Home » Riot Games Changes the MSI Semi-Finals Schedule

Riot Games Changes the MSI Semi-Finals Schedule

Publish Date: May 20, 2021

Riot Games has made a very controversial decision. For the upcoming MSI 2021 Semi-Finals, the dates for both games have been swapped. Traditionally, the 1 and 4 seed play on Friday. This is so that the Number 1 seed gets an extra reward for winning. They have a day off before Finals to scout and prep. This day is not something insignificant. It is an integral part of the competitive integrity of the game.

Well all of this is changes now that Damwon Kia, the #1 Seed, need to play on Saturday. So that day of prep? Out the window. And worst part of this is that RNG, the #2 Seed, reaps the benefit. They get to play on Friday now and get the extra day.

But why is this happening? Well, it’s due to everyone’s good old friend Covid.

Essentially, due to RNG needing to get this covid test, the games needed to be moved. This is so that RNG can make it back in time for LPL start. If they delay the flight until way after the MSI Finals, they won’t be back in time. Seems reasonable right? Wrong.

The main issue here is not that Riot had to make changes due to Covid. It is how they did they. MSI is not a small event. There is not a world where a Risk Manager for the event did not see this coming. Covid travel restrictions should have been front and center and expected. Due to such, a clause in the rules should have been made that stated this:

If X event happens, the games get moved to a Thursday Friday schedule.

This simple change makes it so that RNG can still get their test, but it also preserves the bonus day earned with the #1 Seeding. But instead of doing this Riot Games decided to screw over DK. Riot Games decided that this would hurt viewership and said competitive integrity does not matter.

Now admittedly, these are the right moves business wise. Riot Games is a business, but does that mean that fans should just blindly take what they do? No. Of course not. Riot Games essentially changed the rules of their own event because RNG deserves special treatment. DK, no fault of their own, receives the short end of the stick.

What Does This Change?

While this may be a small drop of water in a lake in the grand scheme of things, it is the principle that this implies that is the issue. Riot Games threw competitive integrity out of the window. Kkoma, the head coach for DK said this:

“Semis will be against MAD Lions. We have too little preparation time because finals will be the day after semis. We’re forced into a situation where we have to prepare for MAD and finals simultaneously. Going to finals without any rest is a first. Obviously, we have to win to go to finals, but we also have to prepare for both.”

Source: Reddit Post

Now DK need to prep for 3 teams instead of just 1. It doesn’t even need to be stated how this changes the event. Imagine if DK lose to MAD Lions. Was this due to the changes? No one knows. What if DK lose to RNG in the Finals? Will there be backlash? This whole situation creates a can of worms that calls into question the entire tournament.

This is also vastly different than the Gambit situation. The VCS not being able to attend was announced weeks in advance and was done prior to the event starting. The Semi-Finals changes? A couple days before Finals.

Now maybe more flexibility should be expected due to Covid. And you can’t blame the players of RNG, they had no factor in this. But at the same time, you also can’t expect DK and LCK fans to take this and be happy about it. Frankly, you can’t expect League of Legends eSports fans to be happy about this in general. This is straight up and objectively unfair to DK and Riot knows this, but it doesn’t matter to them. DK had zero say in the matter. That is all that needs to be said.

1 Comments

  1. Avatar of Kevin
    Kevin

    Tencent Rito rigged it for RNG to win.
    They could’ve changed the LPL schedule, which makes more sense since it hasn’t started and it’s a domestic tournament, meaning it has less impact. Instead, they changed an on-going international tournament’s schedule.
    It can’t be any more obvious why they rigged this.

Leave A Reply

* required
Read Also
Wild Rift Patch 3.2 Analysis
In the recent Wild Rift Patch 3.2, massive changes made their way ...
Top-25 Offensive Free Agent Predictions for the 2022 NFL Offseason
It’s been a little over a month since the Los Angeles Rams ...
Biggest What If’s in Recent NFL Draft History: 2018 First Round
It isn't fair to evaluate fully evaluate a draft selection until a ...
Royal Never Give Up are the 2021 MSI champions
Royal Never Give up have defeated Damwon Kia 3:2 to become the ...
2021 NFL Mock Draft April 29
The 2021 NFL Draft is here and it is time to look ...
The Game Haus aims to bring unbiased, factually sound opinions to audiences across a range of mediums that are not readily accessible in the day-to-day media outlets. We cover the latest news in Gaming, Call of Duty, CS:GO, League of Legends, Dota 2, Fighting Games, NBA 2K, Halo, Hearthstone, Overwatch, Pokemon, Rocket League, Smite, Starcraft II, Fantasy Sports, MLS, EPL, MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NCAAB, NCAAF, NFL, NHL, and PGA.


Next to our unbiased coverage for esports and sports, have a look at our iGaming content. If you are looking for the most recommended Esports Betting Sites or Best Sports Betting Sites, look no further. We also cover the Best Sweepstakes Casinos in our free 2 play section and have a closer look at the Best DFS Sites out there. If you are looking for some real money options, check how we ranked the Best Online Casinos.


Follow us on Social Media for updates!
Sports: Facebook | Twitter
Esports: Facebook | Twitter

Players must be 21 years of age or older or reach the minimum age for gambling in their respective state and located in jurisdictions where online gambling is legal. Please play responsibly. Bet with your head, not over it. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, and wants help, call or visit: (a) the Council on Compulsive Gambling of New Jersey at 1-800-Gambler or www.800gambler.org; or (b) Gamblers Anonymous at 855-2-CALL-GA or www.gamblersanonymous.org.

×
Your Promo Code:
The bonus offer of was already opened in an additional window. If not, you can open it also by clicking the following link:
Play now