At previous EPIC.LANs, HLTV only featured the top four teams, but for EPIC.LAN 45 HLTV have already confirmed that the top 12 will be on HLTV.
As many people will be aware of by now, EPIC.LAN has attracted multiple European teams in search of VRS points. This is because the Valve Ranking system includes an extra modifier, increasing the relative power of LAN results over online results.
Therefore, The Last Resort, FUT, AaB, Alliance, and Iberian Soul have all made the trip over to Kettering. They join 8Sins and the undisputed best UK team, NXT, who also have a VRS rank.
With seven VRS-ranked teams, it was assumed there would be more HLTV coverage, but no one expected this much.
Previously, teams would have to make their way to the Upper Bracket or Lower Bracket final to get a game on HLTV, but now the first round of the Upper Bracket and second round of the Lower Bracket will be featured.
The only way a team receives VRS points from a game is if it is featured on HLTV. This means for teams chasing these points, there will be many, many games to gain points from.
For teams like NXT and 8Sins, a good performance at EPIC.LAN 45 could propel them into the threshold for being invited to Tier-2 events. For Iberian Soul, currently ranked 36th, a deep run could very well put them close to or within the top 20 and contend for Tier-1 tournament invites.
Comparing EPIC.LAN 45 to other open LANs in Europe this year, Level Up LUND only had eight teams on HLTV. Moreover, EPIC.LAN now has more max LAN wins than Fissure Playground I, IEM Cologne, Blast Bounty Season 2, Esports World Cup, Blast Open London, and ESL Pro League Season 22 Stage 1.
It is honestly crazy to think that EPIC.LAN now offers a more effective pathway for teams to earn VRS points than some of the biggest events of the year. If this trend continues, it is fair to expect that even more European teams will want to attend EPIC.LAN 46 in October.
Not only is this a good opportunity for teams fighting for VRS points, but it will also shine a light on UK CS. Many UK CS players will now have their chance to showcase their skills to an international audience.
