A few days ago, on his livestream channel, Doinb – the mid-laner of LNG Esports, mentioned that LPL is preparing to enter a peak period. This year has an overwhelming number of events, from the Spring Split, to MSI 2022, then the Summer Split, followed by the Asian Games 2022 and finally the Worlds 2022. Therefore, according to Doinb’s disclosure, LPL may have to schedule matches tightly, with about 4 BO3 matches each day to keep up with the timeline.
Moreover, both major regions, South Korea and China, are still heavily impacted by COVID-19. In the LCK, T1 players have to compete while experiencing many COVID-19 symptoms, while LPL has recently switched to online play. Another point of concern is that Busan (South Korea) is the host city for MSI 2022, while the Asian Games 2022 will take place in Hangzhou (China).
Due to so many influencing factors, Chinese media has reported rumors that LPL intends to skip MSI 2022. Although no additional information or explanation has accompanied this news, it seems the rumor stems from the fact that LPL will soon go through an incredibly stressful phase with continuous events while also needing to comply with strict pandemic prevention regulations.
However, instead of showing surprise or disappointment, LPL fans believe that if it does happen, it would be a wise decision. This is because LPL is undoubtedly considered one of the championship contenders, and any team participating in MSI 2022 would have to compete until the finals. Therefore, upon returning, they would have to undergo strict quarantine and would not have enough time to prepare for the Summer Split, as well as the Asian Games and Worlds afterward. On the other hand, the pandemic situation in Korea is very complex, raising concerns for player health among many fans.
On the flip side, many LCK fans are worried about… T1. The reason given by LCK fans is that this is T1’s best Spring Split in history. However, if the biggest rival of the LCK, LPL, does not participate, even if Faker and his teammates win MSI 2022, it will not hold much significance. In fact, T1’s championship (if there is one) could become even less meaningful.
But for now, everything is still just a rumor, and LPL has not provided any information. MSI 2022 is an extremely important tournament, but indeed, with a packed schedule and a complicated pandemic situation, teams will need to prioritize the health of their players first.