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2017 Mid-Season Invitational Update

Riot·2/8/2017, 12:55:54 AM·2 votes·222,499 views

TL;DR: 

  • MSI 2017 is heading to São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil from April 28 - May 21.
  • MSI 2017 will now be a 13-team tournament with representatives from all 13 LoL professional Leagues.
  • Regional seed placement will be based on previous results from the past two years of MSI and Worlds.
  • MSI 2017 results will continue to impact Worlds 2017 regional seeds.

Teams

At MSI 2017, 13 teams will participate across multiple stages. The recently crowned split champion (Spring Split or Split 1) from each of the following regions will participate at MSI 2017:

  • Brazil (BR)
  • China (CN)
  • Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS)
  • Europe (EU)
  • Japan (JPN)
  • Korea (KR)
  • Latin America - North (LAN)
  • Latin America - South (LAS)
  • North America (NA)
  • Oceania (OCE)
  • Southeast Asia (SEA)
  • Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau (LMS)
  • Turkey (TUR)

Seeding

This year, regions will be seeded based on previous results from the past 2 years of MSI and Worlds. We are using 2 years as our sample size for considering competitive results because:

  • Within a single year, there can be considerable variance in competitive results, so we don’t want to solely rely on the most recent year of performance to determine seeding. For example, although Albus NoX Luna from CIS performed extremely well at Worlds 2016, it was their first appearance at an MSI or Worlds. We don’t believe it fair to use solely that performance to assume that CIS is stronger than LMS, who didn’t have a team make it to the Quarterfinals, but have performed well at previous events.
  • On the other end of the spectrum, large structural changes have occurred globally since 2014 (for example, the division of LMS and GPL), and will continue to occur in our young sport. With this kind of rapid evolution, results from 3 years ago aren’t great indicators of current regional strength.

Once we determined the appropriate window of results to consider, we looked at all regions to compare their list of results from MSI 2015, Worlds 2015, MSI 2016, and Worlds 2016. In evaluating relative strength, we relied upon three basic principles to help distinguish similar results:

  • We prioritized results at Worlds over MSI (as Worlds is the most important tournament of the year, and involves the most teams)
  • We prioritized recent results over older results as a better indicator of current strength
  • We evaluated tournament results by the stage achieved, regardless of opponent or game record.

Here are the aggregated results from the last two years:  

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As you can see in the above graphic, LMS and NA did not perform as well as CN, EU, and KR over the last 2 years, and as a result, they will start in Play-In Stage, Round 2. Specifically: CN, EU, and KR all outperformed NA at MSI 2015, Worlds 2015, and Worlds 2016 in terms of overall standings and peak performance. CN, EU, and KR all also finished better or roughly equal to LMS at MSI 2015, Worlds 2015, and Worlds 2016.

Based on these results, #1 CN, #1 EU, and #1 KR will be auto-seeded to the Group Stage of MSI 2017, which will remain a 6-team stage.

The #1 seed from each of the following regions will start in the Play-In Stage, Round 1: BR, CIS, JPN, LAN, LAS, OCE, SEA & TUR. These regions are not being treated as a collective as they used to be - there is no more “Wildcard” status. Rather, each region’s performance is being evaluated individually, and that is what determined their 2017 event seeding and will continue to affect their seeding at future international events.

Format

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Three teams will advance from the Play-In Stage to face-off against CN, EU, and KR in the Group Stage. The Group Stage will stay the same as it was in 2016 with 6 teams participating in a Best-Of 1 double round robin.

As with last year, the top four teams will advance to the Bo5 Knockout Stage.  

Implications for Worlds 2017

As with last year, the results of MSI will impact Worlds 2017 regional seeding placement.

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Similar to 2016, the top regions at MSI will secure the top 4 seeds at Worlds Group Stage. Additionally, the highest ranking region of BR, CIS, JPN, LAN, LAS, OCE, SEA, and TUR will gain an additional seed at Worlds: their #1 seed will start in the Group Stage, and their new seed (the #2 seed from that region), will start in the Play-In Stage.  If two regions out of BR, CIS, JPN, LAN, LAS, OCE, SEA, and TUR finish top 4 at MSI, both of their #1 seeds will start in the Group Stage as top seeds, their #2 seeds will start in the Play-In, and the remainder of the Play-In will adjust accordingly.

 

For more information about how these implications will impact Worlds 2017 and changes coming to the tournament, click here.

 

Chris “RiotChopper” Hopper is one of the International Esports and League Operations Leads. His team is focused on the global development and operations of competitive League of Legends. RiotChopper is a sports fanatic who wins (almost) every Fantasy League among the Riot esports team and always cheers for his alma mater, Duke. Questions or want to chat about Magic: The Gathering? Reach out to him on Twitter via @RiotChopper.

Derrick “Riot FearGorm” Asiedu is part of our International Esports and League Operations Team. He works on the global development and operations of competitive League of Legends. He splits his time between global policy execution and implementation and supporting international events including MSI and Worlds. Riot FearGorm is jungler main and if possible, he would only play Hecarim. He used to have the most Hecarim games in the world. You can find him on Twitter at @FearGorm.

 

 

35 Comments

Coldstream Guard2/8/2017, 9:56:58 AM16 votes

Why hold it in such a shit hole like brazil? Take it to korea or europe, or hell even na, anywhere but brazil.

Smart Kitty2/8/2017, 3:09:27 AM14 votes

I guess Albus Nox Luna really upped the expectations for the formerly "wildcard" regions. At least it means a longer MSI though.

Brdrn2/8/2017, 5:09:04 AM10 votes

What if EU gets 6th place as a region this year during MSI? G2 is still looking shit but better than everyone in EU right now.

Tolkmit2/8/2017, 7:43:47 AM10 votes

Dumb way of doing things. How far you go at worlds is determined as much by random chance in group draw as it is in anything else. Looking at the head to head win percentage would make far, far more sense. And why take into account what happened two years ago? I'd love to see stats on what percentage of players in an LCS region for Spring Split 2015 are still playing in that same region now. Why should a region be dragged down or buoyed up when probably a third of the people who responsible for it aren't even in the region anymore?

abcdeer2/8/2017, 3:50:27 AM8 votes

When we said we want more international matches we meant between na, eu, cn, kr and lms not wildcards playing each other. its like riots way of saying you get more international matches without actually giving us more international matches. all bantering aside. I like the direction and set up of the play in games. I do wish however the msi group stage and worlds group stage was bo3 round robin instead of bo1.

facehunt2/8/2017, 2:48:16 AM8 votes

I'm stealing this from a reddit comment:

Fans: "We want more high quality international tournaments!" Riot: "Lets make MSI a dogshit tournament by adding a bunch of dogshit regions, and have a pointless worlds play-in for the extra viewership it'll bring!" Niceeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Renzîx2/8/2017, 6:49:19 PM7 votes

Guys for everyone who is saying riot shouldnt add wildcards to MSI. They already had a separate tournament to decide who goes anyway this is just a combination of the 2 to include the "weaker" regions.........

Bùlldog2/8/2017, 2:37:05 AM4 votes

This is pretty dumb but i understand the need for it

Royal Waffle4/2/2017, 3:02:30 PM4 votes

Hold on. LoL will take players to brazil after the shit show at the olympics, yet NAE never gets an event. Wish LoL would come to ATL or somewhere close. Would like to go to an event and not have to spend $400+ for a plane ticket and a couple of hundred for a hotel. Around $600 just to get there and stay not including the tickets or food. Not everyone is made of money riot.

leaguewut3/6/2017, 7:15:32 PM3 votes

How on earth are the EU results being interpreted as superior to the NA results? Both the EU and NA teams that made it out of groups got trashed by the same LCK team. 2015 EU was buoyed by a team whose only notable members are in NA and KR right now, respectively. Meanwhile, NA's successful MSI runner-up is composed almost entirely of NA players (Huhi is barely an exception) who have stayed in the region.

Aerostaticus3/27/2017, 4:02:55 AM3 votes

Like the others said, Riot cares about viewership more than quality. They bring in dogshit regions when they could've simply used 3 teams from KR, CN,LMS, NA,EU. That makes it a total of 12 + teams with good matches. But no, they're afraid that KR ,CN is gonna use up all the prize pool so they bring in regions which haven't proven themselves yet. Maybe teams like Albus Nox luna but nothing more than that. Honestly, I wouldn't be surprised if a couple of KR,CN teams withdrew from the tournament.

TrollFan012/8/2017, 6:13:07 AM3 votes

Will this change in the coming years if NA does better than EU?

Otasta3/6/2017, 8:17:00 PM3 votes

I know this is likely a minor issue, but I feel like there should be a Bo3 or something for the top two from each IWC group. 1A v 2B, 1B v 2A. The way it is now, I would be afraid since only 1 team out of the 4 in each group actually advances that teams could potentially (most likely not but who knows) not take their matches as serious if they still had a chance. I know for region pride that likely would not happen, but still.

Also, since groups are randomized, its possible the two best IWC teams could end up in the same group. Example: Say Brazil and Russia (CIS) get drawn into the same group, and both end up 5-1 in their group (each beating each other once). They would then have a tiebreaker and only one of them would advance, but its possible that those two teams are actually the two strongest teams, and the other group is weaker. Not saying that would be the case, but it is possible.

In the end it may not be a huge deal, but I just think adding one more short series to ensure the best two IWC teams are facing NA and LMS might be helpful.

10bucksngoodtime2/12/2017, 6:29:17 AM2 votes

I love when people trash talk the "lower tier" regions. The only reason regions like NA/EU are better than CIS/TUR/BR and others are the fact they have been around longer. In all honestly I've seen better games come out of those regions compared to the trash that NA/EU has played. At this point in time I'd consider NA/EU lower tier regions. Even the top teams of both regions haven't been playing even close to the level they have played at previously. I'm excited to see all of the regions at MSI and at Worlds. Maybe when some of the "Top Tier" regions get smacked by some of those teams everyone will stop trashing on them.

dude84622/8/2017, 3:36:58 AM2 votes

I love these changes. It gives us more international games and it allows the less developed regions to show off their strength. Honestly I don't know why people would complain. MSI will still be a competitive tournament, now there is just a guarantee that the "wildcard" regions that has the 6th seed will be proven. I'm ready for the salt if NA or LMS get's eliminated from the MSI group stage.

Dao782/25/2017, 2:50:19 AM2 votes

Hey guys, this is great. Now everybody can prolong their hopes and dreams before their favourite teams/regions get trashed by Korea!!!

brvd3/19/2017, 9:46:49 PM2 votes

I feel like a panel of rioters should asses current strengths for a good tourney. Like EU is arguably wildcard status rn, China is getting 2nd seed despite being, again, wildcard status. This tourney is going to be LMS/NA vs KR confirmed they should switch up the pairings.

HIGHERTHYR4/7/2017, 1:16:06 PM2 votes

So LMS (the 2 top teams they have as the league has huge talent discrepancies) and NA who placed 3rd and 2nd respectively in MSI 2016, LMS (again the top team, not the bottom guys) who destroyed EU at Katowice 2017 get screwed because EU was better than them in 2014 and 2015, years ago lol? The only reason h2k did good in worlds in 2016 was because they had no Korean teams in their group. Love these decisions. Hopefully the oddsmakers are as oblivious as riot for MSI :)

TheWes4/29/2017, 4:31:07 PM2 votes

didnt G2 not get out of groups in msi 2016? if so, why does it say GF for group finisher for them in msi last year, and then also didnt only H2K make it out of groups for eu worlds 2016? once again that should mean that there is only 1 GF for eu

SuperDolphin4/30/2017, 9:31:52 PM1 votes

CN, EU, and KR all **outperformed NA at **MSI 2015, Worlds 2015, and Worlds 2016 in terms of overall standings and peak performance.

ROFL... uh... NO. EU did not outperform NA at Worlds 2016. 7-11 is not equal or better than 9-9. If you throw in strength of opponents beaten, it's even worse. H2K got the cupcake league with no Korean or NA team (the only group with none of either - the other 3 had one of each). I'll take CLG, TSM, or C9 against H2K 2016 7 times out of 10, minimum. H2K made it to QF by yet another lucky draw of the only semi with no Korean team and gets swept 3-0 by sumsung, just as CLG did. Wow, what an amazing accomplishment...

I'm okay with it set up as it is, but I bet you make EU play to get into the final stage this year at MSI, they don't make it. EU has been absolute trash in international play 2016. My guess is the formula they used weights 2016 higher than 2015, but EU's 2015 advantage over NA was just barely enough to squeak them by .

Leeroy Jangkins4/28/2017, 12:20:28 AM1 votes

The better question is, why is EU higher ranked then NA? G2 did straight ass at MSI last year and didn't even make it to groups while CLG made it to the Finals. I swear EU gets lucky im everything. Lucky placements for Worlds with the groups they were in, and now this...? Lol please TSM wipe the floor with G2 PLEASE!