DraculaN Season 3 Advances to Playoffs with Top 8 Seeds Locked In

DraculaN Season 3 Advances to Playoffs with Top 8 Seeds Locked In

The LAN event DraculaN Season 3 has entered its playoff phase after completing the GSL-style group stage, in which eight teams secured advancement to face the eight top seeds based on the Valve Ranks & Seeding (VRS) lineup. 

Group Stage Recap & Key Qualifiers

The open-entry LAN in Bucharest (24 teams, with prize pool US$11,159) saw the top-eight finishers of the group stage qualify for the next phase.  Among the names advancing through the groups were Tricked and GenOne — the latter led by veteran Nathan “NBK-” Schmitt. 

Top Seeds & Notable Opening Matches

From the perspective of seeding, some of the high-ranked teams entering the playoffs include Passion UA, ENCE and Inner Circle — all set to face one of the teams emerging from groups in their first round. 

One of the more compelling first-round match-ups pits last season’s breakout team BASEMENT BOYS — who shocked many with their performance in DraculaN Season 2 — against GenOne. BASEMENT BOYS had earned a coveted top-eight seed by virtue of their previous run. Meanwhile ENCE will face Nexus in their opener. 

Additional scheduled opening matches (all Best-of-One) include:

• Betclic vs Tricked

• FUT vs AM

• Passion UA vs Acend (the highest-ranked team by VRS facing an open-qualifier).

Implications & What to Watch

The transition into a 16-team double-elimination bracket now raises the stakes: teams must navigate both upper and lower brackets to reach the Grand Final. The inclusion of numerous open-qualifier squads versus established teams gives potential for upsets and Cinderella runs.

BASEMENT BOYS, in particular, will be under the spotlight once again after their surprise performance in Season 2, where their LAN run lifted them significantly in global ranking metrics. 

Format Overview

• Tournament: DraculaN Season 3 — Open-entry LAN in Bucharest.

• Format: Group stage (GSL style) → eight group-advancers join eight top seeds → 16-team, double-elimination playoff bracket.

• All first-round matches are Best-of-One; later rounds will move to Best-of-Three.

Final Thoughts

The playoffs of DraculaN Season 3 are set, and the field now includes a mix of rising open-qualifier teams and more seasoned squads carrying higher seeding. As the bracket plays out, all eyes will be on whether an underdog like BASEMENT BOYS can replicate their previous run — or whether a higher seed asserts dominance early. The best-of-one openings leave little margin for error, and the double-elimination format promises both drama and redemption opportunities.