RpK’s career in ten points

Only two days before Christmas, Titan brought us a nice present by announcing its final player to complete the roster. Expectations were pretty high since KQLY was VAC banned in late November. To the surprise of the community, who was expecting an Epsilon player or a subtop french player’s pick, Cédric "RpK" Guipouy, one of the best players in the history of CS:Source and an important part of VeryGames’ success was officially recruited, after two years of inactivity. On this occasion, let’s travel back through ten short chapters of his career.

1. Genesis

RpK made his FPS debut on Day Of Defeat 1.3 before switching to Counter-Strike:Source in 2006 to fire his first headshots. He became addicted to the game very quickly by starting primarily on Gungame servers with maps such as gg_simpsons or gg_lego. With his 3-button logitech RX250 in hand, he started training his skills. After getting accused of cheating several times by server admins who couldn’t fathom how scoring three headshots  in a row was possible, he discovered the competitive scene for the first time at the Showlan, in November 2006.

It is by watching one of his friends participate, that he could witness the universe of LAN parties through photos and videos. Seduced by the atmosphere, RpK took part in the competition and quickly joined his first notable team: Evidence replacing SekYo, who would later become VaKarM.net’s editor and vice-president.

 We’re done with gossip, let’s skip to an important question: What are the origins of RpK’s nickname ?

It comes from the combination of Alexandre “RpC" Bombar, one of the best players  back then and major actor of Insain’s success (a team RpK was a fan of), and the Kalashnikov “RPK” weapon. This combination allowed him to enter the famous brotherhood of 3-letter nicknames.

2. First Victory at PxL 12 (Arles, France)

Back in July 2007, RpK was unknown to the general public. After placing 16th at LAN79, beaten by aTTaX and the british team r3, RpK and his Evidence teammates (Adrian, zAtix, BikeR, tetra), who had been playing together since the beginning of the year, decided to compete as a team in the 11th edition of PxL. A lan which gives him the opportunity to be noticed by Sébastien "krL" Perez, who played for ePz at that time. krL went on to be the finalist at the event, but most importantly became the future pillar of the budding career of RpK, who was barely 18 years old.

Evidence placed well at 5th in the event, but that’s not the most important matter. With the 12th edition of PxL in mind, RpK and adriaN were looking for mates to create a mix. Seduced by their performances, krL agrees to make the attempt and brings his lifelong friend, Matthieu Dal Maso, who goes by the alias mateOo. Together they form Zback, a mix of loudmouths that made a lot of noise that Sunday in September 2007, PxL grand final’s day.

Facing the favorite, Dimension 4 (AsP-, rFlex, flex0r, SmithZz, RegnaM), Zback will show a different face than previously, surpassing them completely. In a best of 3, they take the first two maps. This would be the first title for RpK’s career, who managed to stand out from the others by showing an Olympian Calm, contrast to the incessant gains of his teammates, who created a small scandal at the time.

RpK (left) with Zback at PxL 12

Sébastien "krL" Perez  is known for having the eye when it comes to noticing young talent. During an interview made after PxL 12, he does not deceive:

RpK is the typical big skill. He still lacks experience, but surrounded by good players he can become very strong.

3. Arising with STUD/H2k

Today we can assume that krL was the very first to discover RpK’s potential but he was not the first to hire him officially into a serious team. This is credited to Damien “maLeK” Marcel who got RpK involved in a project called STUD aiming to qualify for the first ESL Major Series season. This team also features another rising star known as crZ and two experimented players: kristeN and Pi.aiM. The team will quickly climb its way to the top of the french scene.

RpK (left side) with BiGGER at GA 2008

His talent will soon be noticed. STUD qualifies for the EMS I with style, beating the top french team at that time: WebOne (rFlex, SmithZz, Jojo, mateOo, Day). This european competition, played at the same time as the EuroCup powered by their rival ClanBase, will definitely launch RpK and mates’ careers. They notably beat reigning german champion n!faculty and managed to reach the semifinals.

This remarkable performance will catch the attention of one of the big structures back then, H2k. Freshly separated from their danish roster, the organization will surprise the community by recruiting STUD on the 9th of January 2008. It is the first famous tag worn by RpK, whom will be awarded third best french player a couple of days later.

RpK is now well-known, his appearances having impressed hundreds of viewers on the SourceTVs. That being said, the best part is still yet to come. Under his new banner, RpK will experience his first significant victory at the EMS, after defeating both eSuba and Fnatic. This unbelievable performance, like pretty much every online victory, will generate suspicions from the community which requires a LAN confirmation. It is only three months later that he would prove himself clean in Bressuire, during Lan79.

These three months have seen H2k disappoint at the Atomic Re-So, placing 2nd behind the untouchable Creativ`team (RegnaM, AsP, mateOo, flex0r, shox). RpK also helped team BiGGER at the Gamers-Assembly where he finished fourth in the main competition but mostly second in the final phase of the EPS IV which took place in parallel. RpK is finally selected by “DraGon” in order to compete in the first European Nations Championship season with the French team.        

Newcomer from the Source Scene, he proved himself to be one of the best French riflers at EMS I, no doubt he will be a major asset to our team. Grégory “DraGon” Vidal , French Team’s coach

On H2k’s side, things are moving on quickly. After several changes, the two former WebOne players Simon “rFlex” Corsin, and Edouard “SmithZz” Dubourdeaux join the roster, replacing Pi.aiM and Kristen. Before The eXperience in Denmark, LAN79 was announced as the biggest European event and RpK and his teammates had understood that. Despite the team being freshly created, they will quickly prove their level to be on par with the best European teams. The tournament bracket was not in their favor competing alongside redLine (krL, k1s, mK, Alexiel, Shox) in the first round, and later Alternate aTTaX (ej, GreX, Head, JLN, meiJin) and Fnatic (AirRaid, Blaze, darky, proph, xertion).

Those three teams will get crushed by Hard2Kill, whose team name have never been more appropriate. Only WT and .PhP’s eSuba team (.php, pR, UN, STR, WT) managed to stop the French assaults in the grand final. Despite the great result, emuLate stole the spotlight by almost beating eSuba in the quarterfinals. EmuLate, a team which many would have loved to see in the final.

NiaK, RpK, SmithZz, maLeK, crZ and rFlex at Lan79 2008

RpK still managed to win a consolation prize with the 1on1 aim tournament organized by QPAD (granted with 1300€), beating players like proph, mateOo and shox. Not too bad.

Despite this performance, H2k won’t make it through spring 2008. SmithZz joined emuLate while rFlex retired. On RpK’s side, team Epsilon’s (led by Kévin "Ex6TenZ" Droolans) offer looked pretty appealing. With assured participation in TeX 2008, second major tournament of the year, RpK was obviously seduced and boarded in.

4. Consecration at TeX 2008

In Epsilon, RpK got introduced to Ludovic "Shokkk" Martin, Vincent "Happy" Cervoni, but more importantly to the Belgian leader Ex6TenZ’s strategies. Ex6TenZ admit that "RpK is a real HS machine ", a machine that he will love to control at will.

With only two weeks of real training, Epsilon went to TeX 2008. While near 30% of people asked on Cadred.org were picturing the neo-Reason (ex-eSuba) as future winners, Epsilon managed to reach a first place in the group stage, making them face the Swedish 4Kings (Hellblinde, tyron, nordQvist, vizzion, netion) in quarter finals. This high-pressure game will become a reference one.

While being led on the first side of Inferno, RpK and his teammates came back even and finally won the overtime. An impressive victory that gave them access to the final of the winner bracket. The danish from Magnitude (jIMMy, FeTiSh, orga, eXce, rytme) were waiting for them. Epsilon kept on its track and will  reach the grand finale. Magnitude soon joined them revengeful.

The grand final will be remembered. Although the Franco-Belgians needed to score a map to win the title, the Danes will stay on the dynamic of the lower bracket final of a hardwon battle against 4Kings. Train, the first map, is a formality for Scandinavians. It is on Dust2, best map of Epsilon that TeX 2008 finally deliver its winner.

RpK and especially Ex6TenZ begin their defensive side with new intentions. 10-5 at the changeover has so far not been sufficient, and the Danes have managed to reverse the trend to hang overtime. This famous overtime. One of the most important in the respective careers of Epsilon’s players. Thanks to the mythologized skewer of the Belgian leader at double door, Epsilon then managed to win the grand final.

RpK, Happy, Ex6TenZ, Shokkk and crZ at TeX 2008

An unexpected triumph. After WebOne’s victory over Fnatic at Digitalsace in 2007, France was then confirmed as the best CS:S nation. This although very promising Epsilon team will still live a blow at the end of the summer. Emulate, in its reshuffling process, made an offer to RpK. A difficult refusable offer on CS: Source with monthly wages. He will join the team alongside one of the player who had spotted him a year earlier, Sebastian "krL" Perez. Emulate will lose its sponsor and will be called "Nameless" for a few days before joining VeryGames. The beginning of a new chapter.

5.  An undisputed domination with VeryGames

Along with Sébastien "krL" Perez, Edouard "SmithZz" Dubourdeaux, Matthieu "mateOo" Dal Maso and Loïc "RegnaM" Peron, RpK rounded off the dream team. Quite hard to get a better french line-up back then. After being intended to join a number of renowned structures, the server hosting company VeryGames eventually managed to contract this line-up. Back on October 17th 2008, the CS:S scene was about to experience an absolute domination.

For a year and a half, VeryGames had been wrecking everyone. From Pxl 18 to EPS VI finals, VeryGames wins twelve out of thirteen tournaments. With a mix of his, RpK added two PxL victories to his record which fleshed out drastically month after month.

During his first months with VeryGames, this roster established dominance on the European scene with win streaks on the best teams. Starting with the first continental event -  MaXlan 2008 - where the german team mTw (nooky, dav1d, disruptor, puRit, ph0s) had made them feel worried by bringing them in overtime twice. One month later in Ireland, VeryGames  comfortably won the ICY Box Series by outplaying Roccat (jIMMy, eXce, FeTiSh, rytme, 3k2) and Reason (.PhP, WT, UN, sneix, pR), then outclassed everyone at Frag-o-Matic defeating especially LowLandLions (AirRaid, darky, Blaze, xertion, proph) in the grand final.

RpK at Lan79 2009

Meanwhile, the competition with redLine - which had then undeniably become the second best french team - took shape during the ESL Pro Series V. A tournament that was also won by VeryGames. With shox in RegnaM’s stead, the roster  strengthened its place on the french throne with some more or less easy wins at the Gamers-Assembly and Lan79 2009. This rivalry peaked during the Shoklan, a small lan featuring four teams at LDLC’s showroom. In the grand final, krL’s men  managed to succeed after two maps that ended in overtime. These two teams had never been so close.

On september 2009, this success story took quite a knock. A scandal erupted overthrowing one of the CS:Source’s greatest reigns.

6. Roccat, scandals, krL’s leaving

The ESL Pro Series VI’s finals will remain infamous. On one hand because the organisers had no choice but to make both finalists play online. On the other because it marked the end of  krL and his mates’ saga as VeryGames players.

Despite quite a clear victory against redLine, two players from the VeryGames’ line-up on ESL - krL and RegnaM - had secretly and illegally stood in for HysokA, a player from EssentiaL, in the semifinal against redLine and in the third place play-off against UBITEAM. Once disclosed, this trick happened to be a scandal that got EssentiaL kicked off the tournament. As for RegnaM and krL, they had therefore been suspended for the EPS VII’s first three days.

But the real punishment came a few days later with a serious decision made by VeryGames’ management. They decided to kick krL off the roster. A decision that his teammates contested, taking the risk to follow and therefore side with their leader.

We couldn’t possibly imagine ourselves carrying on without a leader. Plus, he was part of all our victories… RpK

In early October 2009, RpK and his teammates found themselves supportless whereas VeryGames started over in the best possible way by contracting its former rival line-up - redLine - led by Ex6TenZ.

For a few weeks, the then-called Nameless roster had in minds not to go to the MaXlan 2009 where the continent’s best teams were once again going to fight.  In a statement released the day right before the tournament, krL and his mates announced their participation “with their hands in their pockets” in Epinal.

Given the context of this event, it promised some amazing matches. It definitely happened. There had been some quarrels a few weeks before this MaXlan, especially in the VaKarM.net comments. Actually, it is in this particularly strained atmosphere that RpK posted his first comment on the website. During his whole CS:S career, he only posted 5 comments. Everyone was hoping for a clash of the Titans between both rosters. Well, the viewers hadn’t been disappointed, to say the least.

RpK had already played some epic matches before. But this MaXlan gave him the opportunity to become legendary through the well-known 1on3 situation in the decisive overtime of the grand final’s third map against the new VeryGames. This clutch allowed RpK and his teammates to remain undefeated against their long-time rivals and more importantly, to win a new major title.

The grand final unveiled its winner after a 3 map marathon, 09-16, 16-11 and 22-18. RpK still refers to this match as one of his favourites, even years later.

shox, SmithZz, krL, RpK, mateOo

This epic journey ended a few days later. Despite signing a juicy contract with Roccat, the five fantastics eventually got bored. Be it the lack of online competitions or real life concerns, the last competition they played together was PxL 24, which they won after numerous struggles.

Shox, Nameless’ other strong man, chose to leave Source for 1.6 while mateOo’s availability decreased drastically. Mickaël “mK” Zaidi was then called but didn’t seem to make everyone happy. They were conscious that their hours of glory were behind them and that’s how Clément “MAS” Drouaire, former player of Nitrose, was officialised as the 5th element of the team. Nathan “NBK” Schmitt, young revelation of the last EPS finals, will then occupy 6th spot for few days before being recruited by VeryGames. In the end, it was Nicolas “luMpy” Brenat's turn to become the 6th man.

On the paper, this composition obviously remains very strong. Yet a lack of motivation and the future retirement of the captain krL already planned at the beginning of the year will permit VeryGames to pass them and take over. VeryGames and Roccat will meet twice at the Gamers Assembly and at the Lan79 2010, what was bound to happen did happen, Ex6TenZ’s men won a first time at Poitiers before confirming in the grand final at Bressuire.

Roccat’s results are disappointing but individually RpK stood out the best rifle in the world. Elected MVP of the Lan79 with 40% of the votes in his favor, the Toulousan will slowly detach himself from the team which was actually more looking like a mix than anything else. The breaking will take place at the same time than a new scandal, similar to the one created by the kick from VeryGames, during the EPS VIII.

RpK prefered to turn the page and admit being ready to end his career. End of June 2010, Ex6TenZ call on him to join VeryGames instead of the young and too immature Victor “victorztw” Matyjasik.

7. Back to VeryGames

Back in team VeryGames, he met with four players he knows well: Kévin "Ex6TenZ" Droolans, Ludovic "Shokkk" Martin, Nathan "NBK" Schmitt and Loic "RegnaM" Peron. Like in 2009, the world is going to be VeryGames’ kingdom.

RpK aux finales des EPS

Three defeats and seventy-two victories, that’s the astonishing ratio VeryGames will have between the comeback of RpK before the EPS VIII finals and the Copenhagen Games 2011. The best performance that people will remember probably remains the double DSRack #2 - DSRack #3 realized pretty easily by Ex6TenZ’s men in three months.

During the second edition of the DSRack, VeryGames will manage to  win relatively easily against the Finnish players from CKRAS (kononen, CISU, aNGeLdusT, nashje, delonge). The only team which was able to win a map against them was the team PowerGaming (RattlesnK, Mx, Hughsy, stingeR, RE1EASE) during the final of the winner bracket. He’s starting to get used to it, RpK is also elected MVP of the tournament. After that, the Franco-Belgians will win very easily the EMS VI, the Insomnia 40 and then the France Cup until the DSRack #3.

Decidedly the best European team, VeryGames will finally have the occasion to fight against the best North-American team, a first for these players. This meeting will happen during the DSRack #3, the most difficult competition of the year. A very hard lan for VeryGames which will be taken by surprise during the group stage by the modest Hungarians from TotalGaming. A tie game which won’t have much impact except a call into question for RpK and his teammates before the final phase.

Hooked once again by Zero-Empathy, a team estimated way under them, VeryGames will hardly manage to meet their US - Canada peer from Dynamic (Steel, Legend, AZK, adreN, PEX) who they will manage to beat twice in the semifinal of the winner bracket and the grand final, twice after complete BO3s.

Let’s go back to those three unique defeats. Three defeats against french teams.  The first one will happen on internet against the team LORD (enk1or, killou,  krumpze, ScreaM, Uzzziii) during the EPS VIII regular season. Not that important since VeryGames will still end up first of the championship before easily winning  the competition by taking their revenge on this young team.

The two last defeats will be way harder to digest. Firstly during the great final of the EMS VII against the impressive team of Sypher (apEX, janssen, MAS, luMpy, Soulm8) taking advantage of a recent change in the VeryGames line up with the comeback of SmithZz and then during the dreamt great final of the MaXlan 2011. This one will remain in the memories as the game lasted nearly four hours.

VeryGames will get its revenge against the imps from 3DMAX in the semifinal of the Copenhagen Games 2011, an event that the team will win with an insolent ease and an ultimate win over CKRAS (aNGeldusT, CISU, kononen, disturbed, nashje).

One month later, Richard “Shox” Papillon will wear again the colors that were his two years earlier, taking the spot of Loïc “RegnaM” Peron who took a well-deserved retirement. This new formation will probably become the best Five in the history of CS:Source.

8. World Champion

One number could just by itself resume the path followed by VeryGames from May 2011 and the arrival of Shox until the victory of the team during the Insomnia 44 in November. 1 is this number. Why ? Because that’s the number of map lost by RpK and his teammates on forty-five games played. A record ratio in the history of CS:Source that showed how Ex6TenZ managed to create the best team ever on this game. Some kind of Final Boss.

A Final Boss that nobody will ever worry during these few months. EMS VIII, EPS X, France Cup and Insomnia 43, nothing will resist them. As previously said, VeryGames will only lose one map against the Danish players from Speedgaming (gla1ve, cajun, JOKERN, Nille, Rejin) during the EMS semifinal. Feeling offended, the Franco-Belgian team felt obliged to punish their opponent on the two last maps… A carnage.

It’s in this context that VeryGames take part in the first and last CS:Source competition of the ESWC. A title of World Champions that could only go to them. The prophecy wanted it this way.

shox, RpK, Ex6TenZ, NBK, SmithZz, kings of the world in 2011

After dominating the world for nearly three years, this was the last consecration to get for RpK. Him and his teammates won’t dither away this opportunity. Hard to find a team that played as well as VeryGames during this 2011 edition World Cup.

Only heckled by CheckSix (Steel, tck, montE, frozt, DaZeD) in the groups stage, the Franco-Belgians will never lose more than ten rounds per map until their triumph against the Danes from CKRAS (3k2, FeTiSh, h0lm, cajun, wantz). Even Dynamic which cause so much difficulties back in Danemark won’t manage to scare them even a little.

In a crazy atmosphere, VeryGames become World Champions in front of a subdued audience. A title that awards a total supremacy to a team that will paradoxically live a nightmare in the late 2011. After earning a new title during the Insomnia 44, shox and SmithZz leave the team after intern tensions.

Dan "apEX" Madesclaire and Mickaël "mK" Zaidi will then join the team. Arriving at the Copenhagen Games 2012, VeryGames will live a pretty bad dream. A true nightmare where, on top of the worse performance in the history of the clan, a top 9/12, the last recruit will create a scandal by trying to steal a computer from a Portuguese player…

The end of CS:Source is close. CS:Global Offensive is about to come out and VeryGames, after bouncing back and recruiting the young Kenny “kennyS” Schrub, prepares the transition on the new version of the game.

An interview of RpK ?!

9. First steps on CS:GO

RpK and VeryGames officially switch on CS:GO at the beginning of September 2012. Obviously all the players tested the game during the Beta version and took part in small online tournaments. The arriving of a new game is a new challenge for players who have to show their capacity of adaptation to a new gameplay. RpK was one of those players people had to keep an eye on to see if he would be able to keep the same level.

He then take part with his teammates in the first CS:GO lan during the DreamHack Valencia 2012. His overall performance during the competition was mediocre mostly due to a disappointing grand final against Ninjas in Pyjamas. A team that will actually become their pet peeve. This second position, so unusual on CS:S, will stick to their skin until the end of the year

During ESWC, VeryGames will end on the second step of the podium with once again a disappointing performance from RpK. Luckily kennyS played like a beast, hiding a little the poor performances of the rest of the team.

It’s during the DreamHack Winter 2012 that the Toulousan player will finally show what he’s capable of on CS:GO. With an average of one kill per round and a 1.67 final ratio, he’s the player with the best statistics of the competition. During the final, once again against Ninjas in Pyjamas, RpK will realise a brilliant action on dust2 which will end up being on the top ten of the year by Tweeday and nominated at the VaKarM Awards.

The fourth and last event for RpK on CS:GO before his departure will be the eSportsHeaven Lan in Prague. Once again, even if VeryGames will dominate until the great final, they will fail against Ninjas in Pyjamas, way too strong for them. Individually, RpK didn’t really show much unlike his young sniper teammate.

In January 2013, to everyone's complete surprise, RpK retires. The Tank, as many liked to call him, decide to hang up the mouse after five year of successful career. The actual situation with attractive contracts which make it possible to live from the game was very far back at that moment. It was basically impossible to predict such a growth on the Valve FPS.

2012 France Champion, last title for RpK

His decision to leave the competition in order to focus on his job was then totally understandable. His replacement wasn’t a big surprise and was none other than Adil “ScreaM” Benrlitom, French player of the year and author of a sensational performance during the lan in Prague.

10. The surprise comeback

Today, RpK is back. After two years of complete inactivity on Counter-Strike and almost 450 days since his last connexion on his steam account, the Tank remembered is password, plugged back in his mouse and turned on his screen. Called by NiaK, manager of Titan after the VAC ban of KQLY, the Toulousan accepted to come back to the game with a status he could have never think of : becoming a real professional player.

No more cars and tunning for RpK, he has a lot to work on to catch up before his first official major, mid-march. If many wonder if such a comeback could be a success, many elements are promising.

"I'm back bitchessss"

First of all, RpK remains RpK. Meaning, a true skill machine. Like said by his captain, “he has something in his wrist” and it wouldn’t be surprising that, playing day and night like he actually his, he find back his sensations faster than we think. What could be a problem during the first months of competition is a too oldschool gamestyle, non adapted movements or bad knowledge of the maps, in particular the last which were released. Yes, probably, except that in the contrary of a large majority of the players coming back, RpK is joining a world top 8 team. A team disposing of bootcamps and players only focused on the game with a “hard-workers” reputation.

Only the time will tell us if NiaK did the right choice. Only one thing is certain, the comeback of RpK will delight the most nostalgics of us and show how good the game is doing now.

Translation by Scrat, Sephi, Jus, Stonz, YUNGEzeit, Haru, Againn