One week left. One match that could define an entire season. One moment that could mean the difference between playoff qualification and going home wondering what might have been. How many Game 7 moments will Week 7 produce? Let's find out.
SFV
The top two in the league kick off Friday's action as Prophecy tackle Envy. Both are safely into the playoffs, but will be looking to make a big statement about their respective championship credentials. After losing to Reason last week in a spectacular upset, expect Envy to come out swinging against a Prophecy team who themselves got back to winning ways last week against Method.
From the top of the table to the bottom, as 7th place Reason meet 8th place Epsilon. Reason lit up the Gfinity Arena with their emotional victory over Envy, and will be looking to keep the momentum going and start building for Season 3. Epsilon finally broke their losing streak last week with a victory over Endpoint, so another one would go a long way to helping them save some face.
We then have two epic showdowns for the remaining two playoff spots. First up is exceL facing off against Endpoint in a match that is utterly crucial for the Endpoint boys. They need to win, deny exceL a bonus point, AND hope Method don't beat Infused in the final game. A Method win would also complicate things for exceL, who most likely also need all three points from their game. In short, both teams know a win gives them the most control over their destiny, so expect this one to go the distance.
The final matchup sees 3rd place Infused taking on 5th place Method. The stakes couldn't be higher; a losing bonus point would be enough to see Infused through, whereas Method need a big win to close the three-point gap and leapfrog Infused in the table on head-to-head record. Both are coming off losses last week, so the heat is well and truly on.
Rocket League
Things are far less stressful over in Rocket League land this weekend; all four playoff positions have been confirmed, but teams still have pride and franchise points to compete for. First up are Envy and exceL, a battle of two teams who just missed out on playoff qualification. Both will be looking to end their respective seasons on a high; exceL in particular will be aiming to break a four-game losing streak.
Speaking of losing streaks, Infused go into this weekend without a win in their last seven Elite Series matches. A shocking downturn in form for the Season 1 semi-finalists, but will they sense a chance to redeem themselves against a Prophecy team coming off back-to-back 3-0 defeats? Prophecy are locked into the playoffs regardless, but they’ve looked shaky in recent weeks. Can Infused pounce for a much-needed W?
Endpoint versus Epsilon is next up, a rematch of the Season 1 final in which Endpoint triumphed 4-2. A similar result is expected this time; Endpoint have recovered from a poor start to the season to win four on the bounce, and conversely Epsilon have had a miserable season with only one win to their name. A chance to even the score from last season will be strong motivation for Epsilon, though – this should be an exciting contest.
The top two in the table collide in our last contest as Reason tackle Method. It's been a phenomenal season so far for Reason; unbeaten in Season 2, they swept aside Prophecy last week in a real statement of intent. They'll be hungry to complete a perfect seven wins from seven, but Method will have other ideas as they welcome back star players from RLGC World Cup duty.
CS:GO
We start Saturday afternoon with a fascinating clash between Infused and Reason. There's no two ways about it: this is a must-win game for Infused. Unfortunately their opponents are the league leaders Reason, a team on a five-game winning streak who have specialised in close, hard-fought victories all season. Infused will somehow have to beat them at their own game in order to have a chance at securing a playoff spot.
It’s top of the table versus bottom next as joint-leaders Endpoint square off against Prophecy. All signs point towards this being a one-sided contest. Prophecy have only one win all season, and it's hard to see them doubling their tally against an Endpoint side coming off a huge victory over Epsilon last week. They will look to lay down a marker going into the playoffs – a shock defeat to Prophecy is the last thing they'll want.
Next up is Method versus exceL in a high-pressure contest. Method cling to 4th place by a thread, tied on 11 points with Envy, and know that one more win will likely seal their place in the playoffs. On paper that seems to be a given against 7th place exceL, but with nothing to play for the Season 1 semi-finalists could be the proverbial banana skin that trips Method up at the final hurdle.
Our final game is a high-stakes battle as Epsilon face Envy. Defeat last week to Endpoint was not what the reigning champions needed, but sitting 3rd on 14 points means Epsilon should only need a losing bonus point to secure a playoff berth. The pressure is on 5th place Envy to somehow defeat them and stop them winning at least ten rounds in the process; expect fireworks and high drama.
WHERE TO WATCH
Week 7 is guaranteed to be full of drama and action, and you have no excuse to miss any of it as we will bring you all the action LIVE on Twitch! Street Fighter V starts at 6pm Friday, Rocket League 10am Saturday and CS:GO 4pm Saturday (all times BST.)
Twitch: https://go.twitch.tv/gfinitytv