LoL Worlds 2024 Draw Controversy

League of Legends Worlds 2024 Swiss Stage Draw Controversy

The 2024 League of Legends Worlds has been a wild ride, especially after the recent Round 2 Swiss Stage draw caused chaos within the gamer community. While fans are always excited to see who their favorite team will match up against next, this year’s draw left many questioning the competitive integrity of the tournament. After the recent SAG-AFTRA controversy and the layoffs at Riot Games, this draw ended up boosting the feeling of distrust some players started having towards the gaming company.

The Swiss Stage Draw

During the first 1-0 draw of the Swiss Stage, a shocking mistake took place. BLG found themselves drawn against an empty ball, with LNG being the only remaining team left to face.

This mix-up resulted in BLG getting matched off against LNG and ultimately losing the match. Instead of redoing the draw, Riot Games decided to move forward with the outcome, which upset many fans. In most cases, tournament organizers would void such a draw and restart the process. However, Riot stuck to the final results, leading some to believe the decision was rushed. The most shocking part is that the first ball from the next draw was also empty, leading to an interruption in the live stream. Malu Malheiros herself embraced the memes made by the fans, deescalating the situation.

Beyond this specific situation, the Mad Lions faced PSG Talon for the second time, despite their earlier match during the Play-In qualifiers. PSG Talon came out on top once again, and Mad Lions now face the challenge of defeating three different teams in a row to stay in the competition and make it through to the knockout stage.

Community Reactions to the Draw

League of Legends players and fans weren’t shy about sharing their thoughts. Some pointed out how avoidable the mistake was, while others made jokes at Riot’s expense. The incident led many to question if Riot Games' recent changes, including layoffs and internal struggles, may be affecting the quality of their events.

The memes on Reddit were out of this world, with redditors posting, “Even the balls had layoffs,” alluding to Riot Games’ recent controversies, such as the SAG-AFTRA strike and layoffs that took down Riot Forge for good. Some viewers criticized the event as “disgraceful,” unhappy with the production team for not ensuring all the teams were accounted for in the draw. Some fans felt that Riot’s decision not to redraw Pool 1 was random and unfair.

Despite the frustration, the tournament continues. With Gen.G and HLE already qualified from the Swiss Stage and Faker’s T1 still in the running, the hype train is boosting its speed, and everyone’s eager to watch the best LoL players in the world battle to rise through the ranks and claim the title of World Champion.

What's Next for Riot?

While the community’s frustrations are valid, Riot Games has a history of bouncing back from challenges. As the tournament continues, it’s clear that the road to victory is still wide open for the remaining teams. Ultimately, boosting your performance in high-stakes tournaments like Worlds takes more than just talent; it’s about overcoming the unexpected and showing resilience in the face of adversity.

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