Gfinity Elite Series 2017: everything you need to know about the games, teams and players

The world’s esports pros have arrived in London – and there's £225k on the line
Game on: the Gfinity Arena is about to host the Elite Series
Max Isaev
Ben Travis7 July 2017

Watching other people play video games is an under-appreciated pursuit.

The esports boom is hitting London as the Gfinity Elite Series kicks off in Fulham today. The tournament is bringing some of the world’s best pro gamers to the capital for nine weeks of competitive matches, with serious money on the line.

It’s the perfect way to get on board with the world of esports.

The games

Each game in the Elite Series brings something different to the competition. On Fridays, it’s all about Street Fighter V, the latest version of Capcom’s side-scrolling brawler, where one-on-one matches promise battle-of-wills bust-ups.

Capcom

Saturdays bring pulse-pounding tension in Counter Strike: Global Offensive, a team-based shooter where tactical precision is key. Then on Sundays, it’s Rocket League, the dizzyingly fast-paced football-meets-driving game where gravity-defying goals are the name of the game.

Psyonix

The teams

Hoping to secure the win are eight pro teams, Infused, Reason, Excel, Prophecy, Envyus, Endpoint, Method and Epsilon (it’s all about the dramatic one-word name). Each has a set of specialist players for each of the three games, ready to put their reaction times, skill and teamwork to the test.

The players

Teams in the Elite Series aren’t grouped by location but London finds itself well-represented.

Guy Barlow (“Nothing to do with Gary,” he insists) is a 28-year-old south Londoner who plays for Method under the gamer handle UK_OldManGrump. He was drafted into the team after impressing them with his Street Fighter V skills in the Gfinity Challenger series for aspiring amateurs.

“Street Fighter’s an honest game. You only win or you only lose. It’s down to you,” he says, talking of the pressure of heading into the pro area. He’s been listening to smooth jazz while training to focus his mind. “You need to relax and practise over and over again.”

Guy Barlow, aka UK_OldManGrump
Joe Brady

Hailing from east London is Ramz Shaft Luswa, aka RMZ (“It was supposed to be Reversal Master Z, but that was too long”). The 25-year-old plays Street Fighter for Prophecy and grew up playing the game every Friday at the Trocadero arcade.

“When I started travelling to places like China and beating their best players in money matches, that’s when I had more belief in going pro,” he says, adding that he obsessively watches back his lost matches to learn from his mistakes. His best skill? “Being humble.”

Ramz Shaft Luswa, aka RMZ
Joe Brady

Max Heath, from south-east London, goes by the name MiGHTYMaX, and is a Counter Strike: Global Offensive player for Endpoint. He helped form the team last September and they’ve quickly made a name for themselves in the esports scene.

“The Gfinity Elite Series gives us a platform to show how good we are. The spotlight is on us now,” he says, adding that CS:GO makes for a tense viewing experience. “The games are never over and done in Counter Strike. No matter what the score is, a team can always come back and win, you never know until it’s over. There’s a lot of passion on the line.”

Max Heath, aka MiGHTYMaX
Joe Brady

The arena

The Gfinity Arena has been spruced up especially for the Elite Series. This is the UK’s first arena dedicated to esports and seats 600, although there are only 160 tickets for each Elite event. There are 10 giant screens to take in the action as well as two LED walls, topped off with full Dolby digital cinema-quality sound for maximum impact. Spectator tickets cost £15, or £5 if you book early.

The prize

There’s a lot to play for in the tournament — the prize pot is a cool £225,000. Game on.

Follow Ben Travis on Twitter: @BenSTravis

The Gfinity Elite Series begins tonight, visit gfinityesports.com for tickets

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