Last year was full of milestones for our organization, and as we reflect on everything Version1 accomplished in 2022, the first thing that comes to mind is how grateful we are for the support of our fans.
The enthusiasm of this community has motivated and inspired our staff, our players, and our coaches to relentlessly pursue excellence and innovation. Version1 is passionate about creating exciting fan experiences and finding new ways to support the ongoing success of the esports ecosystem as we look ahead to 2023.
Call of Duty League Major II
In early 2022, we hosted the first Call of Duty League (CDL) Major in the Midwest, attracting thousands of fans to a sold-out venue at Mystic Lake for four action-packed days of competition.
In addition to the twelve franchised CDL teams competing on the main stage at Major II, we ran a Challengers LAN tournament where semi-professional teams flew in from around the world to battle their way through the bracket for a shot at glory in the ‘passion pit.’
Los Angeles Guerrillas emerged victorious at Major II, and Toronto Ultra Academy (NA) took first place in the Challengers tournament.
It was a pleasure to celebrate the return of live esports to the Midwest, and the energy of the crowd at Major II was electric.
Esports Watch Parties and Fan Experiences
Version1 hosted over 30 watch parties around the world in 2022 and brought memorable engagement activations to numerous events, including the Minnesota State Fair, multiple Call of Duty League Majors, VeeCon 2022, Minnesota Aurora FC matches, USTA watch parties, and the Minnesota Vikings Draft Party.
One of our most cherished memories from the past year was our “March To The Match” at the Rocket League World Championship Series in Texas. Hundreds of Version1 and Rocket League fans showed up in force to arrive at the tournament venue in a sea of purple.
Holy balls Version1 storming into Rocket League Worlds
I ain’t ever seen anything like this 😂 pic.twitter.com/gs5Ma2it4x
— Jake Lucky (@JakeSucky) August 13, 2022
The loud chanting of this group, the skywriting above them that read “GO V1,” and, of course, the purple smoke bombs, serve as a testament to the passion and commitment of our fans.
In 2023, we will be hosting two LAN events as part of the Minnesota Røkkr Home Series. This is a first-of-its-kind regional esports event series that offers Call of Duty fans an unprecedentedly intimate and accessible way to watch their favorite CDL teams compete live. You can learn more about the Minnesota Røkkr Home Series and register for ticket presale access here.
Versión1 Rocket League
Version1 Rocket League soared to new heights in 2022. Kyle “Torment” Storer and Robert “Comm” Kyser were joined by young prodigy Landon “BeastMode” Konerman in January, and In the months that followed the team established themselves as one of the most dominant rosters in North America and a force to be reckoned with on the international circuit. Read the full recap of Version1 Rocket League’s RLCS 2021-2022 season here.
Version1 Rocket League: Tournament Results 2022 (Chronological)
- 4th Place: X Games Open (Winter: NA Regional Event 1 | RLCS 2021-22)
- 1st Place: Mobil 1 Mountain Classic (Winter: NA Regional Event 3 | RLCS 2021-22)
- 5th-6th Place: RLCS Winter Split Major (RLCS 2021-22)
- 5th-6th Place: Version 5G Ultra Cup (Spring: NA Regional Event 1 | RLCS 2021-22)
- 2nd Place: 7-Eleven Slurpee Cup (Spring: NA Regional Event 2 | RLCS 2021-22)
- 3rd Place: Nissan Classic (Spring: NA Regional Event 3 | RLCS 2021-22)
- 3rd Place: RLCS Spring Split Major (RLCS 2021-22)
- 5th-8th Place: RLCS World Championship (RLCS 2021-22)
- 5th-8th Place: Fall NA Regional 1 Open (RLCS 2022-23)
- 1st Place: Fall NA Regional 2 Cup (RLCS 2022-23)
- 5th-8th Place: Fall NA Regional 3 Invitational (RLCS 2022-23)
- 5th-8th Place: Fall Split Major (RLCS 2022-23)
VALORANT
The VALORANT community is poised to enter a new era in 2023 with the arrival of the game’s official tournament circuit, which will be hosted and organized by its publisher, Riot Games.
Although Version1 was not ultimately successful in securing an initial spot in the Americas VALORANT Americas Partnership Program, our organization remains firmly committed to establishing an ongoing presence within the competitive landscape of the game.
We have an exciting announcement to share about VALORANT in 2023.
Stay tuned for more details in the coming weeks.
Follow us on Twitter and sign up for email updates from Version1 to make sure you hear hear the good news before the rest of the world.
Minnesota Røkkr
After a tough end to Minnesota Røkkr’s Vanguard season, our coaching staff has built a promising new Call of Duty League roster around superstar veteran Dillon “Attach” Price. The new team has already delivered impressive results in MW2—Minnesota Røkkr only dropped a single series during the qualifiers for CDL Major I.
Locked and loaded. pic.twitter.com/irB7tsOcgi
— Minnesota RØKKR (@ROKKR) December 16, 2022
Alongside Attach, the new team features the longstanding duo of established European powerhouses Ben “Bance” Bance and Cameron “Cammy” McKilligan, as well as Marcus “Afro” Reid, a young breakout player who holds the record for most consecutive LAN victories in the Challengers circuit. Afro’s remarkable firepower has already turned heads in the Call of Duty League, and he currently has one of the top five overall K/Ds in the CDL.
From all of us at Version1, thank you for an amazing year.
We can’t wait to bring our game to the next level in 2023.
