Season 5 of the ESEA invite playoffs was supposed to be a competitive affair with the upstarts Excello US making it to the event after all and compLexity sporting new recruit impulsive. Instead the playoffs were a highly one-sided affair as Evil Geniuses stormed to victory without losing a single map. Following their first round bye it took the Americans just six maps to secure the season 5 championship title. The only map which could be considered close along their run was their overtime game against coL on nuke.

1st Evil Geniuses
2nd Excello US
3rd Loaded
4th compLexity

This championship also signals the first time EG have really looked dominant domestically as their last ESEA title came in dramatic fashion winning close games against coL while their WCG qualifier victory was without lurppis and also by the skin of their teeth. Now they have the better international record (3rd Arbalet Cup Europe and 4th IEM IV World Championship) and the upper hand domestically.

Meanwhile coL have a lot of questions to answer as they have gone from past champions to placing 4th at this event and failing to get out of Group B at the IEM IV World Championship. Their loss to Loaded came after they went into the second half of the deciding map, train, up 10:5 but only managed to secure two rounds before the underdogs ended their playoff lives.

Interview with the champions, EG: