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Cloud 9 Season 8

GG Thanks For LP·10/21/2018, 7:47:05 AM·1 votes·1,676 views

Let me get this off the table first, I do support Cloud 9, I am an NA player, I definitely would enjoy seeing NA winning LCS for the first time. Now here's what I want to say, don't be too impressed with Cloud 9 winning LCS in this current season. This season has been dumbed down for new players to join the game and have a better idea of how to play. All the advanced strategies, combos, macro, is practically gone. This season has been pretty much luck based at this point.

You know the game is getting less skilled based when the #1 gaming country in the world can't even compete well, South Korea. Notorious for excelling in League of Legends and StarCraft II. They will spend over 80 hours a week just playing games so they can be the best, yet not even SKT, the best LoL team, can even make it to groups. A lot of times when I say that, NA fans come back with the "SKT is just washed up now." No, they are really not, the problem is, is that the damage is so insane this season that the strategic value fell through the roof. Not even LZ made it, and they were said to replace SKT last season as the best Korean team.

All I am trying to say is that yes, Cloud 9 is doing good right now, but I will not be adding this as a victory for NA even if we win worlds. Cloud 9 is mostly just getting lucky brain dead wins right now, and with the meta changing over 4 times this season, it's no wonder every LCS team is doing bad. They have adapted to 4 different metas this season and its too hard to catch up. DoubleLift himself made a video about this on YouTube explaining the difficulties of adapting to a constantly changing season.

In the end, I hope C9 wins, I just hope NA doesn't use this as a "We won worlds 2018, we are the best country for League" sorta speak. I know this post will get mostly down voted because this forum in particular is NA dominated, which I understand. But at least take some of this into consideration before bragging about winning.

5 Comments

GeminiRune10/21/2018, 11:46:31 AM7 votes

Why be so sour about any of this?!

I don't disagree with you because the boards are "NA dominant." I disagree with you because you're trying to find excuses in possibilities to downplay a team and org's success. It doesn't even have to be about a region.

League's ever-changing meta is nothing new to the average fan. If you're going to acknowledge that among victors of past seasons but not this one, then this post has no better meaning than saying the matches are fixed which was also posted here.

Awoof10/21/2018, 12:22:34 PM2 votes

I could make an argument about how games are still decided through drafting and macro, and that a history of being the best doesn't give you a guarantee of being the best, and that SKT hasn't been the best team for the entire year which is entirely their own fault...

but first and foremost, you are calling the world championship "LCS". Do you know what the LCS actually is?

Mobile Phone10/21/2018, 7:37:03 PM1 votes

So you're saying that c9 doesnt deserve it because the meta changed from 45 min late game team fights to early game? Even when it wasn't as early focused like last year skt almost got shitstomped 3-0 and then did get 3-0d after.

Western teams other than like fnatic have always been good with early game and not the best late (although they have gotten better) thats why korea has dominated the past what, 5 years or so? Now that the meta finally changed that is better for other regions it doesnt count? That makes no sense.

Korea might do better next year if the meta is relatively the same so they can work on early game instead of you know hoping to make it to like 2nd baron and elder lol.

They shitstomped game one, came back from a 2-9 deficit by having macro and a 5-9 deficit the next game by having an absolutely nasty combo macro and micro play lol

ModPrandine10/22/2018, 11:31:31 AM1 votes

The changing metas are nothing new and have been around since the very beginning of the game. This year is no different.
There's a reason why C9 has been able to get out of groups more than any other NA team, and that's their willingness to adapt and be flexible. Other NA teams often don't do this, and it often leads to their downfall.
Worlds is often played on the same patch all tournament long, so the teams that can adjust and adapt to both it, the tournament meta and their foes the best have the advantage over those that can't or won't.
I fail to see how C9's wins are brain-dead. Yes some of their wins have been luckier than others, but I'd say that's more of the team being able to adjust and adapt mid-game as well as their opponents making too many mistakes.
This year has proven that Korea isn't as dominant as they once were, and that other regions are starting to step up and challenge them. Heck, even last year SKT came close many times to losing to non-korean teams before fellow Korean team Samsung Galaxy 3-0d them in the Finals.
Gen.G had a shaky Summer split this year, finishing 5th overall before qualifying via the regional gauntlet as Korea's 3rd seed. In their group they had MSI Champions Royal Never Give Up (China's 1st seed), Cloud9 (North America's 3rd seed, a Play-in team who consistently makes it to quarters) and Vitality (Europe's 2nd seed). These teams often play an aggressive-style of League, something that South Korean teams notoriously dislike doing. Combine these factors together and it's not that surprising to see them fail to get out of groups despite being the reigning world champions.
Going off my last point I have to stress that South Korean teams like to play a slower and more controlled style game. When matched with a more aggressive style of play they often struggle to recover as this years Worlds has shown.

I'm a C9 fan myself but it seems to me that you can't accept that other regions are improving, and that Korea isn't the be all-end all region of pro LoL anymore, or at least not this year anyways.