So, at bare minimum, 3/4 knockout round teams from play-ins are going to quarters. I mean, I get that by most accounting C9 was AT WORST the 2nd best team (if not the best team) in NA despite the final rankings, but what the hell with G2 and EDG? How were so many strong teams the "3rd seed"?
There seems to be some disconnect between RIOT and understanding strong teams and regions. RIOT's vague explanation of Regions that have a 3rd seed that automatically qualifies to the group stage is "Regions that have performed well in the past," but that doesn't give us an explanation on how teams like MAD and PVB auto quality passed 3rd seeded teams from LPL, EU, or NA. I feel like these teams consistently stomp the play in teams where teams like MAD and PVB could have been more suited for play-ins... I don't know... the play in stages seem like a formality for the most part for the bigger regions to just coast on and move to the group stage. Some would say those extra games have been a benefit for the play in teams in groups.
I don't like it, though. NA, Korea, EU, and LPL should always have 3 seeds qualify for the group stage. I understand that kind of takes up a huge majority of the teams that get to participate in worlds, but still...
No one should qualify in "points". Take the summer champ from the major regions and put everyone else in "play in". This will be more fair for wildcard regions to have a better showing.
How were so many strong teams the "3rd seed"?
Practice.
No, seriously.
Going through play-ins is a secret advantage. You get to practice on the main stage against teams who aren't quite as good as the first/second seed teams. You also get to try things outside of scrims. It's also likely a lower-stress environment despite it being the knockout of worlds. You can play, practice and hone your team synergy in an environment on the stage that's not necessarily being kicked to the curb instantly.
I'd also argue that C9/Vit/G2 are not just trying to copy the top teams but playing to their unique strengths. G2 is running 1-3-1 comps instead of just focusing on snowballing a strong ADC pick. C9 is running stuff like Hecarim top to counter Aatrox, the only p/b 100% champion left at worlds, and finding success with it. It turns out that the best thing you can do is not just copy-paste the working korean/chinese strat but performing your own talents. Even if that talent seems as weird and off-meta as a heimerdinger botlane.
So, at bare minimum, 3/4 knockout round teams from play-ins are going to quarters. I mean, I get that by most accounting C9 was AT WORST the 2nd best team (if not the best team) in NA despite the final rankings, but what the hell with G2 and EDG? How were so many strong teams the "3rd seed"?
The same thing with EDG and G2. The 3rd place team is the one that makes it through the gauntlet and is clearly doing well in the current meta. The 2nd place team is the one that often did well in spring split and not so much in summer or the gauntlet.
If you actually watched games, you'd see that Vitality performed way better than G2. Flashwolves were easily the worst 1st seed team. If G2 and Vit swapped places, it'd be Vitality advancing, not G2.
So, at bare minimum, 3/4 knockout round teams from play-ins are going to quarters. I mean, I get that by most accounting C9 was AT WORST the 2nd best team (if not the best team) in NA despite the final rankings, but what the hell with G2 and EDG? How were so many strong teams the "3rd seed"?
I don't agree that C9 was the best or second best team in NA.
They got swept by TL in the final. I think it's pretty clear that Team Liquid was the best team in NA. That means, C9 was AT BEST the 2nd best team in NA.
In contrast, 100 Thieves only lost to TL 3-1. Cloud 9 never played 100 Thieves. So you could make a case that C9 was legitimately 3rd. I don't think I'd agree with it, but the case is there. So I would be comfortable saying 90% 2nd and 10% 3rd.
That really doesn't matter though. What matters is what group you get put into.
C9 was allegedly in the group of death, however after seeing GenG fall apart, it really was the group of life. You have RNG to win it, and then two teams (C9 and VIT) battling each other for second.
G2 lucked out BIG TIME. If C9 had been drawn into that group instead (putting G2 into Team Liquid's group) I'd be almost certain that C9 still makes it out, and Team Liquid gets through instead of G2 (however not sure if that was possible - would EDG have been able to go anywhere then?). G2 got into a group with no Chinese team AND no NA team. They had to beat the LMS and a wildcard team, and let the Korean team do their job. The Korean team only managed to 4-2 despite that.
EDG was going to get out of any group. Worst case scenario they draw a Korean team (they drew the best one), but they're still favored over any NA/EU/LMS/Wildcard teams that will be in the same group. No chance of another Chinese team being there.
So basically at the end of the day: C9 got a little lucky. G2 got insanely lucky. EDG was expected, which makes TL insanely unlucky. Moreso when TL went 1-1 with them, but EDG took a game off Korea.
So, at bare minimum, 3/4 knockout round teams from play-ins are going to quarters. I mean, I get that by most accounting C9 was AT WORST the 2nd best team (if not the best team) in NA despite the final rankings, but what the hell with G2 and EDG? How were so many strong teams the "3rd seed"?
G2 and EDG are explained by the inequity between group A and group C and how those two teams should have at least been swapped as far as what group they were put it in. That would likely (preparing for flames) have advanced NA's #1 team in place of G2 and left EDG advancing as it should because they are that good. https://boards.na.leagueoflegends.com/en/c/esports/0qIQa25k-spilling-my-group-c-salt
G2 just lucked into a trash group; no one in that group was good enough to get second in any of the other groups. It isn't like C9 or EDG were weak teams C9 had some chemistry issues and roster changes they were working through but they were still good and the play-in round probably helped them honestly and EDG is just good they were expected to have a good chance to advance.
A: 0 good teams B: 3 good teams C: 3 good teams D: 2 good teams
The play-in teams just happened to edge out the good nonplay-in teams in B and C it isn't like Vitality and Liquid weren't competitive.
By circumstance, each of those teams performed throughout the season at some point in a poor enough standing to result in a failure to secure a spot by their league's points. That however doesn't mean that their skill ceilings aren't lowered by a less than adequate performance in comparison.
In the case of G2, EDG, and even Gen.G - they were all well regarded middle-pack teams not even in discussion of a Top 3ish field. Nonetheless, each of them still had that analytical consensus that they could top their remaining competition when it mattered. Their ceiling was never really lowered; they just didn't show up right. Goes double or triple for Gen.G now.
It actually isn't super surprising if you do actually believe some of the lip service that the skill gaps between the regions is closing some.
I actually think that the 3rd seed teams from the major regions that go through play-ins are probably some of their region's best contenders at creating upsets because they just got a whole bunch of extra time dealing with the wide range of playstyles from other regions in the play-in stage. However, whether or not this can continue past groups is yet to be seen. I would probably expect to see fewer surprising upsets going forward.
