Can Fnatic and Cloud9 Return to the Worlds Stage?

Kiboo

Friday, September 22, 2017
6:00 pm

| LOL

Worlds 2017 Play-in

The 2017 competitive season of League of Legends featured the scene’s departure from the archaic wildcard system that has been in place for over five years. Professional LoL teams from the countries outside NA, EU, China, South Korea, and the Taiwan region, all have a higher chance of making a statement on the international level. Worlds 2017 features a total of nine different teams from these regions share the tournament stage with some of the biggest names in the game’s history.

Before the main event begins with the traditional sixteen-team group stage, twelve teams must face off in the Play-in stage to thin out the herd. Only four teams will survive the dreaded play-in and take one step closer towards claiming the Summoner’s Cup.

Redemption

Joining the eight minor teams in the Play-ins are four teams from the bigger regions. Fnatic, Cloud9, Team WE, and Hong Kong Attitude will fighting for their lives in the play-in for one of the four slots in the main event’s group stage.

Fnatic have the most to prove in the upcoming tournament as they failed to even make an appearance at Worlds last year despite finishing 4th in the 2015 World Championship. The EU roster heading to China for Worlds consists of the inconsistent G2 Esports, the rookie Misfits squad, and the hope of the region FNC. The team may be a mere shadow of their former World Championship status but Rekkles and the rest of the revamped FNC have fought through hell and back to claim the final EU qualifier slot at Worlds 2017. It’s not a wild thought to expect them to break through to the main event past the play-in.

Cloud9 make a return to the international scene after their impressive top eight finish in Worlds 2016. The NA squad need to stay on their toes if they hope to qualify for the main event and meet up with the rest of the NA representatives. C9 took a hit early in the season with the departure of their long-time Jungler Meteos, in lieu of a fresh Summoner to the scene, Contractz. They are still every bit the upstart squad they were in the previous Worlds, but they must prove themselves to the entire world once more, for another chance at the Summoner’s Cup.

Blazing a Trail

Team WE’s latest exploits have breathed new life into the stagnating organization. What once was a feared Chinese team, has been reduced to a shadow in the LPL. The current team has made great strides to reclaim their lost glory. A fourth place finish in the 2017 Mid-Season Invitational and a championship win in the 2017 Spring LoL Pro League tournament helped WE clinch the third and final spot for Chinese teams. The remaining team from a major region, HKA, makes their very first appearance at Worlds during the first year that the LMS was granted with a 3rd qualifier slot. The previous LMS representatives were usually Flash Wolves and AHQ e-Sports Club.

Dark Horse

The GIGABYTE Marines put up an amazing show during this year’s MSI, taking Team SoloMid to a final game five in that tournament’s first stage qualifier, and finishing fifth overall in the main event. The world could no longer turn a blind eye towards the teams that were once disregarded as wildcards. Every single team had the potential to show up the top teams in the tournament. GAM are waiting in the main event, but there are still eight upstart teams hungry for their chance to break into the main event. It’s anybody’s ball game, and the first time to grow complacent is sure to lose their chance to win the Summoner’s Cup.

The 2017 League of Legends World Championship Play-in kicks off tomorrow at 1:00PM with Team WE from China taking on Lyon Gaming from Mexico.