In just a short time, MSI 2023 will officially kick off. As the first international tournament of the LoL scene, this year’s MSI is particularly anticipated for one reason. Specifically, this will be the first MSI where Riot applies new rules, such as the winners and losers bracket, and Major regions will have 2 slots for participation. For T1, after failing in 4 consecutive finals, they need this tournament to regain the trust of their fans.
Of course, Riot’s introduction of new formats may make it difficult for smaller regions (VCS, PCS, LJL, CBLOL…) as the skill gap between regions remains significant. For instance, at MSI 2022 last year, even among the smaller regions, the VCS representative (Saigon Buffalo) did not face much difficulty overcoming teams from the Japanese or Brazilian leagues.
However, recently, CBLOL has been granted a special privilege by Riot at MSI 2023. Specifically, they will only have 1 representative, LOUD, participating in the tournament as the representative for the CBLOL region. However, according to Brazilian media reports, 2 other teams from this region, paiN Gaming and Los Grandes, will also be heading to London. Of course, in addition to the biggest privilege of being able to bootcamp and practice with the powerful teams in the region, the 2 CBLOL teams will also have the opportunity to receive some benefits from Riot.
The privilege given to CBLOL has left some viewers from the VCS region feeling envious. Overall, in the world of LoL, the VCS region may only be inferior to LPL and LCK in terms of the number of players and passion. However, Esports here has not been given much attention, so despite the large player base and strong potential for development, VCS still lacks significant achievements on the international stage in terms of LoL.
Meanwhile, although it is “younger” in the scene, CBLOL has impressed the international community with its systematic investment and the love that fans have for LoL. The grand arenas, tens of thousands of spectators attending live… are all key factors that help CBLOL attract the attention of the international community and Riot itself. As a result, they are rewarded with unprecedented privileges for the top 2 and top 3 teams of smaller regions in this upcoming MSI 2023.