The GSL Code S Finals and WCS Europe Playoffs will take over your StarCraft II-watching life this weekend when champions will be crowned and BlizzCon dreams will become reality….for some. The best-of-seven championship series in Code S figures to be an epic clash with a ton of backstory behind each of the two veteran WCS competitors. The final sprint to the WCS Europe championship, on the other hand will put the finishing touches on what has been a fantastic Season 3 in the region.
In Korea, the GSL championship comes down to INnoVation versus soO, two players who embody the best of the WCS system. There isn’t a more consistent player in WCS than Zerg superstar soO, who is playing in his fourth straight WCS Korea/GSL final. He’s been the runner-up to Dear, Zest and Classic in each of those players’ triumphs in Korea and now may be the time soO finally ascends to the throne himself. INnoVation grabbed the then-new WCS system by the horns back in the spring of 2013 when he stormed to the top of the WCS Standings and showed everybody the value of WCS points. After fading late in 2013, this year saw the Terran hope steadily climb back into prominence as he’s standing one matchday away from total redemption. Throw in the fact that INnoVation will qualify for the WCS Global Finals at BlizzCon with a win, and he should have all of the motivation he needs.
The winner will receive: 2000 WCS points for the season, 70,000,000 KRW (≈$66,000 USD)
The runner-up will receive: 1000 WCS points for the season, 15,000,000 KRW (≈$14,000 USD)
Join us on StarCraft2.com/WCS at 11:00 a.m. CEST on Saturday October 4 for the GSL Code S Finals.
In WCS Europe, your Championship Week continues –mere hours after the GSL Final’s completion– when MC faces Yoda in the first quarterfinal beginning at 8:00 a.m. PDT on Saturday October 4. That first match will kick off a day of WCS Europe playoff battles that will continue with Golden vs. Happy; Bunny vs. San and ForGG vs. MMA to finish the day. With those matches in the books, we’ll be down to four players fighting for the WCS Europe crown when the semifinals begin at 9:00 a.m. PDT on Sunday October 5. The Global Finals picture can still be stirred up by events in Germany this weekend so you’ll want to keep an eye on Golden, ForGG and Bunny. If one of those players wins a championship, 16th-place Snute would definitely and 15th-place Jaedong could potentially be knocked out of their spots at the Global Finals. The Great Foreign Hope and the Tyrant will certainly be watching as their fates unfold.
The winner of WCS Europe will receive: 2000 WCS points for the season and $25,000.
The runner-up of WCS Europe will receive: 1000 WCS points for the season and $15,000.
So the challenge for StarCraft II fans is clear: brew the coffee, pop the corn and clear the schedule because in the small hours of Saturday morning you’re going to be watching the best of the best and two champions will be crowned before the weekend is over.