In Cloud9’s victory against Immortals during the Summer 2021 LCS Group Stage, C9’s mid-laner Perkz made a notable impression by wearing a cap while playing.
Perkz’s unique look delighted fans, and many thought it was a way for him to stand out to the audience. However, that was not the case. When Perkz revealed the reason for wearing the cap, the LCS organizers faced significant backlash for this.
Specifically, in a post-match interview, Perkz explained that he had to wear the cap because his eyes couldn’t tolerate the stage lights after recently undergoing refractive surgery, so he used this accessory to shield his eyes from direct light in the venue.
On his personal Twitter, Perkz elaborated further on this issue and voiced his complaints about the mechanical approach of the LCS organizers. He noted that he had requested a reduction in the brightness of the stage lights at LCS for the past five weeks, but Riot had denied his request. Despite having a valid medical reason, the organizers still required Perkz to provide a doctor’s note confirming that his eyes couldn’t handle the light source before they would consider adjusting the lighting setup.
Perkz also mentioned that he had never encountered a similar issue while competing in the LEC or any previous tournaments. Due to the lack of cooperation from Riot, Perkz had to resort to wearing the cap to alleviate the problem.
Shortly after, Chris Greeley – Head of Esports for the LCS region at Riot Games, publicly apologized to Perkz regarding this issue. He explained that the overall stage setup, including the lighting, had been consistent since 2012, so any changes required time for approval and implementation.
However, Chris Greeley also acknowledged that the LCS had been too mechanical in Perkz’s case and committed to quickly finding a solution to help the player achieve the best possible performance.
On the fan community side, many expressed dissatisfaction with how the LCS organizers handled the situation. While adherence to principles is understandable, many believe that when it comes to players’ health issues, Riot North America should be more flexible.
Additionally, there were many opinions suggesting that the LCS’s refusal of Perkz’s request was also justified. If other players felt the stage lights were insufficiently bright, which contradicted Perkz’s needs, it would indeed be challenging for the organizers to please everyone.
Perkz’s health condition could very well be the main reason for his recent decline in performance, as he currently ranks sixth among mid-laners in the LCS based on statistical metrics.