IEM Season 8
World Championship

Countdown:

Detailed information on Liquipedia

by lichter

The World Championship is the culmination of a year long event that has given us some of the best games of HotS and some of its most memorable storylines. A year is a long time, and memories might need refreshing. Let's take a look at the sixteen players competing and how they got here.


CMStorm_Revival
Method of Qualification: 1st place IEM Shanghai
Players Defeated to Qualify: TitaN, Polt, MC, Oz
What Has He Done Since Then?: Left EG, signed with CM Storm
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS America Ro16 by defeating TheStC and ByuL
Outlook: In 2013, Revival's 2nd place finish in WCS AM Season 1 and championship in Shanghai suggested that he was finally turning into a contender. However, Revival did little else to impress us for the rest of the year, leaving us to wonder if his brief peak had already come and gone. He's played very few stream games in 2014, and his advancement to the WCS America Ro16 is his most notable achievement. He enters this tournament as an underdog compared to his more storied opponents, but he may have much to show us yet.


Oz
Method of Qualification: [/b] 2nd place IEM Shanghai
Players Defeated to Qualify: sLivko, MacSed, DongRaeGu, HerO
What Has He Done Since Then?: Left EG, reached the quarterfinals of WCS Season 3.
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS America Ro16 by defeating Nestea twice while losing to Alicia.
Outlook: Oz is a difficult player to put your finger on. He's a creative player who enjoys employing unique builds, and can occasionally beat some of the best players in the world. However, he has almost never challenged for championships. Still, he made a few impressive runs in 2013, including his 2nd place run at IEM Shanghai that saw him earn qualification into the World Championship. And lest we forgot, he even earned a Code S semifinal appearance back in 2011. As with all sixteen players at the IEM WC, Oz is a dangerous player capable of defeating anyone if he's at the top of his form, but he is definitely one of the underdogs.


ST_Life
Method of Qualification: 1st place IEM New York
Players Defeated to Qualify: Zest, HerO, Curious, Naniwa
What Has He Done Since Then?: Finished 2nd at DreamHack Winter.
Recent Form: Advanced to Code S quarterfinals by defeating RorO twice while losing to sOs.
Outlook: For a player as talented as Life, it was surprising that IEM New York was only his second big win in 2013 after MLG Winter (which came right after HotS release). It was certainly disappointing, but not particularly surprising for the prodigy who has never had a reputation as particularly driven player He can make amends for it all by taking the biggest prize of his career. The fact that he's got over the Code S Ro16 wall for the first time since his championship season in 2012 is encouraging news.

Life has always excelled at short, weekend tournaments that rely on instinct and mechanics over preparation. However, his ZvP has looked shaky as of late, and it is an obstacle he has to overcome to win the championship.


[A]NaNiwa
Method of Qualification: 2nd place IEM New York
Players Defeated to Qualify: Hack, San, HyuN
What Has He Done Since Then?: Knocked out in Ro16 of the WCS 2013 Global Finals, announced his break from StarCraft 2
Recent Form: Dropped out of WCS EU Ro32 Premier League, hasn't played a single game for over a month
Outlook: After giving foreign fans much to cheer for at 2013's IEM New York, NaNiwa seems to have lost his interest in the game. He hasn't played a ladder game in over a month, which certainly explains his lackluster performance in WCS Europe that got him eliminated in the Ro32. Unfortunately for fans of foreigners, NaNiwa seems destined for a hasty Ro16 exit.


CJ_herO[jOin]
Method of Qualification: 1st place at IEM Singapore and Sau Paulo
Players Defeated to Qualify: Dream, Bomber, Mvp, DongRaeGu, San, MajOr, TLO, MC
What Has He Done Since Then?: Narrowly avoided the Artosis Curse
Recent Form: Advanced to Code S quarterfinals by defeating Trap and teammate Bbyong
Outlook: The first back-to-back champion in IEM SC2 history, herO has all the momentum in the world behind him. He took the championship at both IEM's he attended and looked dominant in doing so. He has cruised through Code S so far, advancing to the quarterfinals in his second Code S attempt.

Despite CJ Entus' Proleague struggles, herO is the one player who continues to impress and pull his weight. His sublime micro makes him a master of all-ins, but he also has the decision-making ability and strategic mind needed to beat anyone in a long game. If CJ's ace has a weakness, it is that he seems to struggle slightly against elite Terran players. If herO faces mostly Zergs and Protosses, there's a good chance that he can three-peat.


yoe.San
Method of Qualification: 2nd place at IEM Singapore
Players Defeated to Qualify: XiGua, Mvp, EffOrt, Hydra
What Has He Done Since Then?: Won ASUS ROG Winter by beating Protosser, Tefel, SortOf, Snute, Life, StarDust and Dear
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS Europe Ro16, eliminated in IEM Cologne open bracket
Outlook: Once cursed to be an online-only Bonjwa, San finally won gold at ASUS ROG Winter '14 against Dear in the finals. Many have speculated that The ManZenith always lurked inside the shy and nervous San, and that perhaps he has finally been unleashed. San's PvZ has been especially dominating, holding a 33-6 in the last few months. However, his PvP (losses to MC and HasuObs) and PvT (losses to Dayshi, ForGG, INnoVation) leave us skeptical about his ability to go all the way at IEM. [SanFan]'s everywhere will hope that SadZenith does not arrive in Katowice in ManZenith's stead.


MC
Method of Qualification: 2nd place IEM Sao Paulo
Players Defeated to Qualify: hellokitty, TLO, ABomB, jjakji
What Has He Done Since Then?: Made some bad commercials
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS Europe Ro16, eliminated in SeatStory Cup Ro16
Outlook: The wealthiest man in SC2, MC comes in as a former IEM World Champion (2012). Though he has finished on the podium plenty times since then, the 2012 IEM WC was one of the last times MC tasted gold. MC is far from done however, as his two silvers in WCS EU can attest to. Though MC has declined since his prime, his strong all-ins and killer instinct have allowed him to maintain good win rates in all his matchups. MC knows what it takes to win, and he won't be afraid to use every trick in the book to retake his crown and eclipse $500k in career earnings.


Liquid`HerO
Method of Qualification: 1st place IEM Cologne
What Has He Done Since Then?: Been sad
Recent Form: Dropped out of WCS America Ro32 with losses to HuK and Xigua
Outlook: As inconsistent as ever, HerO followed up his IEM Cologne championship with an unexpected exit in WCS AM Ro32. Talent has never been a question with HerO, but his seemingly fragile psyche has always looked one devastating loss away from breaking completely. Yet, when things are clicking for HerO, he can be one of the best players in the world. Few expected him to come out on top of the stacked field at IEM Cologne, but he played his best StarCraft in over a year to take the title. Some would even argue that the field at Katowice is weaker than the one at Cologne, but that's no guarantee that HerO will do well.


CMStorm_Polt
Method of Qualification: 2nd place IEM Cologne
Players Defeated to Qualify: StarDust, MaNa, Classic, Rain
What Has He Done Since Then?: Continued to make us wonder how a player living the USA can be so good
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS America Ro16 by defeating Illusion and Neeb
Outlook: Polt stole the show at IEM Cologne despite finishing in second place, showing that TvP was far from unwinnable with his brilliant dropship tactics. His series against Classic and Rain are sure to go down as some of the most memorable of the year. Also, he once again showed us that it is possible to be a world class player while playing out of the United States. If the GSL Super Tournament champion can keep demolishing Protoss players in Katowice, he could very well earn the second $100,000 check of his career.


mYI.StarDust
Method of Qualification: Won the European online qualifier
Players Defeated to Qualify: BlinG, Dimaga, Dear, HerO, Revenge
What Has He Done Since Then?: Been one of the best Korean interviewees not named MC
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS Europe Ro16, placed top 16 at IEM Cologne
Outlook: Entering the tournament from the European qualifiers, StarDust had perhaps the easiest path besides MC's second place finish at Sao Paulo. Although his one championship at DreamHack Summer 2013 isn't so impressive when compared against the resumes of the other players, StarDust is still an excellent player who has made several deep runs in recent tournaments. He boasts an excellent PvP win-rate in 2014, and his mirror match-up prowess might see him go further than most expect.


mYi.jjakji
Method of Qualification: Won the American online qualifier
Players Defeated to Qualify: MaNa, Polt, StarDust, GuMiho, Hydra
What Has He Done Since Then?: Won a free dinner from an adoring fan
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS Europe Ro16, finished fourth at SeatStory Cup #1
Outlook: jjakji has become one of the most feared players in Europe since relocating to the mYi house in Switzerland. However, for all the beatdowns he has administered on the European ladder, jjakji has disappointed in live tournaments since his move. Third at HSC8, top 12 at ASUS ROG, top 4 at IEM Sao Paulo -- all good results, but less than expected from the player many consider the best in Europe. Protosses ended jjakji's IEM runs at Sao Paulo and Cologne, and he'll likely be playing against a lot of them at the World Championships. Will disappointment strike again?


JinAir_Rogue
Method of Qualification: Won the Asian online qualifier
Players Defeated to Qualify: Rain, Sacsri, Zest, Sora, Soulkey
What Has He Done Since Then?: Learned how to play the Euro-swarm host style with disgusting efficiency
Recent Form: Eliminated in Code A with two losses to Dark, has a 7-5 record in Proleague this season
Outlook: The winner of the hardest qualifier can often be expected to do well at the main tournament. However, Rogue is one of the biggest surprises from a Korean qualifier since MyuNgSiK earned a spot at IEM Shanghai, and we all know how that turned out. Revealed as the #1 player on the Korean ladder and having shown strong Proleague performances in recent weeks, Rogue is receiving a lot of hype as THE dark horse of the tournament. But if he wants to live up to that reputation, he will have to put on the best live performance of his career at his very first international tournament.


JinAir_sOs
Method of Qualification: Invited as WCS 2013 Global Champion
What Has He Done Since Then?: Had an awful start to the new Proleague season but quickly recovered his form
Recent Form: Advanced to Code S quarterfinals by defeating RorO and Life
Outlook: The only player at the tournament who has won $100,000 in the recent past, sOs continues to both baffle and impress in good measure. His abysmal performance in Round 1 of Proleague was followed by a five win streak in Round 2, alongside easy advancement to the Code S quarterfinals. sOs has always been a player whose form has fluctuated wildly, and at IEM he seems to be peaking at the absolute best time. As unfair as it might seem to all the other players in the world, he might just take home his second $100,000 check in 4 months.


Liquid`TaeJa
Method of Qualification: Invited due to exceptional tournament achievements in 2013
What Has He Done Since Then?: Looked shaky in Ro16 elimination at ASUS ROG Winter
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS America Ro16 with wins over MajOr and aLive
Outlook: For someone worthy of the title of Player of the Year, Taeja has had some trouble winning the biggest tournaments. $10,000 checks he's cashed a plenty, but last year's DreamHack Winter was the only super-size tournament he has managed to conquer in his career. TaeJa expressed delight after finally getting over his $10K hump, so he's going to be ecstatic if he can bank $100k and instantly make this the most profitable year of his career. Despite going 2-8 and 4-6 in his last 10 TvPs and TvZs respectively, you expect TaeJa to make a spirited run at the title. Poor form has always seemed temporary for Liquid's ace.


Roccat.HyuN
Method of Qualification: 1st place in live qualifier
Players Defeated to Qualify: Forte, Nerchio, Dear, HasuObs
Recent Form: Advanced to WCS America Ro16 by beating Revival and ByuL
Outlook: The HyuNstoppable one seemed to be in danger of having his passion snuffed out after former team Quantic cheated him out of nearly $20,000. But despite being demotivated to play near the end of 2013, HyuN has rapidly recovered him form after joining new team Roccat (receiving considerable donations from the community probably didn't hurt). Hyun made his way through the open qualifier by adhering to StarCraft's most basic principle: make a ton of stuff and go kill your opponent. Though it's not the style with the most finesse, brute force might be just the ticket to topple the Protoss heavy field at IEM Katowice.


mouzDear
Method of Qualification: 2nd place in live qualifier
Players Defeated to Qualify: uThermal, Leenock, Jaedong, HasuObs
Recent Form: Eliminated in Code S Ro16 by losing to Maru and Zest, finished 2nd at ASUS ROG Winter
Outlook: After being invited to IEM Cologne, Dear had a good shot at qualifying directly to Katowice. Unfortunately for the only player to win both his regional WCS and the Season Finals in 2013, he was unceremoniously dumped out at the first hurdle, losing to Patience and jjakji. While Dear made sure not to repeat that embarrassing experience in Katowice, it's undeniable that he no longer looks like the world beater from five months ago. His 2nd place at ASUS ROG Winter shows he is still a force to be reckoned with, but he needs to recover his past form to finish in the money at IEM.

Writers: lichter
Banner Photo: ESL
Editor: Waxangel