As with many MMORPGS WoW is no exception when it comes to one, singular, undeniable fact: Be it PVE or PVP, meta is king. That is, of course, why it is called the meta. Looking back on our 2019 Arena year we watched our team struggle to find their footing in a season that was ultimately owned by the meta. It was a rough go, but when we review the long and painful journey we uncover one truth: You can beat the meta with enough practice and skill.

As someone who frequently plays MMORPGS I found a lot of respect for our WoW Arena team in their quest to deny the meta at really what seemed to be all costs. I too dislike conforming to the meta and often times find myself theory crafting kits and compositions, praying they work well enough to take into end game PVE content let alone against other real players in PVP. It’s sometimes an impossible grind that often leads to what the conformists call unnecessary struggle because why wouldn’t you just play the meta? 

Well maybe I like to struggle, ok? (My guildmates are going to have an aneurysm when they read this article.)

2019 was chock full of meta vs non-meta struggle. We saw our team play and lose more times than I think anyone was really comfortable with. Yet, even through what seemed to be the unbeatable “Season of The RMD”, we stayed positive. We trusted our skill and knowledge, and prevailed against the odds that appeared to be stacked against us. Let’s take a look at our year and relive some of the defining moments that scored our talented team their coveted spot at Blizzcon and, Better yet- Their shocking second place win. 

Our journey through the European Spring Cup, the first stop on our long #roadtoblizzcon, started the year out relatively strong. It set the tone for our new team, formally known as “Babas Boys”- And really showed the Wildcard family what they were capable of. They continuously made podium finishes with ease and from the EU Spring Cup #1 all the way to the EU Spring Cup #6 it really didn’t look like we were able to be stopped. That is, until the Spring Finals were upon us. 

While Rogue Mage Druid sat in what appeared to be silence it wasn’t until we were met with such a meta composition at the hands of both European and American teams that the reality really began to sink in. This is the meta, and it was going to remain the meta until Blizzard nerfed the hell out of it or until a counter was discovered. And, well… Spoiler alert: Neither one of those things really happened unless you were the boys of Wildcard Gaming. 

As we came out of the tough placement of 5th place in the Spring Finals we made our way into the Summer Cup with some hesitation. We now knew what lay before us, and that was RMD comp after RMD comp- The biggest of this powerhouse threat being Method Black and Diabolus. Both of these teams played this composition so well that, at one point, it really just seemed futile to continue trying. Rogue Mage Druid was king! That was that and Blizzard didn’t seem to care about any (still much needed) rebalancing.

The 2019 Summer Cups were less than impressive for Wildcard. Our fans clearly saw the struggle we went through in an effort to remain true to our team’s own personal play styles- The styles that made our players enjoy the game to begin with. It’s an issue that isn’t talked about when it comes to professional Esports. When In the position of pro play you come to a cross road: Do you play the game the way you find it appealing and fun? Or do you conform and play the game in ways that will likely bring you more success? In this case, that would have been breaking and just running RMD ourselves. It was a question we saw a lot on platforms like Reddit and Twitter.

Why doesn’t Wildcard just run RMD?

Well, our team didn’t want to and at the end of the day we trusted their skills and ultimately wanted them to play the game the way they wanted to play the game. After all, they didn’t get this far in their professional careers for no reason!

While outwardly our struggle against Rogue Mage Druid was apparent what many viewers and commentators neglected to see was our improvement. With each Cup our team improved- Lasting a bit longer, giving top ranking teams like Method and Diabouls a run for their money. What once had us placing uncomfortably low slowly became podium finishes once more and eventually led to a spot in the Summer Finals.

At this point we were feeling better about our composition- Despite the odds it challenged some of the best and we shocked everyone with our massive upset against our European nemesis Diablous! It was a long awaited victory, one that had everyone on the edge of their seats. It was the affirmation we needed to prove there was a method to our madness- The Madness that brought us to Blizzcon. 

Blizzcon 2019… What we worked so hard for all year was finally upon us and let me tell you! If you haven’t watched it yet you’re going to want to get right on that. This was likely as wild as it could have gotten and the upsets were nothing short of heart stopping. Our team played everything so well and really proved their skills, truly making history and solidifying their place at the 2019 Arena World Championship.

Wildcard played all the way into the Grand Finals, meeting the American powerhouse known as Method Black. We were on their turf and it was clear who the crowd favorite was! We gave this all star team a run for their money and took them through a full 7 games, constantly swaying the score back and forth until finally we came to the tie breaker. This series of games was the definition of “edge of your seat”. Check out the highlights below!

As 2019 comes to a close we are beyond proud of our team’s journey. They proved to not only the World of Warcraft Arena community, but to themselves, that they are one of the best. The best Warrior in the world, the best healer EU- The second best team of 2019! These are titles that reign true and we can not wait to bring them into 2020. From Wildcard to you, thanks for the continued support. We’ll see you next year!

[#WoWArena]- #BlizzCon2019

We are ready!! AWC Global Finals!❤🖤❤@maro_wow@ZeepeyeSwE @Loonybconchamp @Blizowow #stackthedeck pic.twitter.com/M0DlBDn37J

— Wildcard Gaming (@Wildcard_GG) November 2, 2019

 

About Wildcard Gaming

Wildcard Gaming is a leading Esports brand aiming to to stabilize the uncertainty involved with the Esports industry. Wildcard has professional rosters in a variety of titles including PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege, World of Warcraft, and Brawlhalla. Welcome to the elite- Wildcard is here to dominate Esports at a Global Level. Join us, be a part of our family. #stackthedeck