This weekend, we saw the results of the recent roster swaps and team changes in the North American Heroes of the Storm scene play out during the first HGC NA Fall Regional. Veteran pros were shuffled around and paired up with names few had ever heard of, with a number of players making their first appearance on LAN. It was anyone’s game, and after some clutch plays, tragic losses, and amazing upsets it was Murloc Geniuses who came out on top and secured the first North American seed at BlizzCon 2016!

GROUP A

As many expected, Team Naventic swept their way out of Group A with back to back 2-0 matches. After Naventic easily knocked Astral Authority to the lower bracket, Murloc Geniuses defeated the roster that many had high hopes for, Denial eSports. Naventic, who represented North America at both the Spring and Summer Global Championships and automatically qualified for the first Fall Regional, then faced Murloc Geniuses in the upper bracket finals, defeating them 2-0 and advancing from the group stages.

With another 2-0 victory, @Naventic advance from Group A! #HGC

Watch live on https://t.co/FTtka5nC76 pic.twitter.com/msfNprBuJ3

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 5, 2016

In the lower bracket, Denial eSports seemed to get in the groove, defeating Astral Authority and moving on to the lower bracket finals to once again face Murloc Geniuses. In this rematch of the semifinals, Murloc Geniuses repeated their performance, defeating Denial 2-0 and moving on from the group stages!

Once again @MurlocGeniuses take down @DenialEsports 2-0 and make it out of Group A! #HGC pic.twitter.com/G4JBz5GltK

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 6, 2016

GROUP B

Group B began with winners of the NA Summer Regional #2 Gale Force eSports defeating Team Name Change 2-0. GulDansGame were another team that many had high hopes for, made up of players formerly of Brain Power, Naventic, and Panda Global. However, in the first upset of Group B, Canadian team Vox Nihili took GulDansGame to a Game 3 and knocked them to the lower bracket.

With an amazing last push @Vox_Nihili_HoTS take Game 3 and advance in the winners bracket! #HGC pic.twitter.com/UPgYulkDfP

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 6, 2016

In the upper bracket, Vox Nihili provided the biggest shock of the day, defeating Gale Force eSports 2-0 and becoming the first team to make it out of Group B!

In a huge upset @Vox_Nihili_HoTS take down @GFeSports and will advance from the group stages! #HGC pic.twitter.com/SstdYOO1j2

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 6, 2016

Then, in a close match that went to a third game, Team Name Change knocked GulDansGame out of the tournament and moved on to face Gale Force eSports in the lower bracket finals. Team Name Change put up a good fight, but ultimately Gale Force eSports won 2-0 to make it out of the group stages as the lower seed from Group B.

After a ridiculously close Game 2 @GFeSports advance from Group B! #HGC pic.twitter.com/UtKnbB9xAO

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 7, 2016

PLAYOFFS

Championship Sunday began with the two North American frontrunners battling for their tournament lives. After Gale Force eSports' difficult time in the group stages, many were hedging their bets on the cool and collected Naventic roster, but in Game 5 GFE turned things up, taking the series and moving on to the grand finals.

After struggling through the group stages, @GFeSports dominate @Naventic and move on to the grand finals! #HGC pic.twitter.com/zeceoTtP4C

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 7, 2016

The second match of the playoffs between Murloc Geniuses and Vox Nihili was much less of a nail-biter. Vox Nihili could not replicate their stellar Day 1 performance and Murloc Geniuses swept them with a quick 3-0.

It will be @MurlocGeniuses and @GFeSports fighting for a spot at BlizzCon in the grand finals! #HGC pic.twitter.com/gKH06D7cxl

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 7, 2016

With Murloc Geniuses’ win over Vox Nihili, the two teams that emerged out of the group stages through the lower bracket met up in the grand finals. Murloc Geniuses started off strong, quickly taking Game 1, but Gale Force eSports answered back with a win on Sky Temple. Game 3 Garden of Terror also went to GFE who were then only one game away from placing first and securing their spot at BlizzCon, but Murloc Geniuses tied things up 2-2 after winning Game 4.

Everything came down to Game 5 on Blackheart’s Bay, which was the map GFE defeated Naventic on in the decisive Game 5 earlier in the day. In the end, Murloc Geniuses defeated Gale Force eSports to become the first North American team to lock in their place at BlizzCon 2016!

The results are in! @MurlocGeniuses are headed to BlizzCon with the first North American seed! #HGC pic.twitter.com/q4DkrtrMKv

— ESL Heroes (@ESLHeroes) August 8, 2016

Manny “Fury” Medina, who was the one player removed from the Gale Force eSports roster after the Summer Global Championships, was feeling pretty good.

Revenge has been claimed https://t.co/G67Dj3r18E

— Manny Medina (@Furyhots) August 8, 2016

COMING UP

Congratulations to Murloc Geniuses who emerged on the other side of the rosterpocalypse as the first North American seed for BlizzCon 2016! Both Murloc Geniuses and Gale Force eSports will automatically qualify for the second Heroes of the Storm North America Fall Regional, which will be held on September 2-4 at PAX West.

The road to PAX West begins for the rest of the teams on Sunday, August 14 with the first open qualifier. Stay tuned to find out which teams will make it to the second North America Fall Regional and who will join Murloc Geniuses at BlizzCon!

For the latest updates about the North American Heroes of the Storm Fall Global Circuit, follow ESL Heroes on Facebook and Twitter. You can also follow Blizzard’s Heroes of the Storm social channels on Facebook and Twitter and add your voice to the conversation by using #HGC.