The 2018 World Championship is a wrap, as Invictus took the 3-0 win over Fnatic in the finals. Fans around the world tuned in for predictable Play-Ins, an unpredictable Group Stage, upset quarterfinals, and three stomps for top four. Korea hosted a wonderful tournament, including four different locations and several fantastic musical performances. Now that the competitive year for League of Legends is over, here are some Dos and Don’ts to abide by.
Image from LoL Esports Flickr
Several teams placed much higher in the tournament than anyone expected. Just look at the Pick’ems. Other teams that placed where expected still demonstrated high highs, or played spoiler for teams above them. Fans should celebrate all of the highlights. Tweet out to your favorite team. Purchase their icon or Championship Kha’Zix chroma. Subscribe to their YouTube channels for content. However you want to show appreciation to for their performances is up to you.
Just because a team’s record at the tournament turned out worse than expected does not excuse toxicity pointed towards them. Build your teams and players up; don’t tear them down. These athletes and coaches have been working all year (and possibly their whole career) with a dream of going to the World Championship and doing well. They are their own worst critics. Want more interviews, community engagement, and open communication from the organizations? The best way to earn that is by gaining their trust, and the best way to do that is by being supportive and open-minded in their losses.
Image from esportsarenavegas.com
While all of the competitive matches are done for the year, we still have All-Stars Las Vegas in about one month. Fans can watch their favorite pros and streamers in various show-matches designed to be fun. Also, the professional off-season generally ramps up after Worlds ends. While some organizations already announced new coaches, there will be much more action to come. European fans wait for their permanent partners announcement, and all of the roster swaps that come with it. Non-European fans can expect plenty of changes in North America, China, and Korea. Get excited!
Yes, the first two weeks of Worlds were more entertaining than the last two. The tournament format could have been a little different. The augmented reality K/DA performance was off for some people. EU is greater than NA. All of the first seeds, except Fnatic, underperformed. All of these are valid points, but it’s best not to dwell on the downsides of Worlds 2018.
Rookie, Invictus Gaming, and the LPL won their first World championship. Fnatic made it to the finals, while G2 and Cloud9 made semifinals. Several young players, including Broxah, Licorice, Jackeylove, and TheShy, made huge names for themselves on the biggest stage League has to offer. Hundreds of millions of people tuned in throughout the tournament. Tons of content came out of the event – articles, interviews, music videos, memes, tweets, skins, and more. Focus on these positive aspects, instead of nit-picking.
Image from leagueoflegends.com
Several Reddit posts popped up during the World Championship, indicating a newfound love for the game. Keep that momentum going! Whether you like Twisted Treeline, ARAM, Normals, or Ranked, make sure Worlds is not the last time you play. A new champion is around the corner. Riot has been releasing several visual updates for some of your favorite champions. Clash is making a comeback, and more game modes like Odyssey should release in the future. Try to get online and invite some friends while the game is fresh.
If you are the type of fan to tune out League of Legends until Worlds, then you are missing out. There are pro circuits in every region, and one of them is sure to appeal to you. Check out the NA and EU LCS for western fans. The LCK is sure to rebuild next year after suffering at this year’s Worlds. The LPL should attract fans that enjoyed this Worlds’ meta. North America has an Academy league, while Europe has the European Masters to discover up-and-coming talent. League streamers like Imaqtpie and Tyler1 stream almost every day on Twitch.
Riot is constantly improving various aspects of the game, and they are experimenting with new game modes (and maybe even a new game). Media outlets, cosplayers, and fan artists are putting out new content every day. There is something out there for you until next year’s World Championship.
Images from LoL Esports Flickr, Esports Arena Las Vegas , League of Legends
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