After a disappointing performance by Team Liquid at the League of Legends Worlds 2023 Championship Series, fans are starting to question the value of importing players from “superior” regions like Korea. The team’s early elimination has raised doubts about whether importing players is worth it if they continue to underperform.
Many LCS fans are speculating on the reasons behind the inability of North American teams to keep up with their Eastern counterparts. Some believe that the lack of motivation and challenge in the NA region, as well as the difference in match quality and practice, are contributing factors. Others are questioning the structure and training methods of LCS teams outside of the game.
The dominance of the LCK and LPL regions in League of Legends is well-known, and LCS teams have been spending large sums of money to import players from these regions in hopes of achieving better results, even just reaching the quarterfinals.
However, the LCS has struggled at Worlds for some time now. The last time an NA team reached the quarterfinals was in 2021 when Cloud9 was eliminated by Gen.G. The last time an LCS team made it to the semifinals was in 2018 when Cloud9 faced Fnatic and lost.
Despite having several LCK imports, LCS fans had high hopes for this year’s Worlds. Unfortunately, those hopes were dashed even before the tournament began, as teams like FlyQuest, who had two imports, failed to qualify for Worlds.
It’s important to note that players on Team Liquid have previous experience on the Worlds stage, with core members like Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in, Park “Summit” Woo-tae, and Hong “Pyosik” Chang-hyeon having been part of historic moments in League esports.
However, fans suspect that communication issues due to the language barrier may be a contributing factor. Teams need to not only focus on importing players from top regions but also on improving their training structures and team communication.
Alternatively, teams could follow TSM’s example and consider switching to another region altogether.
For Cloud9, the fate of the LCS making it into the knockout stage rests solely on their shoulders. They must defeat Fnatic in their elimination match on Oct. 26 to keep the hopes alive.
Original Content:
| Year | Quarterfinals | Semifinals |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Team Liquid (eliminated in Swiss stage) | N/A |
| 2022 | 100 Thieves (eliminated in quarterfinals) | N/A |
| 2021 | Cloud9 (eliminated in quarterfinals) | N/A |
| 2020 | FlyQuest (eliminated in group stage) | N/A |
| 2019 | Clutch Gaming (eliminated in group stage) | N/A |
Source: DOTESPORTS
