10 things we loved about the FNCS Global Championship

The world's best Fortnite Duos filed into the Royale Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark, for the $4M FNCS Global Championship LAN competition. Epic Games and BLAST delivered a complete package, including a massive prize pool and spectacular stage. However, the players and moments made the year's most significant Fortnite LAN memorable.

Here are the 10 things we loved about the FNCS Global Championship 2023.

Queasy and Veno are among the best Duos in the world, having collected an FNCS title in Major 2. However, the two had a definite chip on their shoulder after allowing the FNCS Invitational title to slip out of their hands last year. Sure enough, Queasy and Veno arrived in Copenhagen with a vengeance.

In game one of the Upper Bracket, Queasy and Veno did what they do best: take control of height and dominate. Although Queasy fell during the end game, Veno utilized the Med Mist and remained patient enough to take down the final player and earn the Victory Royale.

The Asian Duo of Zagou and Pepoclip dug deep into their bag of tricks during the Upper Bracket on day one, resolving all of the Storm Surge woes. Storm Surge is a mechanic in Fortnite that forces players to remain above a specific damage threshold. It discourages passive play and is usually an issue for players.

However, Zagou and Pepoclip had no such issues. The Asian Duo unearthed the ultimate big-brain play, carrying a downed opponent and healing them while dealing damage. This strategy ensured Storm Surge would not be their downfall. The method caught on, and the rest is history.

It's also worth shouting out the team of Shelom and Mkmkpapa, the only non-European or North American duo to place inside the top 20, and better yet, they earned a top-five finish and $200K.

Many fans ventured to the Royal Arena in Copenhagen, Denmark, to witness the $4M FNCS Global Championship 2023. The crowd was loud, but none could compare to the French fans in attendance to support players Snayzy and PodaSai. 

The Gentlemates crew especially erupted on day two when the French boys Snayzy and PodaSai finished third in game four. Both players qualified for the Grand Finals and gave the M8 representatives a warm welcome to open day three.

There may not have been a more impressive clutch than in game three of the Lower Bracket on day two. After struggling on day one, DIG Duke and Edgey needed to rebound and finish in the top 25 to reach the Grand Finals. The Duo survived until the closing moments of game three and were in a 2v2 situation versus fellow NA Central players Cented and Pxlarized.

Edgey ultimately fell, but no situation is too strenuous for Duke, who took down Cented and hit a cheeky side jump shot to send Pxlarized back to the lobby. Duke and Edgey qualified for the Grand Finals, largely thanks to Duke.

Teams across all six competitive Fortnite regions have mastered drop spots throughout the year. However, claiming one to themselves in a LAN setting is challenging since many other teams practice those same drop spots. As a result, there were some noteworthy battles off the spawn throughout the FNCS Global Championship.

Defending FNCS LAN Champions Kami and Setty had a brief scare on day one after the Asian Duo of DayDus and Stain contested and eliminated them in the first match. Like the champions they are, Kami and Setty dispatched DayDus and Stain on day one and took control of Frenzy Fields.

A more contentious clash occurred at the racetrack between Khanada, Ajerss, Th0masHD, and Malibuca. The two Duos traded vicious shots, but when it mattered on day three, Khanada and Ajerss won five straight spawn fights to put the rivalry to rest. While there was no bad blood, watching four of the world’s best players fighting for a POI was quite a sight.

The spawn battle between reigning FNCS LAN Champions Kami and Setty against the Asian Duo for Stain and DayDus heated up in the first match, but Kami cooled it down real fast. With ice in his veins, Kami landed before Stain, grabbed a Sniper Rifle, and hit one of the cleanest no scopes in competitive Fortnite history.

Kami and Setty proceeded to win the spawn fight, and Setty clutched a solo fourth-place finish to set the bar high in the FNCS Global Championship Grand Finals. This moment showcases the game knowledge and skill of the Polish Duo.

A prominent storyline revolved around North America and Europe heading into the FNCS Global Championship, and Europe showed that the region loves its Victory Royales. Of all 16 matches played at the tournament, Europe won nine compared to seven for North America. Europe delivered four of those nine wins in the Grand Finals.

It began with OVA Cheetiin and Pixie, who surged up the leaderboard after winning games two and three, giving the eventual winners a run for their money. Then, the EU Duo of Valiant TruleX and Guild Chico capped off the FNCS Global Championship with a pair of Victory Royales.

While North America came out on top, Europe showed that match wins are their specialty.

Let's stick with the Swedish and German Duo of Cheetiin and Pixie for a second. These two achieved a feat no one expected because they did not conventionally qualify for the FNCS Global Championship. Cheetiin and Pixie finished 10th in the Last Chance Major–one spot short of what they needed.

Epic Games reportedly enforced an existing ruleset in a bizarre twist of fate and sadly disqualified five players from competing at the $4M LAN. That decision moved Cheetiin and Pixie up a spot, and they made the best of it, qualifying through the Lower Bracket and taking 4th in the Grand Finals.

Many believe it was inevitable that the Polish Duo of Kami and Setty would go back-to-back not with Victory Royales but with Fortnite LAN wins. The expectations were higher than ever for Europe's best team, and their grit and determination shined through to the very end.

Despite not earning a Victory Royale, Kami and Setty hung in there and made the best of the six-game finale, with results of 3rd and 6th to complement a second-place finish in the final match. Kami and Setty moved from 5th place to 2nd and secured the runner-up prize of $650K.

The eventual winners, Mero and Cooper, came together because of a coin flip. As explained by Mero, the now six-time Fortnite Champion Series winner, explained that he split from former partner Bugha and retired from the game before deciding to come back. How did he end up with Mero? It was a simple coin flip.

Ultimately, the coin landed in favor of Cooper, and Mero helped this up-and-coming player go from $5K in career earnings to a $500K payday. The two dominated the field with 330 points and a tournament-leading 29 eliminations.

Stay tuned to esports.gg for more Fortnite and esports news!