The Perfect World Shanghai Major Opening Stage kicked off with surprises and disappointments, particularly for the American teams. While Liquid soared to a perfect 2-0 score, Complexity, one of the more promising North American squads, is now on the brink of elimination. After two disastrous losses to FlyQuest and Passion UA, Complexity is facing a potential exit at the bottom of the table.

Complexity’s Rough Day

Complexity’s day began with a crushing defeat at the hands of the Australian side, FlyQuest, on Anubis. The match started poorly for Complexity, as Jay "Liazz" Tregillgas of FlyQuest pulled off an impressive 1v3 clutch in the pistol round. FlyQuest’s aggressive and dominative T-side led to a staggering 11-1 lead, effectively ending the game before the second half began. Complexity managed to salvage a few rounds but ultimately fell 13-6.

READ MORE: Global pick'em statistics at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024

Their second match against Passion UA, a young Ukrainian team making its Major debut, didn’t go any better. Despite moments of promise, such as winning force-buy rounds in key situations, Complexity failed to maintain consistency. Passion UA’s AWPer, Dmytro "jambo" Semera, was unstoppable, securing 24 kills, 101 ADR, and several clutch plays. The final blow came when Passion UA closed the match with a force-buy victory, leaving Complexity in shambles.

Who’s to Blame?

Complexity’s struggles stem from their lack of firepower. Ioannis "JT" Theodosiou, their IGL, posted a dismal rating of 4.4, while AWPer Håkon "hallzerk" Fjærli wasn’t far behind with a 4.9. While an underperforming IGL is sometimes forgivable, an AWPer with such poor stats is a glaring issue. Ricky "floppy" Kemery also struggled, leaving Michael "Grim" Wince and Jonathan "EliGE" Jablonowski as the only players putting up a fight. Complexity’s next match against Imperial will decide their fate, as the loser will be eliminated at 0-3.

The Rest of the American Teams

Other American teams had a mixed first day. Liquid delivered as expected, securing a 2-0 record after wins over Cloud9 and Wildcard. Meanwhile, Wildcard and MIBR are at 1-1, following impressive victories over fnatic and Virtus.pro, respectively. However, paiN’s performance was a letdown. Expected to be a strong contender, they lost convincingly to GamerLegion. FURIA, while also losing to GamerLegion, managed to bounce back with a win over Imperial, showing some promise.

Comparing the Americas to Asia

The Asian teams have outperformed their American counterparts so far. Two out of three Asian squads, The MongolZ and FlyQuest, hold a 2-0 score and have three chances to advance to the Elimination Stage. The MongolZ have lived up to their reputation, cruising past Rare Atom and MIBR, and will face GamerLegion next. FlyQuest also impressed, defeating Complexity and BIG, but their match against Liquid will be a tougher test. Rare Atom, considered the weakest team in the event, sits at 0-2, which aligns with expectations.

In contrast, the Americas saw their lower-ranked teams struggle significantly. With Complexity teetering on elimination and paiN falling short of expectations, the region’s depth is being questioned. Liquid’s strong showing and solid performances from MIBR and Wildcard are bright spots, but the overall performance of American teams lags behind Asia’s rising competitiveness.

READ MORE: Team Liquid vs FlyQuest: Match Prediction and Analysis at Perfect World Shanghai Major 2024: Opening Stage

What’s Next?

Day two will be decisive for Complexity and Imperial, as their elimination match will mark the end of the road for one of these teams. For Complexity, a 0-3 finish would be a bitter disappointment and a major upset for fans and analysts who had them as favorites to advance. For Imperial, it’s a chance to redeem themselves after losing to two fellow American teams.

The Perfect World Shanghai Major is off to a dramatic start, and as the Opening Stage unfolds, the stakes will only get higher. Will Complexity recover, or will this Major mark their downfall? Only time will tell.