Analyzing the Map Meta of IEM Katowice 2023 - Insights and Predictions
G2 Esports were the latest addition to the Hall of Champions in Katowice, as they managed to lift the coveted trophy last Sunday. In this article, we’ll be looking at the map meta that is being used by the teams. Along with some other information that helped clinch the top spot against rivals Heroic.
We will analyze playoff stats to gain insight into each team's position in the current meta and make predictions about their performance based on this information.
Map Pool:
In the play-offs, 6 teams went against each other. They played a variety of maps in different styles, so we’ll take a look at those stats now.
As we can see, Inferno was the highest picked map in IEM Katowice, while Vertigo and Anubis were the most banned. This shows that teams are still not comfortable enough to place their bets on newer maps when it comes to serious competition.
Ancient and Overpass follow closely, even though they have been in the active map pool for a while now. This might come down to the complexity of the two maps. Another reason might be that the teams proficient in these maps have certain strategies which other teams do not have the answer to just yet.
Mirage was the most left over. It shows that most teams are more or less comfortable in this map, and do not bother banning it.
Nuke had a balanced pick and ban rate, meaning it was fairly balanced between teams wanting to play it, and teams wanting to avoid it.
Teams to watch out for:
G2 Esports are the current favorites this year in all major tournaments, after their immaculate display during the tournament. Apart from them, Heroic are also looking strong. These two teams had a stellar display of Counter Strike, outcalling the opponent teams, and generally having the better strats.
Team Liquid are also looking quite strong. They might not have the best strategies and plays. But they did manage to win a lot of individual fights in Katowice. Also making a miraculous comeback against Faze, they current roster have really settled into one of the top spots this year.
NaVi and Outsiders had a decent tournament this time, though not spectacular. They were caught lacking in the kills department, losing a lot of head-to-head duels. But their strategic departments were still on point, managing to adapt to unfavorable situations mid-round. Though Outsiders did not manage to beat NaVi in the playoffs. They still had a strong showing in the group stages.
Vitality have a solid roster with Zywoo and the Danish duo of dupreeh and Magisk. However, they still need to iron out some issues and patch up some kinks in their armor to be able to run with the big boys.
Other teams to watch out for this year are IHC Esports, who single-handedly put SEA on the map. Complexity, who had a stellar group stage performance. And OG, who seem to be adapting to their new roster quite well.