📝 A curse broken as OWCS Stage 3 comes to a close

The Overwatch Champions Series in EMEA has ended. The playoffs reached their crescendo this weekend. Three teams secured their long-awaited tickets to Stockholm, and Twisted Minds finally claimed the throne that had eluded them for almost two years.

From Gen.G’s unfortunate connection issues to Team Peps’ improbable run to Quartz’s defining performance in the Grand Finals, it was a weekend of redemption, heartbreak, and statement wins.

Game of the week: Al Qadsiah 1 - 4 Twisted Minds

A rivalry a year in the making, countless maps, endless showdowns, a seven-win streak for Al Qadsiah, $30,000, and the #1 EMEA seed for Stockholm on the line. Both teams had already secured their spots for Stockholm, but the top prizes were still on the line. Who would cap off the year as EMEA’s best?

The teams started with an exact repeat of the day before, starting with Lijiang, Al Qadsiah banning Hazard, and Twisted Minds banning Lucio. The difference from their prior matchup lay in composition. Ziyad opted for his comfort D.Va, but Abdualziz “TVNT” Altmimi’s counter-pick Zarya quickly proved the better call. Daniel “Funnyastro” Hathaway built an early Tidal Blast that completely swung the second engagement, while both Landon “Landon” McGee and Kristian “Kellex” Keller were a beat late on their support ultimates, costing Al Qad dearly. Abdulelah “LBBD7” Alfaifi found himself constantly targeted and eliminated early, preventing Qadsiah from ever stabilising. Twisted Minds stormed through both rounds, looking completely in control as they took the opening map with authority.

Al Qadsiah doubled down on their comfort map and ban setup, but this time the script flipped. Their early attack was electric. LBBD7’s Freja opened with devastating picks, and Funnyastro’s mistimed Sound Barrier gifted Qadsiah a clean capture through point two. Just when it looked like they’d roll through the final stretch, Twisted Minds adjusted mid-map.

With Kim “Simple” Ji-sung switching from Kiriko to Baptiste, TVNT swapping to Hazard, and Quartz going Cassidy, TM’s defence transformed completely.

Al Qad’s attack stalled, their time advantage evaporated, and TM slammed the door shut before the finish line. On their own push, Twisted Minds were ruthless. A ruthless four-piece from Quartz followed immediately by another three sealed the map in dominant fashion, putting them up 2–0.

With their backs to the wall, Al Qadsiah fought back in Esperança. Both teams mirrored Zarya, but Ziyad found his rhythm early, outdueling TVNT and pushing Qadsiah to a 94-meter lead. Twisted Minds eventually stabilised, pressured Al Qadsiah into a very uncomfortable fight, and turned the tables on their ultimate economy. Just when they looked poised to close out the map, Baek “Checkmate” Seung-hun found a crucial trade on Quartz, swinging the final fight in Al Qad’s favour. Without Quartz’s pressure, Al Qadsiah quickly took over and were on the board, 2–1.

Map 4 went to Eichenwalde, Twisted Minds’ comfort pick, and it showed. Both flex DPS players went for the Echo mirror after Qadsiah banned Tracer, but it was Seicoe who completely took over the map.

His precision on Echo and Funnyastro’s impeccable coordination on Wuyang created constant pressure that Qadsiah’s Ana–Brigitte backline couldn’t handle. Twisted Minds bulldozed through all three points with 1:50 on the clock. On defence, Quartz put on a masterclass, shutting down every window of opportunity Al Qad could find. Qadsiah’s push never left the spawn, and TM completed the full hold to move to match point.

On Suravasa, both teams went full mirror, but by now, Twisted Minds were untouchable. Quartz continued his rampage, TVNT dominated the frontline, and Al Qadsiah, audibly deflated, couldn’t find footing. TM rolled through all three points in record time and dismantled Al Qad’s counterattack before it ever began.

The voice comms told the story: high-spirited and full of energy from Twisted Minds; silence and frustration from their rivals. When the dust settled, Twisted Minds lifted the OWCS EMEA trophy as a team that had finally broken the curse. An entire year of falling just short against Al Qadsiah in OWCS came to an end, as TM claimed the top prize and #1 seed for Stockholm.

For Twisted Minds, this was vindication. For Al Qadsiah, a sobering reminder that regional dominance is never permanent. The rivalry will almost certainly continue on the world stage, but for now, Twisted Minds stand alone atop EMEA, stronger, sharper, and finally victorious over their greatest rival.

Ibrahim Alali lives up to his name

Quartz caps off an incredible stage with a performance worthy of remembrance. Completely flipping around a rocky start to the season (by their standards), and bringing everything to a dominant finish.

You could almost feel the weight lifting off Twisted Minds’ shoulders as the scoreboard ticked to 4–1. A moment a full year in the making. And yet, amid all the noise, Quartz never flinched. His form throughout the Grand Finals was the embodiment of poise. A marksman who had seen every iteration of this rivalry and finally decided it was time to end it.

While others wavered in the chaos, Quartz dictated it. His presence on Freja gave Twisted Minds the confidence to play their natural, high-tempo game, forcing Al Qadsiah to constantly react rather than initiate. His killing spree on Junkertown will go down as one of the defining highlights of this EMEA season — a series of precise, instinctive shots that broke Al Qadsiah’s defence and their spirit with it.

The showdown between Al Qadsiah and Twisted Minds often comes down to a decisive duel between the two elite marksmen of each team, LBBD7 and Quartz. However, it was Quartz who put on a dominating performance in the closing weekend of OWCS Stage 3, tipping the scales in Twisted Minds’ favour and bringing home the trophy.

When the final map ended, Quartz’s gameplay had already spoken for him, a reminder that when Twisted Minds needed a leader, a finisher, and a moment of brilliance, Quartz was all three.

Results summary: The Saudi elite clash, and Peps are headed to Stockholm

Lower bracket semifinal: Team Peps 3 - 0 Gen.G Esports

For both teams, this was the most important match of the season. After weeks of defying expectations, Team Peps and Gen.G Esports met in the lower bracket final with one shared goal: the last remaining ticket to Stockholm. What followed was a chaotic, high-stakes series that tested every ounce of their resilience — and their internet connection. The match ended with the French side scripting one of the most remarkable turnarounds of the OWCS EMEA season.

Peps ban D.Va, while Gen.G respond with a Kiriko ban. The opening map started under surreal circumstances. As soon as the teams load into the map, Gen.G’s star DPS Daniel “xzodyal” Castro, last week’s Player of the Week, disconnected from the server. After a lengthy pause, the game resumed with Gen.G forced to play four versus five.

Peps wasted no time capitalising on the advantage, securing the first round effortlessly. Xzodyal managed to reconnect seconds into Round 2 on Well, but Peps had already seized full control of the tempo. Gen.G managed to wrestle the point back at one stage, yet the momentum swung once again through Benjamin “Xeriongdh” Nambruide’s impeccable Ana play. Peps sealed the map 2–0, taking an early and confident lead in the series.

Looking to regain balance, Gen.G turned to Eichenwalde, Jamie “Backbone” O'Neill went on Symmetra, and Gen.G’s immediately opened with aggression, recapturing their rhythm from the previous week’s success against Virtus.pro. They captured the first point quickly, but Peps’ defensive coordination forced them to fight for every meter afterward. Alexander “Tred” Madgwick-Smith and Backbone managed to hold and grab the 2nd point, but barely. Even so, Gen.G turned their setback into momentum, picked their fights with incredible precision, timed their ultimates to a T, and snowballed the payload to the finish line in overtime.

The French side, however, appeared completely unfazed. Playing methodically, they sliced through Gen.G’s aggressive defensive setup with clean execution. The rest of the French team’s push is effortless, Gen.G almost putting up no resistance throughout the first half of it. Peps completed the map with 1:43 left on the clock, meaning they needed only a single tick during overtime to win.

They achieved it in no time. Florian “Dip” Lefèvre, in superb form, danced around Gen.G’s static defence to capture the point, putting Peps up 2–0.

Facing elimination, Gen.G pulled out their ace: Esperança, their strongest map throughout the season. But once again, technical issues struck, and another lengthy pause due to connection troubles delayed the game’s start.

When play resumed, Peps stayed loyal to their winning formula. They found early picks, gained ground steadily, and managed fights with measured precision. Gen.G, though visibly more comfortable, couldn’t maintain stability long enough to regain momentum. Despite xzodyal finding some form in the closing moments, it was Dip’s brilliance that defined the series. His impeccable tracking, timing, and patience through Peps’ coordinated pushes gave the French team a clear edge. Gen.G’s valiant effort simply wasn’t enough to turn the tide.

Peps closed out Esperança with authority, completing a 3–0 sweep to qualify for the OWCS 2025 World Finals in Stockholm.

As for Gen.G, their incredible run through the playoffs have earned them respect and recognition, but their journey ends just shy of the finish line.

For Peps, however, it’s a dream fulfilled — and their ticket to Stockholm punched in unforgettable fashion. The French roster have turned their campaign into a blueprint for perseverance. They would still play one more match against Twisted Minds, before the weekend’s over, but it ends up painting a clear picture of the amount of preparation Peps need before Stockholm next month.

Upper bracket final: Al Qadsiah 3 - 2 Twisted Minds

In hindsight of the grand finals faceoff of these two teams, this matchup acts as a small hurdle for Twisted Minds to later achieve their massive victory over their local rivals. However, on the day, it extended Al Qadsiah’s undefeated record in OWCS against Twisted Minds to seven games, turning their eventual defeat in the grand finals into a bigger downfall.

The tone was set from the opening round. Both teams mirrored each other, but it was Twisted Minds who executed with sharper precision. Ziyad put up resistance late into Control Center, but Twisted Minds dictated the tempo throughout, taking the first round convincingly. The pattern continued on Night Market, Al Qadsiah showed flashes of brilliance and even brought the round to 99%, but Twisted Minds’ discipline and nerves carried them through to secure the early series lead.

If Map 1 was about Twisted Minds’ control, Map 2 was a showcase of Al Qadsiah’s adaptability. Ziyad’s Zarya was the cornerstone of their push, outmuscling Twisted Minds through sheer grit.

When Ziyad’s momentum came to a stop, Checkmate picked up the slack with an explosive run through their rivals. However, a couple of errors from Ziyad and Kellex ended their push midway to the finish line. Twisted Minds started their push, but Al Qadsiah gave them a hard fight all throughout the map. The final moments turned chaotic. A critical misplay from Quartz, whose Bola Shot pulled D.Va’s Self-Destruct into his own team, gifted Al Qadsiah the window they needed to close out the map and level the series.

Eichenwalde proved to be Twisted Minds’ fortress once again. Eschewing the Symmetra setup that had worked wonders the week before, they instead leaned on Simple’s Brigitte and FunnyAstro’s Wuyang to stabilise their aggression. Despite both DPS being forced onto Sojourn due to the Freja ban, Twisted Minds’ synergy was immaculate. TVNT’s Hazard swap completely nullified Ziyad’s Ramattra, and their coordination through every choke point was clinical. When sides switched, Twisted Minds’ defence looked unbreakable. A flawless hold locked Al Qadsiah out of the map entirely, putting TM back in the lead 2–1.

Al Qadsiah refused to go quietly. This time, they banned Ramattra to ensure Ziyad gets an easier job on Zarya. Their push on Esperança was cohesive and composed, storming to 120 meters before TVNT turned the fight on its head, taking out four enemies that ignited a Twisted Minds rally. The momentum nearly broke Qadsiah, but Ziyad’s switch to D.Va stabilised the team when it mattered most. LBBD7’s pinpoint Bola Shot and Checkmate getting two crucial early picks flipped the final fight in their favour, capping off a hard-fought comeback to tie the series 2–2 and set up yet another decider between these two titans.

With everything on the line, both teams pulled out all the stops. Twisted Minds banned Sojourn, forcing both Quartz and LBBD7 onto Freja, while Al Qadsiah’s surprising D.Va ban pushed Ziyad back onto Zarya. The adjustments worked. Al Qadsiah were pinpoint perfect on the first point. They waited until Twisted Minds were fully committed when Landon’s perfectly timed Kitsune Rush caught them all off-guard and secured the first point for Qadsiah.

Ziyad displayed a massively improved form on Zarya all throughout the second point. Despite Quartz’s performance, Ziyad carried Al Qadsiah through the second point. Twisted Minds briefly rallied on Point 3, but Al Qadsiah’s composure in the final rounds made the difference. A nail-biting finish saw Qad edge out the final cap to take the map and the series 3–2.

In yet another five-map thriller, Al Qadsiah reminded everyone why this rivalry remains one of EMEA’s premier spectacles. Ziyad’s resilience, Checkmate’s picks, and the team’s mental toughness once again carried them through the storm. For Twisted Minds, the loss stings, but with redemption looming on the next day, this was a loss they could handle.

Lower bracket final: Twisted Minds 3 - 0 Team Peps

With both Team Peps and Twisted Minds already securing their tickets to Stockholm, their lower-bracket final was about seeding, momentum, and pride. Twisted Minds approached the series with their trademark intensity, while Peps seemed content to play at half-tilt, conserving focus after their monumental qualification win over Gen.G. The difference in drive showed on the scoreboard, as Twisted Minds swept Peps 3–0 in a one-sided display.

Twisted Minds opened the series on Lijiang Tower, banning Zarya, and Peps responded with Freja. The match started evenly enough, with Peps showing flashes of their coordination, a noticeable improvement from their last meeting with TM in the regular season. Still, Twisted Minds dictated pace and spacing across both rounds, closing out the opener cleanly. Peps’ plays were deliberate but lacked the urgency of a team fighting for its season, and TM capitalised without hesitation.

Peps headed to familiar ground with King’s Row, their comfort pick, but Twisted Minds immediately undercut that advantage with a smart Sojourn ban. That forced both marksmen onto Freja, a pick Peps’ Zorrow is known for, but one TM were confident Quartz would have no issues handling. The difference was in execution. Twisted Minds were ruthless, suffocating Peps’ attack from start to finish. Peps’ only real success came from Xeriongdh’s well-timed Kitsune Rush, which netted them two ticks on the first point. That was the end of Peps’ push. On their own attack, Twisted Minds made quick work of the map, completing their push in just forty seconds to double their lead.

Down 0–2, Peps opted for Aatlis and banned D.Va in hopes of forcing a Zarya mirror. The plan backfired almost immediately. William “WillyS” Ersson was pressured off Zarya and onto Hazard, and Twisted Minds seized control. Their tempo, led by TVNT’s assertive tank play, was relentless, leaving Peps constantly on the back foot. The sweep was sealed with little resistance, marking the end of a brief but definitive series.

While Twisted Minds used the match to reinforce their form and claim the higher seed, Team Peps clearly entered with their eyes already fixed on Stockholm. Their preparation for Gen.G paid off earlier in the weekend, but the lack of depth against TM exposed the gaps that will need patching before they head to LAN.