As we know, on March 28, the VCS organizers announced the list of 32 players from 8 teams under investigation. Of course, in reality, all these players are innocent until Riot delivers its final verdict. However, it cannot be denied: this ongoing scandal has greatly impacted VCS and could completely change Vietnamese LoL as we know it. In a context where “no team is completely clean,” what dark future awaits VCS?
Vietnamese LoL Accepts Missing Out on MSI
This is the most foreseeable future, and also the most predictable. Among the 8 teams still having players under investigation, only GAM Esports, Team Whales, and Team Secret have the fewest players on the list, and these are also 3 out of the 4 teams participating in the VCS Spring Playoffs 2024. The problem is, the members on the list are core players, and these teams will struggle to find replacements. Moreover, the other team, Vikings Esports, has nearly its entire roster under investigation.
Currently, Riot and the VCS organizers have announced that the playoffs for VCS Spring 2024 will continue. This is a commendable effort from the tournament organizers and Riot. However, the question remains: What will VCS look like afterwards? And certainly, the possibility that VCS Spring 2024 could end is entirely feasible, but the representation of VCS at the MSI is still up for discussion.
For example, VKE, led by SofM, has had to recruit new players (and it’s likely that GAM will have to do the same since VCS lacks loan regulations like the LCK), but these “emergency” players cannot match the skill and mentality of professional players. Even if they make it to MSI 2024, it would be nearly impossible to achieve good results.
Furthermore, in their announcement, Riot representatives did not mention the issue of VCS participating in MSI 2024 under the current circumstances. Therefore, everything after the playoffs remains uncertain, and it cannot be ruled out that Riot and the VCS organizers want to finish the Spring 2024 tournament before making a final decision, which could mean no representatives from Vietnamese LoL at the upcoming MSI in China.
All teams will need to rebuild from scratch, and some names might disappear
With a large number of players and other team members suspected of being “dirty,” it’s completely understandable and almost mandatory for the teams to rebuild from scratch. Especially with names like Rainbow Warriors and MGN Blue Esports having a significant number of players under investigation, they could easily see their journeys in the Vietnamese professional LoL scene cut short after just one season.
These new changes will require teams to get used to their new teammates from the beginning. Some players may even have to say goodbye to their careers altogether. But the consequences or results of this, as well as its impact on Vietnamese LoL, cannot be measured by anyone.
Severe penalties await
Given the scale of this incident, it is almost certain that severe penalties await VCS. At this time, what VCS fans have always feared may come true: Riot could strip the region of its Worlds slot or even implement other severe penalties as a warning for the future. Unfortunately, if this becomes reality, it would not be due to performance issues as many had predicted, but rather as a result of the largest scandal in Vietnamese LoL history.
After all, no one could imagine that all 8 teams in VCS would have issues, at least up until now. If it turns out that all 32 players under investigation are indeed “dirty,” then no matter what Riot’s punishment will be, VCS will likely have to accept it, as they have created what may be the largest scandal in the history of a regional professional LoL tournament.
Trust has been lost among fans
More than anything, it seems that the trust of the fans has gradually diminished. Before the VCS organizers’ list was announced, fans of many teams not mentioned in the rumors sighed in relief. Only to then fall into the depths of disappointment. There have been scattered opinions suggesting that since the VCS organizers have not disclosed the final results, there is still hope.
But the issue is that corruption has existed even in the season that VCS fans were most hopeful about. The actions of the players, no matter who they are, have left VCS fans feeling extremely disheartened. Support for teams going international and for the clean players will still exist. However, no one can compare whether it will be as passionate as it was before the corruption scandal erupted.