Message from the VRML:

Welcome back to the Breachers VRML! After a short hiatus, we’re back with our weekly briefings for season 3! With just four weeks to go in the regular season, the pressure is now on for our teams to push themselves for the sake of their position on the leaderboard! Below, you’ll find standings, roster updates, and opinions from our teams and casters after their week eight action. Stay tuned!

Week Eight Standings:

It’s been a bit since we’ve covered our leaderboard, but make no mistake- these standings matter now more than ever! Let’s find out who’s in the top spots after week eight!

In another week of dominance, AESIR (Those Who Know), AESIR EU, and 7DS continue to maintain their spots as the number one teams in their region. Notably in North America, ivi NA has once again broken into the top 5- albeit not yet to the extent they have in previous seasons. Europe’s order, while shuffling slightly, has stayed mostly persistent throughout the past few weeks. Shockingly though, the number two APAC team, Hybrid Era, disbanded midway through the season. As the only master team left in the Asia/Oceania region, will 7DS’s reign over the top spot remain uncontested? Find out in the coming weeks!

Roster Report:

Roster Report continues once again to deliver the most dramatic changes throughout the week! As always, here is the key for any special changes made:

O = Indicates the player has joined Ringer/League Substitutes

Yellow text = Indicates the change occurred in either the EU/APAC regions

Yellow bold text = Indicates that the change has affected a top/former champion team

X = Indicates an entire team has disbanded

From the Teams:

This week, we’ve gone ahead and asked the top teams in each region the following questions:

• How are you feeling as a team after your week eight match/matches? 
• What changes would you want to see in the current meta of Breachers, if any?

NA:

Formula 3- Angel: “As a team I think we’re still feeling strong. We’re still working out a few kinks in terms of availability, but I know that when the time comes in finals we’ll be ready. A current meta change that I’ve recently been pushing is a cloak nerf. At first I didn’t think the cloaks were that bad, but after a lighting rework on some of the maps, it seemed to have inadvertently broken the cloaks; so if anything should be changed, I think that should be the number one priority from Triangle Factory.”

ivi NA- BigLunch: “We’re feeling great after week eight! After a tough losing streak, we used our week push on Brug to give us time for a much-needed training arc, and it paid off. Winning against RE.LOAD and Brug got us back into master rank, and with our new roster, we finally found the chemistry we needed to make it happen. Not necessarily a meta change, but I’d love to see custom weapon charms for the top 2-3 teams in future seasons. I noticed a teased charm with a small teddy bear on a chain, and it’d be amazing to have charms featuring logos from teams like ivi, AESIR, or Formula 3. It’d add a unique touch for top players and teams.”

EU:

AESIR EU- Ryze: “After week eight, spirits are high. Coming off the back of an EU LAN victory, we couldn’t be more confident in ourselves, and this showed in our matchup vs Berserk. Map two was a lot closer than we would have wanted, but we know where we went wrong and can easily fix this for our next matchup. The meta has been the same for a long time now. I would really like to see the inclusion of the Marui and the Auril to become more useful.”

SunsetRavens- JediMilo: “We are feeling pretty good after our weekly match. Last week we had a bit of an oopsie, but this week we reclaimed the spot we’ve been at all season. [There are] not really many meta changes I’d be interested in other than maybe some more utility options.”

Nyffin- Asorya: “Honestly, we're really happy. After a difficult match against AESIR where we were crushed, we managed to come back and win against Formula 3 EU. This was the team that took our place in the playoffs last season. A change that I think could be cool would be to be able to anticipate the explosion of the grenade. Basically we would activate the grenade in our hand and the timer would start at that moment. Then, when you feel it, you throw the grenade at the enemy and it can explode at the desired moment. You just have to be careful not to get caught.”

APAC:

¥oung Mafia- MARSH: “I personally played well against 7DS, but it was just me and the performance of my team members has not improved. I feel that we need to improve our physicality, as well as our cooperation. (In response to the second question) Don't lean your body when in close contact!!”

Meta Changes?  -Opinion by Gibular_Bob

Of all the updates we’ve seen for Breachers, the one that I have wanted to see for the longest time was meta changes. The core gameplay of Breachers has not changed for the better part of a year, bar a few small changes to various utility or weapon recoil here and there. Apart from this, though, the overall meta is… fine, but the method in which money is spent has remained the same for so long that it’s evident some players are not happy with it anymore. Luckily for us, though, Triangle Factory has been listening, and we can anticipate an exciting new patch that could very well redefine the way in which Breachers is played competitively. Today, I wanted to talk about some changes that I think would be really cool to see in a league match environment. These are some ideas that I myself have wanted, and I took some inspiration from some other people I have talked to as well. Today we’ll talk about the first big change I want to see: SMG kill-bonuses.

Submachine guns find themselves in a strange spot currently in the meta. Obviously you have the cheap burster that is the Omen, but it’s only broken into the meta recently as league players have finally discovered its hidden value as an effective save round weapon. That said, we still have two SMGs, the Viper and the RCP, that are rarely ever used in VRML matches. The reason for this can be attributed to one overarching factor: cost. Both weapons are often too expensive to buy, and purchasing them while ecoing often has the negative effect of lowering your ability to buy a Vezin in the next round. 

As it stands, these two guns are not sustainable in the current meta. For an effective solution, I remember a great discussion I had with my fellow caster YellowHat while preparing for VRML Con 2024. YellowHat used Counter Strike 2 as an example of how SMG eco should work. In CS, SMGs reward the player for purchasing them by increasing the money multiplier on kills, allowing the player to rake in the profits if they use an SMG well. Bringing this concept to Breachers, and incrementally increasing the multiplier depending on which gun you’re using could do wonders for the eco game. This is something I really hope to see implemented in the future.

Wrapping up Week Eight:

Another week, another exciting weekly update! As we get back into gear and watch the teams’ progress in these coming weeks, we’ll begin to see which teams will be granted the ability to skip the infamous Challenger Cup, and which teams will be forced to face off in the ultimate Breaches VRML brawl. Until then, remember to buy breaching foam, and we’ll see you next week!

Before you go, check out these other cool events:

Breachers VRML Official YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Breachers_VRML

Message from the VRML:

Welcome to week five of season 3! As we approach the halfway point of the season, the teams are finally starting to settle into their spots on the ladder. With MMR momentum starting to slow down, the pressure has begun for the teams to not only climb, but also maintain their location on the leaderboard. Keep reading to see standings, roster changes, and opinions from our teams and casters!

Week Five Standings:

Let’s start by observing the changes in our top teams:

The number one spot in each region continues to be locked down by the usual suspects: AESIR in North America, AESIR EU in Europe, and 7DS in Asia/Oceania. Each team has dominated the ladder in each region for several weeks now, and the question remains: will anyone manage to dislodge these titans from their throne? Perhaps the likes of Formula 3, Eternity, SR, F3 Eu, Cheeki Breachi, or Hybrid Era will be enough to topple the top. On the flip side, perhaps one of the wildcard teams- BEAVERtails, APEX, and Berserk who recently broke into the top five again will provide a fresh challenge for the dominating reign of the AESIR/7DS dynasties. 

Roster Report:

Roster Report continues once again to deliver the most dramatic changes throughout the week! As always, here is the key for any special changes made:

O = Indicates the player has joined Ringer/League Substitutes

Yellow text = Indicates the change occurred in either the EU/APAC regions

Yellow bold text = Indicates that the change has affected a top/former champion team

X = Indicates an entire team has disbanded

From the Teams:

This week, we’ve gone ahead and asked the top teams in each region the following questions:

• How are you feeling as a team after your week five match/matches? 
• Are you getting used to the new throwing mechanics? Do you believe they are a viable tool for throwing grenades in a competitive environment?

NA:

Formula 3- Angel: “I’ve heard a few people complain about the new throwing mechanics; at first I was against it, but after I got to playing with it I really enjoyed it. I feel like Triangle Factory really outdid themselves with this update. My one critique with it is that sometimes when I’m placing a static, it’ll follow my offhand.”

APEX- Luna: “We are feeling pretty good having won the previous match. The Urakan is now confirmed viable much to the dismay of Havoc. My team has already fully adapted to the new throwing mechanics. They are a viable tool in guaranteeing specific grenade throws and lineups; for example, ricocheting grenades off of the gravel windowsill on midfloor factory into A site from the roof.”

EU:

AESIR- Ryze: “Week five was quite slow for us, as ivi postponed our match to week six. However, you have to look at the positive side of things; this has given us much more time to practice and iron out our flaws, which has helped us improve very fast in hopes that we can put up a good performance in what will be an exciting matchup in week six. The [new] throwing mechanics are certainly super interesting. We’ve been behind the scenes having a little test on what works and what doesn’t, and it’s safe to say we’ve made some great progress in that field. I could definitely see it being used in comp matches, especially over time when more lineups are figured out.” 

SR- JediMilo: “We are feeling pretty good after our match. Although it ended in a tie, we had a good comeback at the end of our game so we are still feeling good. The new throwing mechanics are a great improvement and really improve the gameplay dynamic with things like lineups and how useful utilities are.”

Formula 3 EU- Joshey: “After a shaky week five with a draw to SR, F3 EU is focusing on fixing the little slip-ups and fine tuning our gameplay as a team. In relation to the new throwing mechanics for the grenades: it's very useful for consistency and harder lineups. Apart from that, it takes too long to use mid fight, and we would rather use the old version. However, who knows how these new mechanics will improve over time?”

Cheeki Breachi- Beemo: "Think we're feeling okay. Shame we lost how we did against SR last week, but the result against ZYN was what we needed cause moral took a bit of a dip. I've barely played since the new throwing mechanic introduction, so no! Same for the rest of the team really; we only play 2/3 times a week. I think it's a cool implementation, but still sorta waiting to see how we can use it properly in comp."

Berserk- NASTY: “Well I think as long as we don’t get AESIR or ivi we will probably win our next match, so I’m confident we will be able to keep winning matches and progress this season. I think [the new grenade mechanics] can be useful in some situations. However, when using it, you are left in a vulnerable situation and can be killed. In certain situations they can be used for accuracy, but there’s also a lot of times when it can cause problems such as when you can’t hold a gun because of it.”

APAC:

7DS- McMuffinator: “I think they are very useful for throwing smokes, but other than that I much prefer the old throwing system and have just turned off the guide all together. In my opinion the whole idea of guided throwing was not something I wanted to see to begin with.”

New Throwing Mechanics: Good or Bad?  -Opinion by Gibular_Bob

This is something that I’m sure many were expecting to see at one point or another, and it really needs to be mentioned because it changes the way many people use grenades. For the uneducated, the change in patch v24.0 added brand new throwing mechanics, so you can use your non-dominant hand to throw a grenade along a guided arc. The grenade will always follow this arc, allowing you to reliably tell where your grenade will go.

So how has the community reacted to such a change? The response is mixed, as it often is. To be fair, there is merit to both arguments. People in favor of the change state that it increases the precision of throws for smokes and incendiaries, allowing you to always get them exactly where you want them to go. Those who oppose the change, however, take issue with the system as a whole, arguing that it’s now too easy to throw a good grenade and some of the skill that went into perfecting good lineups is now obsolete.

I found myself somewhere in the middle, and I think there are others who shared, and still share, the same sentiment. I can understand both sides, and I don’t think either is completely unreasonable. To me, throwing grenades in Breachers is challenging but understandable. When I throw a grenade, I always know where it’s going to go, but that also took hours of practice to master. Perhaps that is an elitist take, and I certainly don’t want the game to be less accessible, but I really enjoyed the learning process grenades required before. Obviously the old mechanics aren’t gone, but I believe there is now less incentive to throw properly simply due to the presence of this new tool. If a feature is added to make something difficult easier, the natural reaction is to take the easier route as opposed to the more difficult one.  Of course this has made throwing grenades a lot more effective for people who are just starting out, and some of our top captains are also fans of the changes as they are now able to reliably land a smoke or incendiary. 

All of this highlights the challenge a developer faces when balancing a video game: do you cater to your casual audience or your competitive one. Both are important, but you also can’t keep a game running if you just focus on the pros. I think what makes Triangle Factory so great is the fact that they are trying to keep both sides happy. We’ve had plenty of updates that have improved the competitive scene, such as reducing EMP times, rebalancing SMGs, and, most importantly, adding ranked and overtime. Additionally, you can still do a lot of damage if you know how to throw a grenade without the new mechanics, and the biggest advantage in my eyes is that you don’t have to use both hands to throw. My point here is that even if there is a new way to throw that makes it easier for newer players, there is still a point to learning how to throw without that tool. Case in point: when virtual stock was nerfed to destabilize when the weapon is too far in one direction, everyone who used it as a crutch to blindfire was heavily impacted. Those who didn’t use that though found themselves a major advantage, and all that practice paid off. That’s the thing about tools provided by the developer: they can always be changed. Proper training and skill on the other hand, will lead you to perform well no matter the changes!

Wrapping up Week Five:

And so another week has come and gone for the Breachers VRML. Next week will be the halfway point in the season- where the pressure to get into the top seven will finally start to set in. Still, there’s plenty of time left in the season, and with time comes new developments in rosters and standings. Fortunately for you, we’ll continue to report all the best news. Until then, though, remember to buy breaching foam, and we’ll see you next week!

Before you go, check out these other cool events:

Mastering the Meta: Droning /w Iviss from APEX (video by Plunge and trav):

https://youtu.be/K87hyouc5Cg

Breachers VRML Season 3 Week 5 Highlights by Old Gravy (music by Deadline):

https://youtube.com/shorts/-z-sCxPBG9E?feature=share

Breachers VRML Official YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Breachers_VRML

Message from the VRML:

Welcome to week four of season 3! With MMR calibrations complete, our teams are finally falling into their spots on the leaderboard. Who will stand above the rest to take the throne of their respective region? Find out the standings, roster changes, and opinions from our teams/casters by reading below!

Week Four Standings:

Let’s begin by taking a look at the standings after this week:

The AESIR dynasty continues to hold the throne in both North America and Europe, with 7DS also cementing their foothold over the APAC region. Interestingly, we’ve seen Formula 3 drop to third in NA with the new Eternity roster shocking the community by taking second place! Over in EU, SR has moved up to second, with Cheeki Breachi dropping out of the top five completely. As we approach the halfway point of the season, we’re beginning to see the pecking order take shape. Will any teams be able to challenge AESIR’s and 7DS’s iron grasp on the number one spots? We’ll find out in the coming weeks!

Roster Report:

We're back with another exciting roster report to deliver the most important roster changes fo the week! As always, here is the key for any special changes made:

O = Indicates the player has joined Ringer/League Substitutes

Yellow text = Indicates the change occurred in either the EU/APAC regions

Yellow bold text = Indicates that the change has affected a top/former champion team

From the Teams:

This week, we’ve gone ahead and asked the top teams in each region the following questions:

• How are you feeling as a team after your week four match/matches? 
• What is one thing you would like to see added/changed within the Breachers VRML?

NA:

Eternity- moofin: “The energy on eternity has been great so far this season, and the team's bond has been growing especially after our 14-0 this week. One thing I would like to see changed within VRML is overtime. I think a lot of people can agree seeing a draw is so boring.  Instead of knowing you can’t win, imagine being able to bring back a clutch win.”

Formula 3- Angel: “We honestly needed this matchup this week. No hate towards Ignite, but our guys were going into the matchup a little too confident so we ended up losing a map due to sheer overconfidence. I’m a lot happier that we’re going through this earlier in the season [instead of] closer to post season like we used to. One thing I really want to be added to Breachers VRML is more community engagement such as possible votes for clips of the month, where the community will take up all the clips of the weeks from one month, and vote on an overall clip of the month. Possibly even [a] clip of the season after the season is over.”

INVICT- ReZy-K: “Week four was a tough one. We were forced to do a 4v5 against AESIR with a sub since 4 of our players are on cooldown. We don't have a problem with it though, just gotta take this one on the chin and move on. I'd like to see VRML change the finalist skin. Just a thought, since I know the devs have a lot more things to worry about, but I'd say change the skin at least once every two seasons.”

EU:

AESIR EU- Ryze: “Week four was satisfactory but it definitely could have been better. REKT EU played fantastically, however I believe it should not have been as close as it was, but it’s a learning curve for us. We now know what we need to work on, and what we need to do next time for better results. All in all, we still got the win, and we’re looking to carry that momentum into this week of matches. If VRML could add anything to change the league, I would really love to see the addition of overtime in games to prevent match draws. I think it would make those 6-6 games much more interesting, and it would provide an incentive for teams to not give up if they’ve lost a game based on rounds.”

SR- JediMilo: “We are feeling great after last week's performance. All the practice we put in has clearly paid off, and we are excited to see what comes in the future. Change wise, I’d like to see some more casts coming on the EU side of things. It was great to have Bob casting our game this week, and now we all love the idea of being casted again so would definitely like to see that!”

ZYN EU- GoteBoi: “We are not too sad about the week four match. I'd say morale is still high and we are prepared for our week five match against CHBR. I personally think Breachers VRML is in quite a nice spot right now compared to previous seasons (moderation and rule wise), but if something was to be added I would like to see the introduction of overtime in some form, e.g. if maps one and two are a win and loss, or there are two map draws.”

Nyffin- Asorya: “We are very happy with our 4th week. We had a lot of trouble starting our season but we are preparing as best we can to face the biggest EU teams. I don't see much to change or add in Breachers VRML. The system is clear and simple. For all new teams who wish to venture into a competitive adventure: this is ideal.”

APAC:

7DS- McMuffinator: “I'd like to see the pixel walking rules removed. I like finding creative spots.”

Working Overtime -Opinion by Gibular_Bob

This is my second season writing these articles, and I always like to put in a question about VRML feedback. I think it’s important to hear from the community what we’re doing well, and what we could be doing better each season. This didn’t make every answer, but I’ve seen a number of captains, co-captains, and players all looking for one feature to be added: overtime rounds into league play. 

The 9/26 Arctic Rebalance Update has been the gift that keeps on giving. I’ve had so much to talk about each week, and today is no different. Overtime rounds in league play has been the most requested feature I’ve seen by far. On the off chance you have never played ranked before (let’s be honest though- what league player hasn’t played ranked?) overtime rounds would effectively eliminate ties from league matches. With each map being forced to have a definitive winner, there would be an end to stalemate matchups in Breachers VRML. I’ve seen dialogue on both sides, though. Some players enjoy the presence of ties, arguing that they build tension for the next inevitable matchup between the teams. But for every person I’ve seen who supports this point, I’ve seen two more refuting it, and I tend to agree with them.

Historically, we’ve seen ties work to great effect before. VRML Con 2024 set the stage for AESIR vs Formula 3- a feud that hadn’t reached a proper conclusion prior to the intense battle at the LAN in Denver. It did help build this exciting narrative around the teams, and how we would finally see a winner after all that time. Yet despite this, that is the only real scenario where ties made a positive impact, at least in my opinion. The issue with ties is that, well, they're boring. Watching teams battle for two hours only for it to end without a winner is unsatisfying- both from a player and a caster perspective. 

There is of course the argument that overtime might break the technical elements behind the scenes, and that’s something we don’t want to do in the middle of a season for obvious reasons. Perhaps in the future we’ll see overtime added, but it looks like we’ll have to wait a little longer for now. 

Wrapping up Week Four:

Another day, another end to our weekly article. There have been so many exciting new developments to talk about, and even more will be on their way in the coming weeks. Make sure you keep tuning in to never miss an exciting moment in season 3! Until then, though, remember to buy breaching foam, and we’ll see you next week!

Before you go, check out these other cool events:

ZEN’s  VRML Spotlight interview by ChumBait:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMJm78SmaaY

Breachers VRML Season 3 Week 4 Highlights by Old Gravy (music by Deadline):

https://youtube.com/shorts/tccvE-rUhbw?feature=shared

Breachers VRML Official YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Breachers_VRML

Message from the VRML:

Welcome to week three of season 3! As MMR ratings begin to level out, we’re beginning to make out the top teams in each region! Below you’ll find the standings, roster changes, as well as opinions from our teams and casters. Keep reading to find out more!

Week Three Standings:

To start, let’s get familiar with our top teams in each region:

Mentioned in our opening comments was the fact that teams are now completing placement matches and are settling into their respective spots on the leaderboard. Our top spots aren’t 100% accurate yet, but we have started to see the number one teams return to their thrones. AESIR and REKT once again take spots one and two in North America, while AESIR EU finds themself at the top of the food chain in Europe. Don’t forget about APAC too- 7DS and Hybrid have both taken the top two spots, as their rivalry continues into season 3. We’ve also seen some other familiar teams back in the top spots again- most notable ivi NA, SR, REKT EU, Cheeki Breachi, and Legion Praetorian all reappear to challenge the number one spots in their regions. Will any of these teams manage to topple the top sitters? Find out next week!

Roster Report:

Roster Report continues once again to deliver the most dramatic changes throughout the week. As always, here is the key for any special changes made:

O = Indicates the player has joined Ringer/League Substitutes

Yellow text = Indicates the change occurred in either the EU/APAC regions

Yellow bold text = Indicates that the change has affected a top/former champion team

From the Teams:

This week, we’ve gone ahead and asked the top teams in each region the following questions:

• How are you feeling as a team after your week three match/matches? 
• Has your team play style changed much after rounds were reduced to two minutes and thirty seconds from three minutes?

NA:

REKT- Angel: “Honestly, we already do fast pushes so the time reduction wasn't that big of a deal to us. I think it's nice though for when teams are saving so we aren't stuck waiting as long. As for our week three matchup against AESIR, I think we definitely could've taken the win. We made a lot of mistakes, but we're already making progress straightening those up so we’re ready for the next time we face them.

INVICT- ReZy-K: “After our week three match we feel like we’re in a good position as a team. With the addition of some new players on our team we could definitely do better, so we just gotta wait a week or two more before we are set. The round time change hasn't really affected us in any way since we try to get our pushes done as fast as we can.

EU:

AESIR EU- Ryze: “Week 3 went fantastically. We were up against SR who have had a run of good form recently, but our team managed to pull together the best league match win in our history. We are all desperately ready to get going again, and cannot wait for the upcoming weeks. It’s very nice to be back at the number one spot, and we don’t plan on moving around much any time soon! The reduction in time during rounds hasn’t really changed us much, we were already used to playing at a quicker tempo than some EU teams. It’s a great change though, as sometimes rounds could go on for quite some time.”

ZYN EU- GoteBoi: “We are feeling pretty confident after our week three match. I feel like the team played extremely well, and if we can keep performing like we did in week three, we should easily make the top 7 and skip [the] Challenger Cup. I honestly haven't noticed a difference from our team's playstyle; we have always been a relatively fast paced team so it hasn't affected our offense at all. I have noticed that other teams who were slower and took a while to set up their pushes have sped up since the update though, which is nice to see because it makes the game more entertaining in my opinion.”

SR- JediMilo: “This week we took a bit of a loss, but we’re still feeling good about this season and [we’re] just taking the loss as a learning experience. As far as a change in playstyle because of the shorter rounds, we’ve just sped up slightly; other than that it’s exactly the same! :)”

REKT EU- Joshey: “REKT EU is feeling very positive after a great 7-1, 7-1 win over our opponent for last week’s VRML game. Very proud of the team for doing so well and keeping up the mental no matter what happens, and still having fun through every game and scrim. Our team's play style hasn’t changed much since we are used to pushing fast to gain control of areas in the map, so not much has changed on our attack. For defense, we notice a lot of teams can get rushed towards the end with 30 seconds left, and therefore make silly mistakes allowing us to take the round. We believe that with 30 seconds less for rounds, it will up the pace of VRML making for a more exciting game.”

APAC:

7DS- McMuffinator: “I don't think the 2m30s timer has changed much. You just can't waste time in the middle of a round or spend time crouch walking around the map. Most pushes don't require 3 minutes to execute anyway.”

So Many Pushes, So Little Time  -Opinion by Gibular_Bob

This week, I wanted to place a bit more emphasis on the other big change that happened in the Arctic rework patch: the reduction of round times from three minutes to two minutes and thirty seconds.

Historically, we’ve only ever seen one other change to time in Breachers VR, and that was when the EMP defuse timer was changed from one full minute to only forty-five seconds. These changes always come as a surprise because I think they have a tendency to dramatically change the way in which the game is played. Before the changes to the EMP defuse, the Revolters would always play a very retake-focused offense. That is, letting the Enforcers plant, and using the time it takes to defuse to quickly collapse the offensive push and win the round. Once the time was reduced to only forty-five seconds, defenders had to… well… defend. What was once a prime strategy of waiting for your opponents to come to you now became a battle of preventing the opposing team from getting the EMP planted at all. It’s crazy in retrospect how much of a difference fifteen seconds made.

What surprised me, though, is how many of the captains I interviewed said that the extra thirty seconds didn’t matter anyway. Pretty much every captain said that they pushed fast and the change didn’t matter much to them or their team at all.

That’s where I tend to disagree. From the perspective of a caster the change feels much more apparent to me. I recently casted AESIR vs REKT, and offensive plays that might have worked before the patch were not working for a defense-oriented team. It seems that the change has shuffled in a new meta: one where the objective of the defense is to burn as much time off the clock as possible and force the offense to make a move with less than a minute remaining. This of course leaves the door open for Enforcers to push fast or switch up their play quickly, but I think that in practice, that extra thirty seconds is making more of an impact than players might realize. I could be wrong, but just like with the change to the EMP, I think it’s unavoidable that certain strategies will need to change to compensate for the new patch.

Wrapping up Week Three:

Once again we must bring our weekly summary to a close! Be sure to check out the highlight reel made by Old Gravy and Deadline, as well as  ZEN’s exclusive VRML Spotlight created by ChumBait! We’re still a long way off the end of this season, so we’ll be back again next Monday to deliver even more exciting developments! Until then, though, remember to buy breaching foam, and we’ll see you next week! 

Before you go, check out these other cool events:

ZEN’s  VRML Spotlight interview by ChumBait:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kMJm78SmaaY

Breachers VRML Season 3 Week 3 Highlights by Old Gravy (music by Deadline):

https://youtube.com/shorts/IRao4vBZ3Lo?feature=shared

Breachers VRML Official YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Breachers_VRML

Message from the VRML:

Welcome to week two of season 3! The teams have been hard at work practicing and adapting to an exciting mid-week patch released by Triangle Factory that has considerably shaken up the meta! Continue reading to see standings, roster changes, and opinions from our players and casters after an exciting week of matchups!

Week Two Standings:

Let’s begin by reviewing the standings after our second week of matches:

On the NA side of the league we see that VALOR has risen to take the top spot on the leaderboard, with Havoc being the only other team from week one to stay in the top five after week two! Over in the EU region, Berserk has notably fallen from the number one spot, and been replaced by REKT EU. AETHIC bumped SR down one spot, and AESIR EU continues to hold tightly to that fourth spot. Also in EU we see the return of Blaze EU- a once top EU team that disbanded in season 2. Will they be able to reclaim their former glory as a top EU team? Check in next week to find out! Finally, over on the APAC side, we see Legion Praetorian drop out of the top three and be replaced by Hybrid Era. With ¥oung Mafia being the only team so far to keep the number one spot two weeks in a row, perhaps this Japanese team has what it takes to take on the powerhouse rivals that are 7DS and Hybrid. Keep an eye on the development of this region next week as well!

Roster Report:

You might notice that the roster report has been completely redesigned! While the report generally functions the same exact way, here are is the key for any special changes made:

O = Indicates the player has joined Ringer/League Substitutes

Yellow text = Indicates the change occurred in either the EU/APAC regions

Yellow bold text = Indicates that the change has affected a top/former champion team

From the Teams:

This week, we’ve gone ahead and asked the top teams in each region the following questions:

• How are you feeling as a team after your week two match/matches? 
• Have you played the new Arctic rework? If so, would you play the map in a VRML game?

NA:

INVICT- ReZy-K: “After our two matches I feel as if we as a team have great potential. We're working with people currently to bring in some more talent and get better all around. The new Arctic rework feels more enclosed and small compared to the original. I would play the map in a match probably later in the season, when my team can get used to the map and build up that coordination.”

BEAVERtails- Cutskills: “I think that BEAVERtails feels more solid than ever! We’ve known each other since season one, and will continue to improve in our gameplay. Raje and I worked very hard this summer to be the greatest duo, and we keep getting better every day. As for the rest of my team, they are making their own comeback for season three. We are all ready to prove that French Canadians are good players and deserve their place in North American Esports!  As [for] question two, Arctic was a very revolter map, but with the rework it is right now [a] very, very, very, roaming [heavy] map, [with] too many paths for defenders, and too many ways to push both sites. I think there will be no more unconditional pushes on Arctic since every bomb site seems pushable. My team [is] probably not going to select it as [a] predilection map, but we will be ready to fight on it for sure!”

Havoc- Blue: “After this week I am feeling great! We did really well and beat a really good team this week. For the new arctic rework I haven’t played it yet, but my team was pretty good at old arctic, so I can’t wait to give it a try.”

Pantheon- Freqk: “Feeling good to be honest, Pantheon has been on the verge of disbanding for months, and we're getting back our stride again. As for Arctic, unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to play it much yet, [though] I plan to change that and master the map quickly with my team. Both Ship and Arctic seem to be wonderful reworks that help iron out a lot of their biggest flaws, though by no means are they perfect. My hope is VRML players will give these maps more of a chance as I am trying to do with my team. P.S. Pretty sure Pantheon is the oldest VRML team if you count our Onward experience.”

EU:

REKT EU- Joshey: “REKT EU is feeling very confident after week two. After a shaky week one performance, we tied up against ZYN EU and then went on to beat Strive. Those are good results for week two, and we only intend on doing better as we approach week three. We have played the new Arctic rework. As a team, we prefer the old Arctic, however it’s always fun to learn a new map. We would definitely play the map in a VRML game, so we are trying to play it as much as possible in scrims to ensure we can put [on] our best performance in a VRML game.”

AETHIC- RisingSurvivor: “I feel like we’ve grown even closer as a team during the second week, and I’m incredibly proud of everyone. They gave it their all in the match against WarDogs, and we’re becoming stronger as a unit. However, there’s still a lot of training needed for us to reach our full potential. We also played on the new Arctic map, and we absolutely love it. It’s designed for fast-paced gameplay, with push strategies being particularly strong in my opinion. We’re excited to keep practicing on this map and perfecting our tactics. I’m sure it’s going to provide us with plenty of fun, action-packed rounds.”

SR- JediMilo: “We are feeling great after this week's match. We did a lot of practice and it paid off really well. We have played the new Arctic, and would be happy to play it in a game if anyone plays against us with it! :)”

AESIR EU- Ryze: “We played our week two match very early on in the week, however this did not catch us off guard. Even after using a different roster than last week’s game, the team still played extremely well and managed to lock out our opponents in 2 maps. As we progress through the season, we’re starting to figure out which maps we should ban and which maps we need to work on; with the team being ready to learn all the time, it’s creating a great vibe here behind the scenes. We’ve had a lot of practice on the new Arctic rework, and it’s safe to say we love it. For us, it’s on par with the new Ship. Whilst confusing at first, we’ve managed to make up our strategies very quickly, and have started consistently winning rounds again. It’s as if the map never changed! I’d love to play the map in a VRML game so that we can show off our skills to everyone else. I think Arctic is now one of our strongest maps!”

Blaze EU- Legolo: “I’m feeling quite confident about my team after winning both matches. Since it's a new team we lost some rounds that we shouldn't have, but I feel [that] with enough practice, all those kinks can be ironed out and we will be a solid contender to AESIR EU. We have played the Arctic rework but haven't made strats for it, and I'm not confident enough to play on it for a VRML game.”

APAC:

¥oung Mafia- MARSH: “We are working well together as a team, and we are aiming for a higher ranking. Yes, I have [played the Arctic rework]. We won't have much to choose from ourselves, but I'm not going to ban them either.”

7DS- McMuffinator: “After playing the rework a bit in ranked, I don't think I'll play it more than before, but it is an improvement.”

A Funeral for Blind Fire -Opinion by Gibular_Bob

If you are a VRML player, then you likely knew that Triangle Factory last week dropped an insane patch that not only reworked an entire map, but also massively changed the way the game is played. We’ve already heard about the Arctic rework and what our top teams thought of it, so I wanted to place emphasis on one of the other two big changes: the nerfing of blindfire. 

The changes to blind fire were definitely the most controversial out of the whole patch. I know some people were upset that it was nerfed heavily, but let’s break this down to understand why Triangle Factory made this change. On one hand, you have the blind firing competitive players who used it to shoot behind corners and objects without jeopardizing their head or torso. On the other, you have everyone outside of the competitive scope getting increasingly frustrated because, well, they keep getting shot around corners with perfect accuracy, and the only counter they have is to shoot the arms of the person blind firing, which is not an easy thing to do especially if you are new to the game. I was also slightly upset by the changes to blindfire, but when you take an objective look at the issue from both the perspectives of competitive and casual, you realize that the competitive community, while important, cannot be the sole focus of developers. There has to be a balance between the two sides, and I think that the change we received is a good compromise that doesn’t compromise competitive integrity that much. Besides, you can still blind fire, it just isn’t as easy to do it anymore. If anyone has a contrary opinion though, hit me up! I’d love to hear the input of the competitive community on this.

Wrapping up Week Two:

It’s finally time to wrap things up in week two! Next week we’ll start to see the MMR for teams correct itself, and the seasonal hierarchies will begin to appear. With so much happening each week it can be hard to keep track of everything on your own. Fear not, though!  We’ll be back again next week with cataloging all the updates and opinions so you won’t have to! Until then, remember to buy breaching foam, and we’ll see you next week!

Before you go, check out these other cool events:

Breachers VRML Season 2 Casting/Production Survey:

https://forms.gle/xXncaZLpBqvD5YRv7

Breachers VRML Season 3 Week 2 Highlights by Old Gravy (music by Deadline):

https://youtube.com/shorts/dm2I16DMo2s?feature=shared

Breachers VRML Official YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Breachers_VRML

Message from the VRML:

Welcome back to the Breachers VRML for Season 3! It’s been quite some time since you last heard from us, but we’re back and better than ever for twelve weeks of action packed matches! Below, you’ll find the standings, roster updates, and opinions from our players and casters about the very first week of the season! From the VRML to you, we wish all of our competing players and teams best of luck in this exciting new season!

Week Ten Standings:

First up, let’s review the standings after our first week of matchups:

North America (NA):

1st: Big Little Company

2nd: ! AfterBurner

3rd: VALOR

4th: Euphoria

5th: Havoc

Europe (EU):

1st: Berserk

2nd: SR

3rd: Team Juice

4th: AESIR EU

5th: AETHIC

Asia/Oceania (APAC):

1st: ¥oung Mafia

2nd: 7DS

3rd: Legion Praetorian

Remember that since we’re at the start of a new season, MMR is reset, and it will take a few weeks to accurately calibrate our top teams. Until then, placement in the top spots is determined by points, or rounds won in matches. That means teams like Big Little Company or Berserk who played challenge matches gave themselves an extra boost to take the early lead this season. Will these teams be able to keep these positions on the leaderboard? We’ll find out next week!

Roster Report:

Once again, our roster report is back with the most dramatic shifts in week one! 

NA:

ReZy-K, Blu4, Jekl, owen-azul, tiretung_2, Flighty, Flu —> INVICT

Lumi —> (Left AESIR)

Plunge —> AESIR

Retalker —> Brug

Peppa Pig —> Ringer

Sterson —> Spectral

Angelix —> Formula 3

elevate —> Euphoria

Dr.Turt —> Ringer

NIL8R70 —> (Left Veni! Vidi! Vici!)

BadAimSauce, ZAE2VALID, Zeikee, curve, JDYJGXZ —> Squeaky Shoes

EU:

Caesar —> (Left Berserk)

Tonico1524 —> (Left WarDogs)

Capzay —> Ringer

From the Teams:

This week, we’ve gone ahead and asked the top teams in each region the following questions:

• How are you feeling as a team after your week one match/matches? 
• What do you think of both teams getting a map ban, and what is your strategy when banning maps this season?

NA:

Big Little Company- Gloomy: “Although it’s been a bit offbeat compared to how we did last season so far, I’m sure we’ll do really great this season. When I first heard about the map bans, I was a bit off edge with it. Now I’m in the mindset of it being more of a tactical play of both teams banning the best map of the team they’re facing that week. Big Little Company will study how other teams play and that will determine what maps will be banned in matches”

! AfterBurner- STINGER: “Well my team is very hyped after our first week matches. We had a lot of close calls but we managed to win. I think both sides getting a map ban will be a lot fairer and overall lead to some fun matches throughout the season. Our strategy for banning maps is to do our research on the team we’re facing and pick their first or second best map [to ban].

VALOR- Crimson: “I am feeling good about [our] matches; Pantheon was tougher than expected. We like the double map ban, [as it] adds a lot of variety and strategy. We have a couple of strategies, but it usually boils down to trying to throw your opponent off their game.”

Havoc- Blue: “Well, after week one, I feel great! We did well in both our matches, and my team is really looking good. For both teams getting a ban, I like it. My primary strategy when banning maps is to ban my team's worst map, and then play that map more in scrims so we can improve as a team.”

EU:

Berserk- Sigma Archie: “Berserk is feeling amazing after week one. We had a nice start: 14-1 [and] 14-2, feeling better after each win. Both teams getting a map ban is going to be a game changer this season as teams can ban any map they have weaknesses on. Us personally, we will just be picking maps the other team is good on, or the map we are bad on.”

SR- JediMilo: “We are feeling good after this week’s win, and we are definitely looking forward to the upcoming week’s games. I personally enjoy the extra bans. As a Pavlov player I’m well used to them, and I feel it adds extra strategy to each match. Our strategy will remain a secret though!”

Team Juice- Boshk138: “When we saw our opponents for this week we were slightly worried; WarDogs is a strong team. What we didn't realize is how much we've improved as a team this off season, and that was evident throughout the match as we were going blow for blow and winning in the end. We're very happy with how the week went and are all looking forward to our match next week. In my opinion, both teams getting a map ban is a great addition to the league as it increases the tactical side of planning a match. Most teams just ban their least favorite map, but team juice is comfortable on any map. So with this guaranteed ban, we are able to restrict our opponents by removing their best [map].”

AESIR EU- Ryze: “After week one I can certainly say the team is feeling very confident. We had a rough start to our game vs ZYN EU with a 7-5 loss on map 1, but the team managed to pull a fantastic comeback by winning 7-0 on maps 2 and 3, which I couldn’t be more proud of. I’d be lying if I said it was an easy off season, our roster is completely different to how it was at the end of last season, so seeing the team perform this well against a high level team is very reassuring. The map banning is certainly an interesting rule, and it will be exciting to use it across the season. It provides us the challenge of becoming good at every map, instead of just 3 or 4. It will definitely cause us to put the practice in during scrims.”

AETHIC- RisingSurvivor: “We are feeling happy as a team! I think I have [a] good team with cool people on it! We just had one week to train together before our first match, but I think it was a good match. Berserk and NYX were tough teams, but we gave our best and I think my team’s performance was good in both matches. I think it's a great idea to let each team ban a map. For the beginning of the season, our strategy is to ban maps we’re not trained on, like Dam.”

APAC:

¥oung Mafia- MARSH: “This season we had to split into two teams after four people left (To increase the number of Japanese players ), so I managed to get a few people I know to help out, and I'm feeling pretty good about the response. Some of my teammates have been too busy to practice much, so I'm choosing to ban the new maps so they can be active too.”

7DS- McMuffinator: “Our team is feeling confident for the season ahead. I think both teams getting a ban is the best option, and it will become a better system when more maps are introduced. Our strategy is just to ban Skyscraper because it sucks.”

Legion Praetorion- Solourus: “Overall, we’re feeling pretty good. After our first match we have identified some clear areas that we can practice and improve on, which will be our goal going into the rest of the season. The map ban is interesting, we want to wait and see how it pans out more before passing judgment. Currently, [our] map ban strategy is to ban the maps we feel less confident about, based on our player lineup for a given match.”

The Importance of Double Map Bans -Opinion by Gibular_Bob:

First off, I just want to say how great it is to see you all again for season 3! I had a nice summer break from league activity, and VRML Con was a blast, but it’s nice to settle back into our regular schedule. Of course, I’m looking forward to creating new articles each week again!

I wanted to quickly talk about what I consider the biggest change to be in season 3: the addition of map bans for both teams. You may have noticed that our teams talked a little bit about their banning process, and that kind of dialogue has fascinated me all throughout week one. We’re finally to the point in Breachers where we have enough maps to add bans for both teams, and I think it adds a whole new level onto the strategy element of a matchup, even before the teams play. How would you approach map bans? Do you get rid of new maps that your team lacks experience in? Do you ban your opponent’s favorite maps? What if your opponent bans your strongest map? There are many ways to approach this new change, and I’m looking forward to seeing how things play out in the new season. With more maps inevitably on the way, we might see an environment in which teams can ban multiple maps at a time. I’m looking forward to seeing how things turn out!

Wrapping up Week One:

It’s time to conclude our first recap of the season, but don’t worry- we’ll have articles dropping each week to deliver the latest seasonal news to your VRML Breachers homepage! Until then, remember to buy breaching foam, and we’ll see you next week!

Before you go, check out these other cool events:

Breachers VRML Season 2 Casting/Production Survey:

https://forms.gle/xXncaZLpBqvD5YRv7

Breachers VRML Season 3 Week 1 Highlights by Old Gravy:

https://youtube.com/shorts/rCRddaAMZJQ?feature=shared

Breachers VRML Official YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/@Breachers_VRML

SEASON 2 FINALISTS & COVETED SKIN

Congrats to all our Seaseon 2 finalists! Triangle Factory is rewarding your hard work with these crazy cool skins!

EU & APAC SEASON 2 CHAMPIONS!

What an exciting end to Season 2 for EU and APAC regions!

Europe

After a grueling Challenger Cup, Nexus became a finalist, getting a Season 2 finalist skin and qualified for the single-elimination playoffs with AESIR EU, ivi, .COM, Immortality, Ragnarok, Cheeki Breachi, and Formula 3 EU! AESIR EU, Ragnarok, ivi, and immortality fought their way to Semi-Finals. Then there were two: ivi and Ragnarok.  

Catch up on the Grand Finals here! For more action, feel free to peruse the YouTube Channel.

Finals Standings

1st: ivi eu
In addition to the recolored skin, they take home $1,900 USD in Cash from our Sponsors Triangle Factory & ProTubeVR and a Helga the Manager Lifetime Subscription!

 2nd: Ragnarok
They are awarded recolored skins, $850 USD in Cash from our Sponsors Triangle Factory & ProTubeVR and a Helga the Manager Lifetime Subscription!

3rd: AESIR EU

APAC

Soap Dispensers played their way through the Challenger Cup and qualified for the Semi-Finals! 7DS, Legion Praetorian, and Hybrid prequalified through the Season 2 ladder matches. Top four  teams qualified for the single-elimination playoffs and the recolorized skins provided by Triangle Factory!

Watch it here

Final Standings

1st: 7DS
They win $950 USD in cash from our Sponsors Triangle Factory & ProTubeVR! 

2nd: Hybrid
3rd: Soap Dispensers

North America

It's not over yet! 2 teams qualified to play the NA Grand Finals on stage at VRML Con 2024! Congrats to AESIR and Formula 3!

VRML Con 2024 is our 2nd in-person VR esports event! We're showcasing Onward, Breachers, VAIL, X8, and Palvov Shack. Attend as a spectator or as a player. We have lots of HYPE things in store for you. VRML.GG/VRMLCON for details!

Watch the Breachers NA Grand Finals LIVE! If you can't make it in person, we'll be streaming here

Congrats again to all the Finalists and Grand Finalists! We can't wait to see what Season 3 has in store!

What a day for the underdogs!

In EU, Ragnarok, 4th, played well against top team, AESIR EU, and came out on top!
Check out the final moments of that match https://www.youtube.com/clip/Ugkx56dEI4NfQMcKCCgIdNVx68fRAap5Q29

ivi also qualified for the Grand Finals! They will play Ragnarok tomorrow for the Championship title and $1,900 USD in cash!

Tune in to watch who will claim 3rd place between AESIR EU and Immortality, followed by the Grand Finals, Ragnarok vs ivi. It all starts at 12 PM EDT / 1600 UTC

In NA, AESIR, 1st, was successful in qualifying for the Grand Finals at VRML Con 2024! They executed their match against Fusion with a lot of preicison, leaving them very few chances. 

F3 and Eternity's match was VERY close, needing 3 maps to decide their fate. F3 ultimately swept the 3rd map, also qualifying themselves for VRML Con. 
Check out those moments https://youtube.com/clip/Ugkx-R2W1cKbSckVp7IqB0Ci_7OIINncaWTj?feature=shared

AESIR and Eternity will face off tomorrow, at 5:00 PM EDT / 2100 UTC, for 3rd place! Join us to cheer them on!

In APAC, Soap Dispensers played their way through the Challenger Cup and qualified for the Semi-Finals! 7DS, Legion Praetorian, and Hybrid prequalified through the Season 2 ladder matches.
Challenger Cup Matches were casted by
ChaceAttack here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2149653537
Jonesy here: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2149654999

Soap Dispensers (8th) faced Hybrid (1st) in these Semi-Finals! Hybrid won the match is moving on to the Grand Finals! Catch up with the APAC VResports YouTube cast below by FireHorse!

7DS played Legion Praetorian and won! You can view Sax's point of view of that match here:
https://www.twitch.tv/videos/2154776398

7DS will face Hybrid for the top spot and $950 USD in cash!

We'll keep you updated on the results!

In the meantime! You can still win a ticket to our 2nd in-person event in Denver, Colorado!

Brace yourselves for an epic weekend as we've reached the top of this Championship!  This is the moment we've all been waiting, let the VRML Breachers Season 2 Finals begin!

Pre-show on our YouTube will start 30 minutes prior to each of the matches start!

SEASON 2 FINALS

Europe Schedule 
Saturday May 25th at 12:30 PM EDT / 1630 UTC
AESIR EU vs Ragnarok
ivi EU vs Immortality

North America Schedule
Saturday, May 25th at 5:00 PM EDT / 2100 UTC
AESIR vs Fusion
Formula 3 vs Eternity

SEASON 2 GRAND FINALS

Europe Finals Schedule
Sunday, May 26th at 12:00 PM EDT / 1600 UTC
Bronze Match - AESIR EU vs Immortality
Grand Finals - Ragnarok vs ivi

North America Finals Schedule
Bronze Match - Fusion vs Eternity, Sunday, May 26th at 5:00 PM EDT / 2100 UTC
Grand Finals - AESIR vs F3, At VRML Con 2024 - Sunday, July 21st

This is going to be a end to the season's championship you do not want to miss out on! 
Tune in to watch our players battle it out for the prize pool! Like, Subscribe and hit the bell icon so you do not miss any of the action happening this weekend!

Hey there Breachers VRML Players! Welcome to Week 2 of our postseason! Last weekend, we witnessed intense action in the Challengers Cup, where Nexus triumphed in EU and RE.START emerged victorious in NA! Get ready for two days of high-octane matches this weekend, spanning both the EU and NA regions.

More details about the prize pool and brackets can be found here: https://vrmasterleague.com/Breachers/Championships/Season2

A lot of excitement and high stakes as teams try to qualify for big prizes and a trip to VRML Con 2024!!
https://vrmasterleague.com/vrmlcon 

DAY 1 - SATURDAY MAY 18TH

EU at 12:00 PM EDT / 1600 UTC
Match 1 - AESIR EU vs Nexus 
Match 2 - Ragnarok vs Cheeki Breachi

NA at 5:00 PM EDT / 2100 UTC
Match 1 - Fusion vs Ignite
Match 2 - AESIR vs RE.START

DAY 2 - SUNDAY MAY 19TH

EU at 12:00 PM EDT / 1600 UTC
Match 1 - ivi vs .COM  
Match 2 - Immortality vs Formula 3 EU

NA at 5:00 PM EDT / 2100 UTC
Match 1 - ivi NA vs Formula 3
Match 2 - Eternity vs HORIZON

So come along and watch these teams battle for a spot in the semifinals, moving one step closer to the prize pool and that new Recoloured Finalist Skin! Don't miss out on the action!

WEEK 1 RECAP!

If you missed last week's exciting Challenger Cup, check out these streams!

EU Day 1 CC 

EU Day 2 CC

NA Day 1 CC

NA Day 2 CC