Buzz
While initially just a friendly match, the upcoming clash with Vietnam has inadvertently gained significant importance for Faker and his teammates.
While League of Legends, in general, has a long history with numerous tournaments, it remains relatively new at ASIAD Hangzhou. This has sparked controversies and debates regarding the regulations between the game and ASIAD. A major point of contention in the League of Legends community is the decision to use version 13.12 for the tournament. This version has been in play since the beginning of the Summer 2023 season, and teams have been competing on it for about a month.
According to initial reports, even a major country in the League of Legends scene, like South Korea, did not have the opportunity to use this version. This raised suspicions that ASIAD organizers were favoring home teams. The issue stemmed from the fact that only Tencent servers could downgrade the version, leaving other servers 'powerless.' The backlash only subsided temporarily when additional information revealed that Faker and his teammates had also used version 13.12. However, smaller teams like Japan or Taiwan have yet to confirm whether they will use this version or not.
The confusion caused by ASIAD organizers inadvertently amplifies the importance of the pre-ASIAD friendly matches. Upcoming matches include South Korea vs. Vietnam (11/09) and South Korea vs. Taiwan on 12/09. The match between South Korea and Vietnam is under closer scrutiny by Korean media.
Firstly, this will be the first match for the Korean League of Legends team at ASIAD. Audiences will gain a comprehensive look at the squad under coach kkOma. Moreover, whether the players have trained and adapted to version 13.12 or not will likely be answered through this match. According to Korean media, players in the current Vietnamese lineup (Kiaya, Levi, Kati, Bie) have extensive international experience and were part of the team that defeated Top Esports. Therefore, facing a formidable opponent like Vietnam will be a quality warm-up before the second match against Taiwan immediately after.
The Vietnamese players themselves will benefit from this match, using it as an opportunity to validate their abilities. Additionally, Vietnamese League of Legends fans eagerly anticipate seeing how Coach SofM has infused his distinctive style into his players since the team's establishment.
