LOUD prevents reverse sweep by DRX in VCT 2023: LOCK//IN Semifinals
On March 2, we saw VCT 2023: LOCK//IN’s first Semifinal between LOUD and DRX. The back-and-forth showdown between the Brazilian fan favorite and the South Korean squad became the third-most watched series of the tournament so far. Here’s everything that went down.
DRX and LOUD started in the Alpha Group of VCT LOCK//IN. LOUD seemed strong throughout its path to the Semifinals, only struggling against its Quarterfinals opponent NRG. DRX, on the other hand, had experienced multiple bumps on the road while defeating BBL Esports, Cloud9, and Talon Esports.
During the first two maps, Pearl and Icebox, LOUD was in full control. But things took a turn when DRX performed surprisingly strong on Split and Fracture. Despite the do-or-die situation, DRX showed incredible mental fortitude. MaKo and BuZz were on their A-game, and for a moment, it looked like LOUD could be at the losing end of a reverse sweep. In the final game on Ascent, the Brazilian squad regained its momentum. LOUD crushed DRX’s fighting spirit and ultimately won the series 3:2.
This was not the first time these two teams faced each other in a high-stakes match. DRX also lost to LOUD during the Valorant Champions 2022 Upper Semifinals. With their second domination over DRX, LOUD has advanced to the LOCK//IN Grand Final. There, it will play against Natus Vincere or Fnatic.
VCT LOCK//IN viewership numbers show LOUD fan loyalty
The first Semifinal of VCT LOCK//IN was a blast for Valorant fans. As the tournament’s longest match thus far, it was watched for a total of about 3 million hours. This is a significant portion of LOCK//IN’s more than 34 million Hours Watched.
On top of that, LOUD versus DRX is now the third-most-popular series of the event, with nearly 780,000 Peak Viewers. At the very top remains the Quarterfinal between NRG and LOUD which reached over 880,000 PV. After yesterday, LOUD is represented in three out of the five top LOCK//IN matches by PV.
The Brazilian crowd loves LOUD, which also shows in the language distribution of the audience. During the Semifinal, the Portuguese-speaking audience peaked at nearly 280,000 viewers, almost matching the English peak viewership. Similarly, the team has attracted the second-highest Average Viewers of LOCK//IN thus far. At over 500,000 AV, LOUD can only be topped by Sentinels.
With the support of the live crowd and its recent successes, LOUD has a good chance at securing its second VCT title after Valorant Champions 2022. But first, today’s series between NAVI and Fnatic will determine LOUD’s final opponent. Tune in at 5 pm GMT+0 to see it all play out. On Saturday, the first VCT event of the year will culminate in the Grand Final.
Detailed Esports data at your fingertips.
Subscribe to & start exploring!
