In its latest official announcement, Riot Games has confirmed that the venue for the 2021 World Championship will be in Iceland – a country that successfully hosted MSI 2021 amid the global battle with the Covid-19 pandemic. Additionally, Riot has also confirmed some very disappointing news for the League of Legends community in Vietnam: VCS will not be able to participate in Worlds 2021 this time.
The absence of VCS not only leaves the Vietnamese League of Legends community disappointed but also resonates with fans of Riot’s national game worldwide. Across various forums, many people even argue that the allure of Worlds 2021 has diminished without teams from Vietnam.
The players and coaches competing in the VCS could not hide their disappointment upon receiving the confirmation from Riot.
Notably, the social media posts from members of the GAM Esports team, specifically Levi and coach JackieWind, reveal their undeniable sadness and disappointment. In particular, through JackieWind’s posts, there are implications that he hints at Garena or Riot Games having acted disrespectfully towards GAM specifically and possibly the entire VCS region. Both posts on LoL Esports and the official League of Legends Vietnam page only confirmed VCS’s non-participation in Worlds with a brief “Note”.
In conclusion, the reason for VCS’s inability to participate in Worlds 2021 may be more complex than just the pandemic. However, we must also accept the reality that this will be the first Worlds completely devoid of Vietnamese presence since VCS gained a spot in the biggest League of Legends tournament of the year. Although it is extremely disappointing, let’s look forward to a new season and hope for better things for the Vietnamese League of Legends scene in the future.