For the first time in the organisation’s history, 8Sins are set to play in a European VRS-ranked event as they are invited to CCT Season 3 European Series #2 Play-In.
8Sins have been battling PERPLEXITY in the domestic scene for the title as the best team in the UK in 2025. But now they are able to spread their wings and test their mettle in a European Tier 2 event.
This comes two months after 8Sins qualified for a VRS ranking after their success at EPIC.LAN 44 and the change in rules. Previously, a team were only eligible after they played 10 VRS-ranked games – which was tricky for UK teams to accomplish. Earlier in the year, this was reduced to 5, meaning 8Sins gained a ranking from games at EPIC.LAN 43, UKIC Season 4 Division 1 Playoffs and EPIC.LAN 44.
From the 3rd of March onwards, 8Sins sat 79th in the European VRS ranking, and even though it seemed great to have a rank, they were not in the threshold for invitations. This issue was accentuated further after the UKIC Season 5 Division 1 Playoffs were an unranked event, and meant they couldn’t gain any extra points. But for the upcoming CCT Season 3 European Series #2 Closed Qualifier, which invites teams from the 25th of April, 8Sins were ranked 77th in Europe and qualified for an invite.
How will 8Sins fare aginst Tier-2 European opponents?
8Sins will be playing in Group B alongside Copenhagen Wolves, RAGE and SABRE, with the last being their opening game at 3:30 pm today. If 8Sins wanted to qualify for the main event, they have to win at least two BO3s to get out of the group stage, and then a deciding game in the Play-In stage.
Alongside 8Sins PERPLEXITY are also invited and have already won their first game against AMKAL in Group A. Interestingly enough, Jamie “Tree60” Callan is back on the lineup after it was announced he would not be playing with this team after the UKIC Season 5 Division 1 Finals.
These are not the only representatives from our region, however, as Fisher College boasting EPIC.LAN 35 winner, Þorsteinn “TH0R” Friðfinnsson, are invited. Despite Fisher College being comprised of four European players, they are based in North America – but because they are European players, they are not eligible for North American tournament invites, and instead have to play in European events.
Fisher College are exposing an issue in the VRS system regarding the regional invitation process. Even though Fisher College has only played in North American VRS-ranked events through open qualifiers, they cannot be invited to North American events because they are European players. This is because VRS sets a team’s region based on nationality/citizenship, not residency; thus, Fisher College is an EU team.
On some what of a lucky coincidence, Dust2.us confirmed that the four European players are travelling back home for the summer break and will then be playing on normal ping. The one North American on the team, Tommy “corn” Eckhart, will still be playing on high ping, however. TH0R hasn’t relocated to America yet, so he would be playing on local ping regardless.
CCT EU2 Play-Ins Invitations📨 (1/3)
Chimera
SABRE Esports@leo_team_cs2
EX Permitta@theAllianceGG @8SinsEsports @CPHWolves @tnl_cs2 @favbet_team @rushb_team
Fisher College@amkalesports @PERPLEXITYCS @UNiTYesports_eu
RAGE@sangalgg pic.twitter.com/OzbT27u21Z— Champion of Champions Tour CS2 (@CCT_CS) May 10, 2025
