Version1 claimed the Gamers8 2023 Rocket League title by defeating Rule One 4-1 in the grand final Sunday in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Version1, an American esports organization owned by the Wilf family of Minnesota Vikings fame, collected a $500,000 grand prize out of a $2 million prize pool.
The playoff semifinals and final were held Sunday to conclude the four-day tournament; all playoff matches were best-of-seven. Version1 beat Team Falcons 4-2 to advance to the final, while Rule One took care of Team BDS 4-1 in the penultimate round.
In the final, Version1 opened with a 3-1 win on Utopia Coliseum (Dusk). Rule One answered by scoring 20 seconds into overtime for a 6-5 triumph on Salty Shores (Night).
It was all Version1 from there. They prevailed 3-1 on Forbidden Temple, 5-0 on Wasteland (Night) and 4-3 in overtime on Urban Central (Night).
American Landon “BeastMode” Konerman of Version1, who scored the clinching goal 1:23 into overtime on Urban Central, captured tournament MVP honors.
The 24-team tournament began Thursday with a group stage in which Rule One and Version1 were drawn into the same group. Rule One beat Version1 in the Group D upper-bracket final 3-1 to advance to the playoffs, while Version1 recovered and won the lower-bracket final 3-2 over Team Liquid to reach the next stage.
Version1 also survived a 4-3 quarterfinal win over Oxygen Esports on Saturday, while Rule One swept Team Vitality, which won the Rocket League World Championship earlier this month.
1. $500,000 — Version1
2. $300,000 — Rule One
3-4. $200,000 — Team BDS, Team Falcons
5-8. $95,000 — Team Vitality, FURIA Esports, Gen.G Mobil1 Racing, Oxygen Esports
9-12. $50,000 — G2 Esports, Monkeys, Karmine Corp, Team Liquid
13-16. $25,000 — OpTic Gaming, Twisted Minds, FaZe Clan, Team Secret
17-24. $15,000 — Ground Zero Gaming, Elevate, Gaimin Gladiators, Ninjas in Pyjamas, Pioneers, Limitless, suhhh, KOI
–Field Level Media