The French esports organization Gentle Mates claimed victory at the first LAN event of the season — RLCS 2026 - Boston Major. In a tense European derby in the grand final, they defeated Team Vitality with a 4:2 scoreline.
The champions secured the grand prize of $102,000 along with 30 RLCS ranking points.
Gentle Mates’ road to the trophy was remarkably consistent. During the group stage, the star trio remained undefeated, overcoming TSM (3:0), Shopify Rebellion (3:1), and MIBR (3:2), finishing first in their group.
In the playoffs, the team demonstrated true championship composure:
- In the upper bracket, they edged out North American squad NRG in a hard-fought 4:3 series.
- The semifinal against Saudi Arabian side Team Falcons ended in another thrilling 4:3 victory for Gentle Mates.
Awaiting them in the final were Team Vitality. Despite fierce resistance, Gentle Mates imposed their fast-paced style and confidently closed out the decisive series 4:2 to the applause of the Boston crowd.
Special recognition goes to the team’s newcomer, nass, who delivered a phenomenal performance and deservedly earned the tournament MVP title.
As a reminder, the Ukrainian Games Festival will be held offline for the first time.