Twitch Rivals Recap: Road to TwitchCon ft. Fortnite Zero Build – Part 1

Twitch Rivals welcomed three separate regions: Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA), North America (NA), and Latin America (LATAM). In each region, 96 representatives comprising 32 teams clashed in six matches. Just like previous Fortnite Twitch Rivals events, this Road to TwitchCon event, besides elimination points, awarded the winner of each round with 18 points. Second-to-fifth place trios received 15 points, while trios placed from sixth to 10th got only 12 points. Each subsequently placed trio got 3 points less.

The total prize pool for each region was $50,000. The first-place trio received $7,500, the second-place received $6,000, the third-place $4,000, the fourth-place $3,000, and the fifth-place $2,250. The player with the most eliminations during the event received a $200 bonus.

As with previous Twitch Rivals Fortnite events, Road to TwitchCon banned Tanks, Armored Battle Buses, Tents, and Ballers from use. However, unlike Creator Series: Finale ft. Fortnite Zero Build and Fortnite Zero Build Showdown II, Road to TwitchCon was, due to the new season release, rather groundbreaking and fresh. Chapter 3, Season 3 introduced substantial changes to the gameplay, such as new weapons (Heavy Sniper Rifle), random utility spawns (Reality Saplings), and new locations (Rave Cave). Apart from that, the meta in Fortnite Zero Build has been defined by quiet early games during which players collect loot, search for superior positioning, and roguishly rotate as they try to collect the most eliminations.

EMEA

The team led by Giorgio “POW3R” Calandrelli came to Road to TwitchCon incredibly well-prepared. They showcased their hard work during game one with their unrivaled map control. However, they gradually lost control of the map as the storm closed in. Team Solary replaced them with their overwhelmingly agile, dominating map movements and almost infinite eliminations.

Game two was slow at the beginning, but as soon as the storm began, the game picked up its pace. Finally, the match peaked with Team POW3R settling in an amazingly positioned building. Seeing the strategic value of the building, trios surged toward the building to recapture it from Team POW3R. However, as soon as they landed, Team Solary quickly cleared the area, seized the building, and won another round.

As they landed on the map in game three, teams POW3RTV, Archie, and Jacob4TV controlled the map. However, neither team could match Team Solary in close-range combat, allowing them to take the third win in a row.

During game four, trios were oriented toward collecting loot and finding superior positioning. So, as the players aimed to lay low, most of the game was relatively peaceful until the storm began. Then, with the storm moving in closer and the trios feeling the pressure, chaos ensued.  The sky was teeming with players using Rift Tour to reposition themselves. However, Team agustin51, which previously stationed themselves on high ground, watched the chaos as they took their win.

In game five, Team POW3R had yet another strong start. Owning the map with their overeager aggression, they drew too much attention. Shortly after, they were eliminated. The rest of the game was slow-paced and reserved. Disciplined as they are, the team led by Jakub “Qln” Romanowski prevailed and won the match.

After an intense game five, six teams remained in contention for winning their tickets for San Diego. Team Solary, on their losing streak since game four, were once again eliminated early and lost their chance at winning the tournament. This allowed the team led by Nicolas “Nikof” Frejavise, consistently placed in the top ten, to get their Victory Royale.

Since Team Nikof time and time again proved their consistency, they won the tournament and secured their tickets for San Diego in October. While Team POW3R was just behind them with 126 points, Team Solary concluded the race in third place with 120 points. 

NA & LATAM

Like their overseas friends, the team led by Turner “Tfue” Tenny ran the show from the moment they stepped foot on the map. Besides collecting specific loot, their strategy was to occupy high ground and, with calculated aggression, take down the most enemies on the map. However, due to poor rotation, they gave others enough breathing room to take them out. In a final open-field battle, team Eyapixie won the round. 

In game two, Team Tfue, which had already in total collected 22 eliminations, was once again dominating the map. However, the team led by Marcus “Ranger” Pereira, which laid low for most of the match, won the round as they took down the last few living players.

During game three, excellent positioning was the ultimate goal of all trios. Team Tfue once again supremely displayed both their talent and skill. However, their almost robotic aims and clever map movements proved to be lacking in the eyes of Team Ranger, which won yet another round.

Since Team Ranger’s positioning and rotations remained unmatched during game four, they easily closed game four with a straightforward win.

Game five was marked with Team Tfue eliminating players left and right. The other trios only assumed similar ferocity in the eye of the storm centered around a bridge. In the final skirmish of the game, players finally had an opportunity to prove their mechanical prowess. Surrounded by the remains of their enemies, Team squatingdog ensured their victory.

During the final game, the tension was at its highest since players opted for an extremely careful and tactful playstyle. However, Team Tfue saw this as an opportunity to completely overtake the entire map and eradicate every trace of the opposing teams.

Unsurprisingly, Team Tfue locked in first and won their tickets to TwitchCon in San Diego with uncontestable 184 points. The team led by Aydan “Aydan” Conrad finished second with 123 points, and Team Ranger finished third with 116 points.

In LATAM, the team of Federico “zEkO” Cristalino secured their ticket to TwitchCon in October with 127 points. The team led by Kim “Patriota” Nigro was just behind them with 121 points.