AZR, Gratisfaction to play RMR qualifier with Encore

case opening2025-04-20 01:57:10849

The Oceanic duo will see action for the first time since October 2021.

Encore has announced that veteran in-game leader Aaron "⁠AZR⁠" Ward and AWPer Sean "⁠Gratisfaction⁠" Kaiwai will stand in for the upcoming Oceanic RMR Closed Qualifier. The organization hopes to increase its chances of reaching the Regional Major Ranking event with one of the most accomplished duos in the region.

The two players have not recorded games since October when they played their last match for EXTREMUM at IEM Fall 2021 North America, where they finished in 6th place and failed to qualify for the PGL Stockholm Major.

AZR and Gratisfaction have not played competitively since October

The AZR-Gratisfaction partnership is most well known from their stint with Renegades in 2018-2019. The Oceanic roster reached the playoffs of both IEM Katowice 2019 and StarLadder Berlin Major before being acquired by 100 Thieves that year, and then EXTREMUM in 2021.

Following the team's failure to qualify for the PGL Stockholm Major, the Russian organization benched and transfer-listed its entire roster. Most of the players have since left, including AZR after the IGL found an agreement for the termination of his contract in May. Gratisfaction is still tied to EXTREMUM.

Read more AZR looks for new IGL challenge as he enters free agency

Encore is the rebranded organization that competed under the Looking For Org name of at ESL Pro League Season 15. The roster experienced international LANs again at IEM Dallas and ESL Pro League Conference S16, but following disappointing results at both events, the team parted ways with Benson "⁠Liki⁠" Niuila in early July and has been using stand-ins since.

Mike "⁠ap0c⁠" Aliferis will be making the step up to the coaching position after years of competing as a player. The 34-year-old's career dates back to Counter-Strike 1.6 before moving to CS:GO and includes dozens of regional and international LANs such as FACEIT League 2015 Stage 3 Finals and IEM Sydney 2018.

Encore's roster at the RMR qualifier will be: