ENCE top PUBG Europe League phase 1, head to FACEIT Global Summit

Steven Rondina Published 08/04/2019

The field is now set for the phase one playoffs of the PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds pro circuit.

The final day of phase one of PUBG Europe League wrapped up and saw ENCE Esports hoist the trophy as phase one winners. ENCE will head to London for the phase one playoffs at the FACEIT Global Summit: PUBG Classic alongside three other PEL teams.

The final week of PEL phase one was a critical one for almost every team involved. Though ENCE enjoyed a comfortable lead over the rest of the pack, the field was tight enough that almost any of the teams were capable of either making the jump into the top four or having their berth in London slip away. The PEL has shaken out to be one of the most competitive leagues in the PUBG pro circuit, and that was demonstrated during the week as new teams topped the scoreboards.

The first day was dominated by Digital Athletics. The Turkish team had been quiet to this point, but came on strong at the start of week three by opening with a nine-kill chicken dinner and placing top-four in the three following games.

The second and third days were tight affairs. While FaZe Clan and Winstrike Team topped the two days with 46 points each, things were heated enough that no clear winner emerged. 13 teams took home a minimum of 20 points each day, helping the top contenders to maintain positioning.

Though things were competitive in days two and three, that wasn’t the case on day four. While ENCE already had a spot in the FACEIT Global Summit locked down, the Finnish squad closed week one with the strongest single day seen in the PEL during phase one. It scored a pair of big chicken dinners with 15 and 17 kills respectively, and tallied 20 kills in its other three games. That added up to a massive 75 points for ENCE that ballooned their phase one tally to 496 points, 79 above second place.

With phase one now finished, the top four teams of the PEL will head to the FACEIT Global Summit. Joining ENCE are Team Liquid, Ninjas in Pyjamas, and Winstrike Team. Though ENCE and Liquid have been sitting comfortably as the top two teams in the PEL, Ninjas in Pyjamas managed to seal up third with a solid showing this week. After being firmly in the middle of the pack throughout the phase, Winstrike squeaked their way into the top four with a 157-point week that brought their total to 383 points.

Despite topping the standings early on, G2 Esports will be watching the event from the couch. With 382 points during the phase, they came just one point shy of qualifying for the event. Other early favorites eliminated include Team Vitality and Team SoloMid.

Europe was the last region to complete phase one, meaning the full lineup of teams for the FACEIT Global Summit is now set. ENCE and others will join top teams from around the world including top North American team Tempo Storm and Korea’s OP Gaming Rangers and Afreeca Freecs Fatal.

The FACEIT Global Summit begins on April 16. PEL phase two will begin a month later on May 17.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

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