As we know, in recent days, the VCS has been truly shaken by continuous dramas surrounding allegations of negativity. Notably, this time Riot and the VCS organizers seem to have decided to conduct a “major purge” since the issues do not only exist within a single team as they did last Summer. Moreover, Riot has only just taken over and restarted the VCS tournament for over a year, yet has already faced two consecutive seasons filled with negativity. This is truly the “last straw” that forces the publisher and the involved parties to act decisively and thoroughly.
However, many might feel that Riot is being too heavy-handed and too strict in this case. In reality, if one has followed the VCS long enough, audiences should not be surprised that Riot’s determination to “tighten the screws” once and for all is the result of a domino effect of numerous significant and minor events that have occurred within the Vietnamese League of Legends scene. And among them, one cannot overlook Garena – the publisher of League of Legends in Vietnam, which previously operated the VCS tournament.
A Necessary Warning
As mentioned above, just over a year after Riot took over and restarted the VCS tournament, two cases of negativity have already been uncovered. For a region that was once considered by the “big bosses at Riot” to have great potential for development, these incidents are akin to a slap in the face for Riot. Perhaps, even Riot is stunned by the extent and number of negative cases related to cheating, match-fixing, and score manipulation in the VCS.
Riot’s firm stance this time is not only to decisively address the issues “once and for all” but also to warn all teams and players who will participate in professional League of Legends in Vietnam in the future. Even ordinary media activities have been stalled, and Riot is ready to nullify all results and matches that they had scheduled, which is enough to demonstrate a clear message: for the integrity of the VCS, Riot and the VCS organizers will do everything possible, even if it means restarting the tournament from scratch, as seen in the case of the LDL.
Garena Also Shares Some Responsibility
This serious incident in the VCS, along with the previous case of SBTC Esports, also reveals a truth: it is almost certain that negativity has existed for a long time in the professional League of Legends scene in Vietnam. At that time, it is worth mentioning that no negative cases were uncovered. All that remained were the suspicions of the audience when witnessing their teams suffering inexplicable defeats. The most notable sanction that was ever imposed was probably for Team Flash back in 2020. However, even that penalty, which was posted on the VCS fan page, was due to violations by TF in the… Arena of Valor.
Perhaps it does not require one to be too knowledgeable about League of Legends or Esports to question: Why was the VCS so peaceful under Garena’s watch, while Riot has only been in charge for over a year and already faces issues? The penalties from Garena were too lenient (to the point where no one even bothered to accuse) or were there internal issues? But clearly, Riot’s message is perhaps also to let the VCS community understand that they will definitely be stricter than Garena in handling negativity, as exemplified by this current case.
Regaining Fans’ Trust
If you frequently experience social media, especially browsing channels dedicated to Vietnamese League of Legends, you might be quite familiar with comments like “playing like match-fixing”, “urgent investigation needed”, “there’s ting ting while playing”… All these opinions may be jokes, but they could also reflect the frustration of many VCS fans regarding the performances of the teams. Notably, during the VCS’s period of negative allegations, many fans pointed out that the match between Team Whales and MGN Blue Esports was very suspicious.
However, these opinions also indicate that VCS fans have become too accustomed to the ambiguity in players’ performances in many matches. Gradually, it has become a concept deeply ingrained in their subconscious. And of course, these comments are merely “harmless” but may inadvertently affect the love and trust that audiences have for the players and teams.
Protecting Young Talents for the Future
The VCS is increasingly aging with familiar names, and perhaps the only change is… switching teams. Rainbow Warriors is a newcomer promoted from VCS B, but they consist entirely of familiar faces from the VCS like Artifact, 2T, and even… Noway. Young talents are extremely scarce in the VCS. And it will be even more disastrous if they let money blind them and get involved in negativity.
League of Legends players, in particular, and Esports players, in general, often have to join teams from a very young age and focus on gaming. Some teams that invest may ensure education for their players, but at best, they only complete high school. Soft skills need to be honed, but they are also an area where most Vietnamese League of Legends players still lack. That’s why, despite being very young and having a bright future, many young stars decide to “get involved in wrongdoing”.
Moreover, within the teams themselves, the offenders and masterminds could also be the very coaches who are mentoring these players daily. The impacts are undoubtedly significant, and no one can guarantee that all young players will have enough willpower to resist temptations when even their direct mentors violate the rules. Therefore, as the governing body with full authority, Riot needs to take strong actions decisively. This is to ensure that young stars have faith in their choices and that parents trust sending their children into professional Esports.
Conclusion
According to an industry source, Riot is determined to eradicate negativity this time. And that is also the hope of the Vietnamese League of Legends community – those who are feeling very confused and losing faith in the integrity of Vietnam’s top League of Legends tournament.