With Season 6 just days away, the 14 teams competing in the VLR Community Cup OCE are preparing to finally take to the server. The opening week brings twelve matchups across Groups A and B, with every team looking to establish themselves early in the race for the playoffs.

With the Group Stage condensed to make room for the playoffs, each team will generally play twice per week. However, with seven teams in each group, four teams will receive a bye during Week 1 and play only once. Mommysgoodboys (MGB), Cherrys are YUCK (TOR), Sel’s Warriors (SEL) and Touch Grass (TG) will be the four teams receiving a bye this week.

Match scheduling will be handled by the participating teams, meaning match times may vary throughout the week. Not every game will be broadcast on the VLR Community Cup YouTube channel, although the production team will aim to cover as many matches as possible. If your match isn’t one of those selected for broadcast, we apologise in advance.

Our groups can be viewed here, and the format has already been covered in one of our previous Season 6 articles. So rather than going over the same ground again, let’s take a closer look at the opening matchups and the storylines worth watching.

Group A – Round 1

POTG [#7] vs DSP [#6]

The opening match of Group A sees PupilsOfTheGame take on Disproportion. With only one seed separating the two teams, this is one of the more evenly matched opening fixtures on paper. Both sides will be looking to start their campaign on the right foot, particularly with the opening weeks likely to have a major influence on the shape of the standings.

For DSP, this is an opportunity to immediately justify their position as the sixth seed. The roster brings a mixture of VCC experience and individual talent, with players such as anos, destroxx and jiropasc looking to establish themselves early. POTG, meanwhile, enter as the seventh seed with a straightforward goal: gaining experience in competitive environments and tournaments. Having signed up specifically to test themselves outside of their usual environment, VCC Season 6 provides the team with an opportunity to see how they stack up against established OCE rosters.

With the two teams sitting directly beside each other in the seeding, this could be an early opportunity for either side to make their intentions clear.

ATLS [#4] vs SEL [#14]

Atlas and Sel’s Warriors will meet in the second Group A matchup. Despite the significant gap between the two teams in the seeding, there is plenty of intrigue behind this matchup.

ATLS are one of the newest teams entering the OCE competitive scene, only forming recently before making the decision to enter VCC Season 6. Rather than relying solely on scrims and Premier, the team are using the tournament to gain meaningful competitive reps, face stronger opposition and test new ideas in a more competitive environment.

Their ambitions extend beyond Season 6, with the roster looking to prove that fresh blood can challenge the established teams of the scene.

Standing opposite them is a team that already knows what it takes to come close.

Sel’s Warriors came within one game of reaching the playoffs in VCC OCE Season 4. Following that campaign, the team went on to finish second in another tournament featuring several of the same teams, falling in a heartbreaking Best of 3 that eventually went to overtime on Lotus — their permanent ban.

SEL return with their IGL still at the helm, although their role has changed from Sentinel/Flex to Controller/Flex.

The matchup therefore presents an interesting contrast: a new roster looking to make its mark against a team with previous VCC experience and a history of competing deep into tournaments.

For Atlas, it’s an early opportunity to show that their ambitions are more than words. For SEL, it’s a chance to remind the competition that experience can be just as valuable as seeding.

50S [#9] vs ICY [#12]

The final Group A matchup of Round 1 sees 50 Shoplifters face The Polars. This is an intriguing matchup between two teams with plenty to prove. 50S return to VCC competition following their appearance in Season 5, although changes to their roster mean this is a different lineup entering Season 6.

The Polars, meanwhile, are making their VCC debut. As one of the newer teams in the competition, ICY enter with fewer expectations surrounding them. That can be a difficult position for opponents to prepare for, particularly when there is limited competitive history to draw from.

With both teams positioned in the lower half of the seeding, a strong opening result could be especially valuable as they look to separate themselves from the pack.

Group B – Round 1

Group B brings together several of the tournament’s most established names alongside some of its biggest unknowns.

NSO [#5] vs TXG [#3]

Arguably the headline matchup of the opening round sees NS Overtime take on TXG.

TXG enter Season 6 as the third seed and are among the teams carrying significant expectations into the competition. Their players bring experience from a variety of competitive environments, giving the roster plenty to work with heading into the season. NSO’s route into the tournament has been considerably less conventional.

Following the withdrawal of Valient 5, NS Overtime stepped in as a replacement roster. S1nbad, Wolf, rice, Ryann and ALEisBOBING now have the opportunity to turn what could have been an unexpected detour into a genuine tournament run.

That makes this an especially interesting opening test. TXG will be looking to establish themselves as one of Group B’s leading teams, while NSO have an opportunity to immediately demonstrate that they belong alongside the competition’s established rosters.

XZRT [#8] vs TG [#13]

XZRT Esports will face Touch Grass in the second matchup of Group B. XZRT enter the competition as the eighth seed and bring one of the younger rosters into Season 6. However, their lack of age doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of experience.

The organisation has already put together a strong Premier record, finishing in the top three in its previous Premier seasons before recently making the jump from Elite 4 to Contender.

Now, VCC represents another step in that progression.

XZRT are looking to gain experience outside of Premier, compete against stronger teams and continue developing towards their longer-term goal of playing at a professional level. Season 6 is therefore about more than just immediate results — it’s another opportunity for a young roster and organisation to establish their name in the OCE competitive scene.

Touch Grass present a very different challenge.

As one of the teams assembled entirely from solo signups, TG enter the tournament without the established history that many of their opponents have. Cryptic, Sinon, L0k, thund3r and Vessel will have to develop their identity together while competing against teams that may already have months of preparation behind them. That unpredictability could make TG particularly difficult to prepare for.

For XZRT, the focus will be on continuing the momentum they’ve built through Premier and proving they can translate it into a wider competitive environment. For TG, it’s about turning individual ability into a functioning roster as quickly as possible.

SOA [#11] vs MAX [#10]

The final matchup of the opening round sees SigmasOfAus face MAX. SOA enter as the eleventh seed, but their recent competitive results provide some reason for optimism. The roster comes into Season 6 following their promotion to Elite 5, giving them some momentum heading into the competition.

MAX, meanwhile, will be looking to establish themselves in what promises to be a competitive Group B.

This matchup could prove particularly important for both teams as they look to avoid being left behind during the opening weeks. With the group containing several highly regarded rosters, early wins against teams around the same part of the standings could become extremely valuable later in the season.

For SOA, it is another opportunity to show that their recent progression wasn’t a one-off. For MAX, it’s a chance to begin their campaign with a statement of their own.

Group A – Round 2

The opening week will give each team their first taste of Season 6, and Round 2 provides the first opportunity to build momentum or recover from an early setback.

MGB [#2] vs POTG [#7]

Mommysgoodboys will make their Season 6 debut against PupilsOfTheGame.

As the second seed entering the competition, MGB will have expectations placed upon them from the beginning. Their first match comes against a POTG roster that will already have had the chance to experience their first VCC game.

For POTG, this could be a significant step up in opposition. After entering the tournament to gain competitive experience, facing one of the group’s highest-seeded teams will provide a valuable test of how they compare against the upper end of Group A.

For MGB, meanwhile, the match represents their first opportunity to establish themselves among the teams expected to compete for the top of the group.

DSP [#6] vs 50S [#9]

Disproportion’s second match of the week sees them take on 50 Shoplifters.

Both teams sit within the middle portion of the seeding, making this a potentially important matchup as the Group A standings begin to take shape.

DSP will be looking to build on their opening performance, while 50S will have an opportunity to respond to their first result and establish themselves against a similarly positioned opponent. With the Group Stage still in its infancy, neither team can afford to let early points slip away.

ICY [#12] vs ATLS [#4]

The Polars will face Atlas in the final Group A matchup of the week. For ATLS, this is another opportunity to test their developing system against a team entering VCC with very different expectations. The newly established Atlas roster has entered Season 6 specifically to gain competitive experience, test new ideas and challenge teams that they may not encounter regularly in Premier or scrims.

ICY, meanwhile, will be looking to make their VCC debut a memorable one.

The result of the first round could add another layer to this matchup. A strong opening performance from either side could provide the momentum needed heading into Round 2, making this a game where confidence could play a significant role.

Group B – Round 2

TOR [#1] vs NSO [#5]

Cherrys are YUCK will make their Season 6 debut against NS Overtime. For NSO, the opening week presents a significant challenge. After stepping in as a late replacement, they will face two of Group B’s highest-seeded teams across their first two matches.

Their first test against TXG will be followed by a matchup against the tournament’s top seed in TOR.

For TOR, this is their first opportunity to enter the server and immediately establish why they hold the #1 seed. For NSO, it’s another chance to play spoiler and prove that their late arrival to the competition doesn’t mean they are here simply to fill a spot.

TXG [#3] vs SOA [#11]

TXG’s second game of the week comes against SigmasOfAus.

After facing NSO in Round 1, TXG will have another opportunity to demonstrate why they are among the higher-seeded teams in Group B. SOA will be looking to carry the momentum of their recent Premier promotion into the VCC environment. The difference in seeding makes this a difficult test, but it also gives SOA an opportunity to make one of the biggest statements of their opening week.

For TXG, consistency will be key. For SOA, the challenge is showing that their recent progression can translate against stronger opposition.

MAX [#10] vs XZRT [#8]

The final matchup of Week 1 sees MAX take on XZRT Esports.

With only two seeds separating the teams, this could be an important matchup for both sides as they look to establish their position in Group B.

XZRT enter the game with a clear goal of using VCC as another step in their competitive development, while MAX will be looking to prove themselves against a roster that has already built a strong Premier résumé.

As the opening week comes to a close, both teams will have a clearer picture of where they stand — and this could be an important opportunity to make sure they’re on the right side of the standings.

Week 1 Matches to Watch

Every match will contribute to the Group Stage standings, but a few fixtures immediately stand out.

NSO vs TXG is perhaps the clearest headline matchup. TXG enter with high expectations, while NSO arrive as a late replacement with an opportunity to immediately prove themselves against one of the tournament’s higher-seeded teams.

ATLS vs SEL offers one of the most interesting contrasts of the opening round. A brand-new roster looking to challenge the established scene meets a team with previous VCC experience and a history of coming within touching distance of the playoffs.

And then there’s XZRT vs TG, where a developing organisation with ambitions of reaching the professional level meets one of the tournament’s wildcard rosters. XZRT have experience playing together, while TG have the unpredictability that comes with a roster assembled from solo signups.

These are just three of the storylines to watch, with the opening week sure to provide plenty more once the teams finally hit the server.

Let the Season Begin

After all the roster changes, signups, trials and preparation, Season 6 is finally ready to begin.

Twelve matches will open the season.

Now, do you want to play? Let’s play.

Good luck and have fun.

And may the best team win.

nguyenboi

VCC OCE Exec Staff and 50S Player
Parts of this article were written by RealTobyG