League of Legends followers are furious as T1 misses the yr’s first worldwide, largely as a consequence of format adjustments that put their crew in an unfavorable place regardless of stable common season efficiency.
The LCK Cup is a brand new format that’s meant to get by the common season quick. LoL has 3 massive internationals as part of its circuit in 2025 (4 counting the EWC), so getting by the opening Winter months quick is crucial.
Nonetheless, the best way by which the LCK has chosen to do it has sparked controversy. Whereas T1 would nonetheless be within the competitors in the event that they’d crushed Hanwha Life Esports, format adjustments in the end led to 2 of the perfect groups within the LCK preventing within the decrease bracket for the very first elimination match of Playoffs.Article continues after advert
In consequence, T1 are out of the working for First Stand very early on regardless of successful Worlds in 2023 and 2024, main to an enormous outcry from followers of the crew.Article continues after advert
T1 followers slam LCK as Faker misses First Stand
So, how does the LCK Cup format truly work? Was the format actually the first cause T1 bought knocked out so early? For probably the most half, sure.
Right here’s a fast rundown of how the LCK Cup’s format works:
The league’s 10 groups bought break up up into 2 teams, with every crew enjoying a BO3 match in opposition to the 5 groups within the opposing group. The results of these video games can be recorded primarily based on efficiency within the set. Groups might stand up to 2 factors for a 2-0 win over the opposing crew, however might lose as much as 2 factors for a 0-2 loss.Article continues after advert
In different phrases, T1 bought caught within the dropping group regardless of being one of many prime performing groups, and so they have been positioned at a a lot decrease seed totally as a consequence of components out of the crew’s management.
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Until T1 went on a historic flawless run, not dropping a single recreation in any of their BO3 units, they may not have modified the end result of the bracket and compelled their approach into being the successful group.Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
The backlash from followers of T1 and the LCK basically has been swift, with many labeling the brand new format a “shame” that gave worse groups a free journey additional into the bracket.
“That is the worst and most unfair format I’ve seen within the historical past of esports,” remarked H2K founder Wealthy.
T1 or HLE needed to be eradicated earlier than playoffs as a result of OTHER groups of their group suck? That is the worst and most unfair format I’ve seen within the historical past of esports. Truthfully, an entire shame, denying us extra epic sequence with T1, who’re clearly a prime 3 crew #LCKCup— Wealthy (@RichsWrath) February 13, 2025
“Now we don’t have T1 enjoying til April (2 months of no video games) as a result of we misplaced one better of 5 WTF,” commented T1 fan and streamer Feviknight.Article continues after advert
Worse nonetheless, T1 was pressured to stare down Zeus scorching off of him leaving their crew for Hanwha Life Esports, with Zeus’ stellar efficiency in the end sealing T1’s destiny. There was no small quantity of controversy round him departing the crew within the low season.
This loss in the end implies that Faker received’t be attending the very first First Stand, a brand new LoL worldwide that pits the perfect crew from every area in opposition to one another to kick off the yr.Article continues after adArticle continues after advert
