanted to experience how a large e-sport tournament is organized should follow the live streams during PGI.S. The entire event will be broadcast live on Twitch and YouTube.
Live streaming platforms:
Twitch: beingesports
YouTube: PUBGesports
Are you looking forward to PGI.S? Which team do you think will become the champion? Let us know in the comments.
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