International Showdown: The Mid-Season Invitational

The kings of Europe have fallen after many twists and turns.

G2 Esports won four splits in a row, but this record streak has finally been broken by Fnatic, one of Europe's oldest and most beloved organisations.

Fnatic was both a fan favorite and the team expected by many experts to take home first place, and during the year so far they have not failed to perform in front of the European audience, ultimately crushing G2 in a 3-0 finals.

For the nine teams that couldn't go all the way, it is back to the drawing board. Roster swaps can be expected coming from the less-successful teams of the European region as organisations seek to gain the upper hand once more by fielding a better roster for the summer season.

Whether it is hard practice or a well-deserved vacation, teams such as G2, Vitality, and Splyce will have to stay out of the spotlight for a few months until the summer split begins.

For our new champions, Fnatic, the real struggle has just begun. While Europe is certainly no easy region to conquer, Fnatic will have to face all the other champions in order to contend for the first premier international title of the year - MSI Champion.

From minor regions such as Brazil and Turkey to the juggernaut forces of China and Korea, Fnatic will face off against many of these super-skilled teams as the representatives of Europe.

The best in the west

Not only is this a chance for Europe to bring home the first major international trophy in years, it is also a chance to face off against North America.

The rivalry between Europe and North America is a long story, and one in which Europe has historically been on top, but Team Liquid of North America have shown that they will at the very least be a match for Europe's own Fnatic.

Even so, the American team should be the least of all worries for the five-man roster of Fnatic. A western team haven't been able to better a Korean team in a best-of-five since 2012, with China being the only region that has managed to snag an international title from a Korean champion since then.

The price pool for the 2018 MSI has yet to be announced but it is expected to be in the seven digits as last year's MSI had a price pool just shy of $1.7m.

The European and North American teams, Fnatic and Team Liquid, have already qualified, as Korea's final will be on the 14th of April and China's won't take place until the 28th, leaving plenty of time for speculation.

Regardless of who wins, MSI is guaranteed to feature the highest level of playing that the western audience has seen so far during 2018.