GAM’s defeat at MSI 2023 is indeed a hard pill to swallow for the Vietnamese League of Legends community. Even for professionals, GAM’s loss was genuinely shocking. After all, the opponent was Movistar R7, a representative from a region considered just a wildcard – LLA. Moreover, in that very match, R7 did not dominate outright; much of it was due to GAM players “losing on their own.”
Across various forums, numerous opinions from the audience regarding GAM’s loss have surfaced. Blaming the players is one thing, but one cannot overlook a significant factor: GAM is the reigning champion of VCS Spring 2023 with a 100% undefeated record. It is at this moment that one realizes that the most perfect champion in VCS history could not even surpass the Play-In stage of an MSI and was eliminated by a team deemed weaker.
After GAM’s loss, alongside opinions from fans, professionals, and current coaches like Ren, Tinikun… and recently, former Coach Sergh. On his personal page, Coach Sergh posted an article not only directed at GAM but also at VCS as a whole. The former SBTC Esports coach stated that GAM’s loss is not due to GAM being weak, but rather that VCS is truly weakening.
This sentiment is echoed by many international viewers who are familiar with or have followed the gameplay of VCS teams. According to many arguments, the victory over TES during the 2022 World Championship was merely a highlight and cannot be considered a sign of VCS’s progress. After all, they ended their first post-pandemic World Championship with a record of 1 win – 5 losses. But if that match had been a BO3, GAM might not have achieved a miracle against TES. Some even argue: “The win against TES turned out to be quite detrimental because GAM was elevated to a position they were not yet capable of handling.”
In the past Spring season, many of GAM’s victories were largely due to mistakes made by opponents rather than GAM’s own errors. Furthermore, it is undeniable that GAM has a top laner who can be considered the best in VCS and is highly regarded worldwide, helping GAM cover weaknesses in other positions. Kiaya was also the only GAM player who performed at his peak during the recent MSI. And let’s not forget, Kiaya is the only one with a chance to appear in the pre-MSI 2023 player power rankings in all five lanes.
GAM’s poor results will serve as a valuable lesson for both this team and VCS. The VCS region has immense potential but has yet to rise due to various reasons. However, the teams themselves can improve to make this arena genuinely competitive and present the world with representatives strong enough to make an impact, just like VCS has shown in the past.
