This article is part of our LoL Season Splits series.
Over the past two weekends, six teams battled it out in Shanghai to claim the Mid-Season Invitational crown. The teams consisted of every Spring Split winner in their respective regions: Counter Logic Gaming (NA LCS), G2 (EU LCS), Royal Never Give Up (LPL), SK Telecom 1 (LCK), Flash Wolves (LMS) and SuperMassive (2016 International Wild Card Invitational). There were certainly favorites coming into the tournament, and while the end result may not have been surprising, the route to get to that point was rather interesting.
Surprises
When it comes to surprises, by far the biggest one was the great success of the North American team, Counter Logic Gaming (CLG), throughout the entirety of this tournament. NA teams have garnered a certain reputation as being second-class citizens at most League of Legend events, and the outlook was no different coming into this tournament. No one was really willing to give CLG the time of day, even though they are the reigning champions in the NA LCS. By the time the group stages were all said and done, though, everyone knew that CLG meant business.
On the way to a second-place record of 7-3, they picked up convincing wins over both SK Telecom T1 (SKT) and Royal Never Give Up (RNG), who were the two favorites coming into the Invitational. In their win over RNG, they were even able to overcome a 17,000 gold deficit. These statement wins over the two titans of MSI put everyone else on notice and backed up CLG's claims of not being pushovers at this tournament. In making it all the way to the finals, CLG became the first North American team to ever make it to the finals of a Riot-Sponsored event. It was no fluke that they got to that point, either. Throughout the group stages and semifinals, CLG used strong cohesion and teamfighting to take down team after team on their way to the finals. The cohesion and strength that CLG showed in this tournament is certainly something that they will be able to take and build upon in the NA LCS this summer.
If it weren't for CLG's success, SKT's struggles throughout the group stages, in which the reigning World champions basically limped their way through, earning a 6-4 record, would be one of the biggest takeaways from the tournament. Finishing the group stages in fourth place is certainly not what anyone expected of arguably the best team in all of League at the moment. They started off on the right foot with a 2-0 Day 1, but then proceeded to lose four straight on Days 2 and 3. While they did end up winning all four of their last games, they didn't do so in as convincing a fashion as we've become accustomed to with this team. This all ended up being for naught by the time things were all said and done, though, as SKT found their groove in the playoffs and went a combined 6-1 against RNG and CLG. It didn't matter how they started since they were able to finish incredibly strong during the MSI.
The fall of G2 was another surprising development of the MSI. Coming off a surprising win in the EU LCS Spring Split, not many thought that G2 would come out as flat as they did in this tournament. After a disappointing start to MSI, word began to trickle out that thanks to a grueling Spring Split, members of G2 didn't put much effort or practice time in preparing for the Invitational. It clearly showed, as G2 amassed a mediocre 2-8 in the group stages.
Where is the meta going
MSI marked what may be a shift in the champion pool for support players in their lanes. While it is commonplace to see a lot of Trundle and Braum picks by supports, CLG's Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black decided to switch things up a bit with his choice of ranged supports such as Janna, Soraka and Sona. This is something that Aphromoo has been doing for awhile, which many people outside of the North American region simply brush off. With the success he had on these champions over the course of his tournament, though, some people may try to replicate the success. In the final two games of the semifinals against Flash Wolves, he went 2/5/27 on Sona, showing that damage can be done with the champion if in the right hands.
Other than that, the picks that we saw in all other positions were pretty standard. There were many Azirs in the middle lane, many Lucians in the ADC spot and many Kindreds in the jungle. Even with the changes in Patch 6.8, it doesn't seem as though much has changed as far as the go-to champions are concerned.
Where we go from here
Despite what happened at this tournament, nearly every one of these teams should still be considered the top dogs in their respective regions. In a matter of weeks, each of these teams will be defending their Spring titles during the Summer Split, in the comfy confines of their respective regions.
G2 may have had an extremely lackluster showing at the Invitational, but they are still the reigning champs of the EU LCS. They conceded that there was little practice on their part for MSI, and it certainly showed. Once they get back to Europe for the Summer Split, though, there is no doubt that they will get things back in order and get back to running roughshod through the EU LCS.
RNG ran into a wall named SKT in the semifinals of this Invitational, but they still had a great showing overall. After finishing the season over in the LPL with a 13-3 record, I can't see them falling off too much this Summer. Their confidence should not waver after losing to the reigning World Champions, and they should have no problem at all defending their LPL title.
Flash Wolves had a very nice showing in this tournament, making it all the way to the semifinals before losing to the eventual champions in CLG. That's a pretty nice result that they can certainly hang their hat on. Their confidence is likely at an all-time as they head back to their region, as they managed a 2-0 record against the reigning World Champions during this tournament. If they play like they did at MSI, they've got a very good shot at repeating as champions of the LMS.
CLG had a wonderful run in the Mid-Season Invitational. After many experts thought that they wouldn't even make it out of the group stages, CLG proved everyone wrong by making it to the finals. While they didn't exactly put up the best performance against SKT, they still held their own for the most part. They should still head back to North America with all the confidence in the world to start their title defense in the NA LCS.
SKT T1 had a roller coaster of a tournament at the Mid-Season Invitational. They started off the group stages with a 2-4 record, but ended 6-4 and eventually went on to win the whole thing. With the sketchy play early on in the tournament erased by their dominate finish, SKT will head back to the LCK to try and repeat as champions. If they play like they did at the MSI, there is little doubt in anyone's mind that they will come away victorious yet again.
