EDG has fallen into the lower bracket! They still have a chance to qualify for the playoffs! Improving their margin for error is the team's top priority.

Recently, EDG has experienced eight straight defeats, barely avoiding the "Nirvana" group, and struggling in the Summit Group. To be clear, this refers to the League of Legends team, which has been stuck in a rebuilding phase since their S11 world championship victory, with no notable achievements. On the Valorant side, EDG's recent performance hasn't been great either. In the 2026 VCT CN Stage 2, they failed to secure a direct playoff spot, and in the play-in tournament, they were reverse-swept by TEC (lost the first map, then won the next two), falling to the lower bracket.

It's clear that EDG's current form is quite inconsistent—they have many highlight moments, and their star players often step up in clutch situations to turn the tide. Whether it's Boaster's clutch plays, Smoggy coming through in critical moments, or Zmjjkk's incredible quick-scoping, they've shown flashes of brilliance. But in this BO3 series, TEC demonstrated greater resilience. As haodong said, "Stick it out until the end and you win," which helped TEC advance to the next round of the upper bracket. So, does EDG have no chance at all? Of course not.

Looking at the overall Stage 2 format, EDG has only temporarily dropped to the lower bracket. They still have an opportunity to make a comeback like kings! However, their margin for error is smaller, meaning they cannot afford any mistakes and must win every remaining match to qualify for the playoffs. Out of ten teams, four will advance. EDG still has a shot—it all depends on whether they can secure the win in their do-or-die match against WOL.

But for EDG, as Zmjjkk said back in Changsha, since the team has already secured a spot at the Shanghai Global Championship, there's no major pressure. They can use this time to experiment with different lineups, maximize their margin for error, and try out various strategies. Since returning from EWC, the team has been making adjustments. Falling to the lower bracket of the play-in stage is a unique test for the players. If they can fight their way from the lower bracket of the play-in to the final stage, that would truly be a sign of a championship-caliber team.