The Boston Uprising are back, and they’re ready to get into a new stage. With discussion of a big meta shift away from GOATs, things could swing into the favor of many teams. The Uprising, however, thrived in a tank and support heavy meta. Main tank Cameron “Fusions” Bosworth led the team to the Stage 1 Playoffs in the eighth seed. Though they were halted by the inevitable champions, the Vancouver Titans, the Uprising still put on a good show. Stage 2 can only bring more twists and turns, and for a team that’s consistently on the rise, some victories.
Atlanta Reign (4-3)
A fellow Stage 1 playoffs team, the Atlanta Reign have been formidable against teams they’ve played before. With out of the box strategies, and players that aren’t afraid to throw some shade, the Reign aim to bounce back from their loss to the Philadelphia Fusion. Beforehand, this game could’ve gone to the Reign without a question.
However, with the retirement of their star player Daniel “dafran” Francesca weighing over them, there’s a chance for the Uprising to strike them where it could hurt. If GOATs still takes dominance, the Uprising have the advantage. Their 3-3 composition is hard to beat, and very well rehearsed. If DPS come into the meta, there might be some struggling, Without a true hit scan player, the Uprising could face some trouble along the way. This game could go all the way, but in the end, the Uprising have the upper hand.
PREDICTION: Boston Wins 3-2
Player To Watch: blasé
The life of a flex DPS is to be stuck in what many refer to as “Brig Jail”. This new meta change means a lot for the League overall, but it means the most to Boston’s flex DPS, Jeffrey “blasé” Tsang. Briefly, fans got to see him break out a Junkrat during the Stage 1 playoffs. If this DPS meta affects the League like people think it will, this means blasé will finally get to do what he does best. With Junkrat, and a niche pick in Doomfist, blasé will be the one to watch during these DPS match-ups.
Toronto Defiant (5-2)
The first week of this new stage gives Boston a shot at redemption. The last time these two teams went head to head, the Defiant came out on top in a 3-1 victory. In a new meta, this could change. The Defiant had a strong showing in the playoffs, stronger than Boston, and that’s something to consider. Their GOATs composition proved to be tough to beat last time around as well.
This game, if pushed to the brink, could also go all the way. Toronto still has the slight upper hand, and could pull off another clean sweep like last time. The Uprising have to buckle down, push hard and prove that they can stand with the best of the best. This is only the beginning for their rough schedule, after all. Toronto presents a good chance at an upset, and a way to establish a sense of dominance in early in the stage.
PREDICTION: Toronto Wins 3-2
Player To Watch: NotE
The tank battles are integral when it comes to a 3-3 composition. While Fusions is always in the spotlight with his aggressive playstyle, it’s important to remember Lucas “NotE” Meissner’s contribution as well. Heralded as one of the best D.Va’s in the league, NotE has a knack for destroying enemy backlines. Additionally, his focus on killing and destroying enemy Sombra’s before they get a chance to pop EMP has helped stabilize the team against some formidable compositions. NotE’s gameplay will be essential in how well the Uprising fair against the Defiant.
Conclusion
Overall, the meta shift plays an integral role in how these games are going to play out. With blasé and Kelsey “Colourhex” Birse on their intended heroes, the Uprising could settle comfortably into a 2-2-2. Additionally, Park “Axxiom” Min-seob could come off the bench when necessary to show off his much admired Winston skills.
It’s unsure if pure dive is the answer to GOATs, and all of these new patch updates that the League will be playing on. When it comes to 3-3-3, the Uprising are settled, comfortable and successful. It’s likely we’ll see more GOATs from this team until they’ve settled their DPS issues. (However, if Colourhex wants to pop off on Widowmaker again, no one would complain.)
Featured Image Courtesy of Robert Paul for Blizzard Entertainment.
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