The Story Of: Marcos Gaming
In the first edition of our Feature series, where we take a look at the various prominent Indian Counter-Strike organisations and teams, we kick things off with Marcos Gaming, who most recently held the no. 1 spot in the HLTV India rankings and had a fairly successful Counter-Strike journey.
Established in 2019 by co-founders Akhil Kavuturu and Sudhir Kulria, Marcos Gaming's journey began as a shared vision ignited by a chance meeting at a DreamHack event. Little did they know that their odyssey would weave through different titles.
Initially stepping onto the esports stage with PUBG Mobile as their flagship title, Marcos Gaming harbored ambitions of leaving an indelible mark on the mobile gaming industry. However, a strategic shift in 2021-22 led them to explore the PC esports scene, briefly venturing into VALORANT before realizing that Counter-Strike held the key to their destiny.
Co-founder Akhil revealed that Skyesports' franchising model for Skyesports Masters 2023 played a pivotal role in Marcos Gaming's decision to delve into the Counter-Strike scene.
As the news spread of Marcos Gaming's foray into Indian CS, attention was drawn to the recruitment of formidable names, with DEFAULTER, a standout in-game leader, at the helm. Alongside Mcg1LLzZz, Gh0sTTT, zerocool and Rider, DEFAULTER solidified the foundation of Marcos Gaming's inaugural CS roster.
"DEFAULTER is a very confident leader, I trusted him from the get-go. He has this knack of stepping up out of nowhere like Glen Maxwell and pulling the team across the line. We would be down and out of matches, on the brink of defeat but DEFAULTER would still say- yeah we got this, and execute massive comebacks. He is just that sort of a player. "
Akhil Kavuturu, co-founder, Marcos Gaming
DEFAULTER guided Marcos Gaming's Counter-Strike debut at TEC Arena Connect Pune 2023, where they faced formidable opponents in 2EZ Gaming in the semi-finals. In a nail-biting match that spilled into overtime, Marcos Gaming emerged victorious, securing a finals spot and ultimately dethroning defending champions 7SEA Esports to claim their maiden title.
The triumph at TEC Arena Connect Pune 2023 marked the beginning of Marcos Gaming's ascent. Announced as one of the franchised teams in Skyesports Masters 2023, they unleashed a storm of dominance, breezing through the group stage with an impressive 11-3 record. Despite entering the playoffs as favorites, they faced a strategic juggernaut in Gods Reign, bowing out in the semi-finals.
The journey continued with a roster change, bringing in Rossi and DiceDealer to replace ZEROCOOL and Rider, setting the stage for Marcos Gaming's redemption at DreamHack Hyderabad 2023. A flawless run in the group stage propelled them into the playoffs, where they were once again the tournament favorites. This time, Marcos Gaming came through, clearing the playoffs to secure DreamHack Hyderabad 2023 without dropping a single match.
With their recent DreamHack Hyderabad run, Marcos Gaming dethroned Gods Reign, ascending to the #1 spot in HLTV's regional rankings for India on 6th November 2023.
Marcos Gaming's next big venture was Skyesports Championship 5.0. The team put up several dominant performances but eventually fell prey to an in-from Gods Reign, ending their campaign in the playoffs.
In a recent turn of events, Marcos Gaming's Counter-Strike roster was acquired by True Rippers, as the organisation temporarily retreats from the esports scene to reconsider certain fundamentals. However, the organisation have made it clear that they plan on returning to the esports landscape and especially the Counter-Strike scene.
The lineup though, now playing for True Rippers, is currently battling it out in LPL's OneQode Frontier CS2 tournament. The team's success at DreamHack Hyderabad 2023 under the Marcos Gaming name has booked their place in the BLAST Premier World Final 2023, where they are set to take part in the Showmatch.
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