Fnatic, the downfall

FNATIC

The downfall  

 

Fnatic is one of the biggest and oldest Esports organization in the world. Created in 2004 and well-known for his CSGO and League of Legends team, the organization is also the first winner of the LoL World Championship in season 1, at the time only including European and North American teams.

Fnatic was once the best CSGO team you could find, winning titles after titles. Even winning the Esports team of the year award for 3 consecutive years. The team finally separated in august 2016 when 3 of their players left for Godsent. It was the start of the fall for Fnatic, in CSGO and soon in League of Legends aswell.

Beginning

In 2011, the first ever World Championship came to life, only regrouping North America and Europe in a competition to determine the best team in the world. Few months after the creation of a LoL team, Fnatic went on to win the whole tournament, beating AAA in the final and giving xPeke is first and only World title. The same year, Fnatic would win IEM New York and finish 3rd of the IEM Cologne.

Fnatic winning LoL season 1

The next year, Fnatic would bring Soaz into the team, aswell as nRated and Rekkles. They would also win Dreamhack and perform to others tournaments.

In January 2013, the organization would welcome Bora "Yellowstar" Kim, giving him the best opportunity of his career, with the success we all know. Fnatic would also win their first consecutive LCS titles, winning both the Spring and Summer splits. Later on, the team would also end in 3rd place at Worlds with the help of Puszu, soon replaced by Rekkles, finally on age to compete.

Rebuilding

2014 marked the year of change for Fnatic but also the start of their greatest success.

After another good season, their 3rd LCS title and a good show up at the All-Star Paris. The team failed to succeed at Worlds, with one of the most painful ending against OMG. The team broke apart.

Rekkles was the first to leave but was soon followed by Xpeke, Cyanide and Soaz. The three of them would join Origen, a new organization formed by Peke himself while Rekkles would join Alliance, Froggen's superteam at the time.

Yellowstar was left alone, having to rebuild a whole team with the pressure to compete and win again. Very little were the people who knew that this would be the beginning of Fnatic rebirth.

Consecration

In 2015, Fnatic went through the biggest changes in his history. Welcoming 4 rookies in their team was a huge bet for them, but it later paid on. Febiven who had only played in the Challenger Series for H2k had the hard task to replace Peke. Steeelback would arrive has the new AD Carry supported by the new captain, Yellowstar, sole survivor of the precedent team. Finally, a unknown Korean duo would make his appearance in the top side. With the addition of Huni and Reignover, Fnatic was ready to take over the World.

At the announcement of this new roster, the fans were unhappy. Leaving Yellowstar alone with 4 rookies was a bold move, a bet, but also a frightening move that could have ended Fnatic.

But it never happened, the new Fnatic would show his strenght in their very first match against Elements (formerly Alliance), the new team of Rekkles, with a dominating and convincing victory.

Weeks went on and Fnatic finally won the Spring split with a win 3-2 in the final over the Unicorns of Love. It was a success for the organization but it was only a beginning.

Few months later, the new roster, led by Deilor, would realize the unthinkable, the perfect split. No one had ever done it, completing a whole split without a single loss, 18-0. In summer of 2015, Fnatic entered the legend, becoming the first ever to realize such a performance. Fnatic was back to being the Kings of Europe and the hope to win their second World Championship was real.

Sadly, it never happened. After the first week of Worlds, Fnatic disappointed and had a record of 1-2 in their group. But it wasn't the end yet, they had much more to show in this tournament. The next week, Fnatic went back to his usual self, completing a come back with 4 victories in a row and finishing 1st of their group. The dream was still alive, especially with Origen still in the game aswell. The fans began to believe in a European final on the biggest stage. 

And they started to believe it even more when both of them qualified for the Semi-finals, Fnatic crushing the Chinese, last hope, EDG.

But it didn't last... Both Origen and Fnatic would fall against the 2 favorites in the Semis. Origen would fall to the future 2time champions while Fnatic would be outclassed by the ex-rejects of Korea, the Rox Tigers. The road stopped abruptly for the best team in Europe.

Fnatic at the 2015 Worlds Championships

The fall

After a season that would stay as the best ever for Fnatic, the image of the Worlds was still in their head. Everyone was already looking at 2016 with envy and excitement to see what this team could do.

But this excitement never lasted and died with a shocking news. The magical duo, Reignover and Huni had left for Immortals, a newly created organization in North America. There they almost realized a second perfect split in a row, only losing one time.

Yellowstar also left for Team Solomid, leaving his status of captain to Rekkles.

Fnatic had to rebuild again, but with solid basis like Febiven and Rekkles the team had high hopes

Then arrived a new Korean duo, Spirit and Gamsu. While the first one was very welcomed, Gamsu was praised for his ability to carry games through carry toplaner, just like Huni before him. But meta changes and Gamsu never adapted to the new tanks meta and never convinced, just like Fnatic that year. Febiven had become a shadow, far from his level from a year before and Spirit was unable to fit into Fnatic style of play.

Fnatic would ultimately live their worst season ever, even after the return of Yellowstar in summer. Unable to reach Worlds, a year after their spectacular season, Fnatic was no more.

It was a hard hit, for the fans and for the organization. Europe had lost his Kings, to find others.

Dawn or sunrise

The first of December, Fnatic once again announced a new roster. Gamsu, Spirit and Febiven gone and Kikis and Klaj put into the secondary team. With the retirement of Yellowstar, they had to find something else.

This time, it was Rekkles that was left alone, having to rebuild the whole team. Fnatic decided to bring back their mythic toplaner, Soaz, followed by his teammate Amazing. Jesiz also made his comeback in the LCS, this time not as a midlaner but as a support while Caps, a new rookie, has to fill the shoes left by Peke and Febiven in Fnatic's midlane, a hard task.

After 3 weeks of competition, Fnatic is now 3rd place of their group with a disappointing 2-2 record. And it feels like the last season is not so far behind. Fnatic hasn't seen the light since a long time and it may continue for a while. It is only up to them to escape the darkness in order to become, once again, the Kings of Europe. And Broxah might be the candle they need.

Fnatic, the upcoming dawn or a permanent sunrise?

Kevin Fischweiler

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