2020 LoL Championship Series Summer

12 June, 2020 - 13 September, 2020 United States

The League of Legends Championship Series is the premier circuit in North America, with the competition featuring some of the most recognized brands within western esports.

Each season comes with a separate prize pool as well as qualifying spots for international events including the Mid Season Invitational and Worlds.

Preview

The 2020 North American LCS Summer Split has just begun, which means we’re in for almost four months of competitive, top-tier League of Legends. Now, depending on your allegiance and whether or not you’re a fan of this particular brand of League, this is either a cause for celebration or a piece of easily dismissable information. 

Either way, the second half of the 2020 season is finally here. The most recent Spring Split didn’t happen all that long ago, and yet it feels like it all transpired in a distant lifetime. It began back in January, but since then we’ve been hit by a worldwide epidemic, a global recession (that’ll only get worse), and many other real life complications that made esports take a back seat. 

Still, in these trying times filled with uncertainty, many folks around the globe saw competitive gaming as a safe haven — a way to entertain oneself and a means to kill time. Fortunately for us, all major leagues were successfully shifted to an online-only format, which means competitive esports didn’t take much of a hit. That, in and of itself, is an incredible achievement, considering the gargantuan challenge that arose seemingly out of nowhere.  

The North American LCS has been particularly exciting this year and there’s a long list of reasons why that’s the case. The region itself is still pretty top heavy, but the fight in the middle has been downright mesmerizing. It’s not the best or cleanest League of Legends out there, but if you’re after entertainment value and jaw-dropping storylines, then you can’t go wrong with the LCS. We saw a single team rise to the top (Cloud9) with multiple top-tier challengers fighting for scraps beneath them. There’s a stark difference between the LCS champions and the ones who’ve tried to challenge for the throne. Conversely, the teams fighting in the middle are all separated by what feels like extremely slim margins — small incremental differences that end up making a world of difference.

North America is also the region of the most exciting (or bafflingly abysmal) fiestas, which means betting on the LCS is always a double-edged sword. The potential to win big is always present, but with it comes a dangerous caveat: logic and reason can only take you so far in a region that’s the definition of chaos and volatility.

Still, we have a lot of information at our disposal and most of it is still viable and will certainly guide us going forward. With that said, let’s do a somewhat in-depth preliminary 2020 LCS Summer Split power ranking — a list of all ten teams that are competing and where they’re predicted to end up once all is said and done. Fortunately for us, the LCS, as a region, is fairly easy to predict (at least most of the time). 

With that out of the way, let’s get down to business.

2020 LCS Summer Split Power Ranking

1. Cloud9 — The best and most awe-inspiring team North America ever produced. The fact that it’s (mostly) stacked with local, homegrown talent makes it all the more impressive. Cloud9 are simply on another level and there’s not a team in sight that has what it takes to compete on even footing. They’re not the first extremely dominant champion in LCS history, but the way in which they’ve won last Spring is without precedent. They blew their opposition out of the water regardless of the meta and have looked unassailable from start to finish. There was simply no one in North America who could trade blows with this line-up and, by the looks of it, that’ll remain the case in Summer as well. 

There’s no weak link, really, and seeing how they’re both insanely flexible and bafflingly talented, it’s hard to even come up with a scenario in which they drop multiple games in a Best of 5. They might become complacent over time, but even if that does end up happening it’s certainly a ways off. Without any glaring weakness, they’re poised to dominate over the next four months. 

The only thing left is to see them compete against other regional champions. The World Championship in China cannot come soon enough. 

2. Team SoloMid — Putting Team SoloMid in second place is definitely a leap of faith, there’s no other way of putting it. Still, the fact that they were able to assemble a good chunk of that legendary 2016/2017 TSM line-up instils us with confidence. TSM’s fall from grace has been well documented over the last couple of years and you can bet that they’re looking for redemption — they want to reclaim their long-lost throne and have made very intelligent moves to ensure that’s at least somewhat of a possibility. 

The addition of Doublelift to the bottom lane is absolutely huge for their mid and late game shotcalling. His laning and team fighting prowess is second to none and will give TSM yet another potent weapon to work with. Everyone in the world knows what he’s capable of and TSM will certainly give him as much agency as he wants. Putting TSM second is an “investment” into what might happen, should they synergize in time. They have all the right tools to go toe to toe with Cloud9, but many things need to transpire for that to become a reality. 

In any case, with a more seasoned marksman (who also happens to be a vocal leader), they’re bound to leave a mark in the grand scheme of things.  

3. FlyQuest — The biggest surprise of 2020 so far. To say that they punched way above their weight class last split would truly be an understatement. In a way, FlyQuest made two ingenious moves during the late 2019 off-season by signing both PowerOfEvil and IgNar. They’re not only insanely talented but have already played with each other back under the Misfits banner in 2017. They want to play the same brand of League of Legends and are willing to skirmish right from the very get-go should such an option become available. 

That’s basically FlyQuest’s modus operandi as well, which means they’re the perfect stylistic match. Because of this, no one should be overly surprised that they were able to gel in a staggeringly short amount of time and dominate far beyond what anyone had expected. These players were given free reign and a clean slate for 2020 and they maximized their opportunities beautifully. 

The fact that they were undoubtedly the second best team in the region simply baffles the mind. How was such a thing even possible, given the amount of talent and depth that was present on Team Liquid, Team SoloMid, and even Evil Geniuses? No one’s quite sure, but most of it boils down to synergy and the same idea on how the game should be played.

They’ve made just a single roster change (for the better), so expect the best and most capable incarnation of FlyQuest yet. They might not be able to maintain their staggering level of play if their peers caught up during the off-season, but they’re certainly a shoo-in for the playoffs. That’s for sure. 

4. Evil Geniuses — The most aggressive team in North America. Whenever they step foot on the Summoner’s Rift to compete, you’d be wise not to blink too often as they tend to engage and skirmish when you’d least expect them to. That’s the thing they do best: fight, fight, fight. It’s an engaging playstyle, although it’s inherently flawed and easy to read. There’s not a lot of depth when they’re given free reign. Now, make no mistake: they’re not exactly a one-dimensional team, but they’re in love with a certain style of play and that’s very dangerous — for themselves. 

They can do the whole “macro thing” as well, they can rotate at the right time, manage and manipulate their waves and so on, but they’d much rather go for the brute force method and see who’s left alive after the dust settles. This is why they have so many fans, but it’s also their biggest weakness. This approach is ingrained deep down and is their defining characteristic. 

With Evil Geniuses, there are a couple of key questions in the air. Did they diversify their arsenal over the course of the off-season? Will they find new avenues for success, or will they go for a repeat of Spring? Regardless of what the final answer might be, they’re definitely one of the most talented and dangerous teams in the region and are basically a lock for the playoffs. Still, seeing how they’ve effectively been “figured out”, it’s only natural to expect the more seasoned teams in the region to come out on top when it matters the most.

5. Team Liquid — The biggest enigma of the upcoming split. It’s no secret that they imploded beyond measure in the first half of 2020. We all know the reasons why that happened, so let’s instead look at what’s to come and whether or not they have a chance at correcting course. The sights of Liquid losing week after week are still fresh in everyone’s mind, and there’s a good reason why that’s the case. They became the first team in history to win the LCS four times in a row, and they did so with relative ease. That’s a seismic achievement in every way, shape, and form. 

No one in their right mind would, therefore, expect such a talented behemoth to end up in ninth place. And yet there we were, watching them fumble and fail in a myriad of ways. 

Fortunately, the organization made ample changes coming into Summer to make sure such a thing never happens again. Will it be enough, however? It’s still impossible to predict anything with certainty, but the odds are definitely on their side. 

Still, regardless of what ends up happening, no one should expect the clean, dominant Team Liquid of old to make a reappearance. They might be darn close, but they shouldn’t be able to compete for the LCS throne like they did in the past. 

The Last Playoff Spot

This is where things get incredibly interesting. 100 Thieves, Golden Guardians, and Dignitas could all be in the running for the sixth and final playoff spot (if things pan out as expected, of course). So let’s go over each team and why they stand a chance of leaving a mark.

100 Thieves — A team that is both fairly impressive and also bafflingly underwhelming. There’s a lot to like, but it’s hard to shake off the feeling that they’re just another solid, well-rounded gatekeeper that lacks what it takes to go all the way. We’ve seen such teams in the past as well — they’re not a rare occurrence either. They have a couple of exceptional players and few of those who are anything but. A strange combination, for sure. For 100 Thieves to realize their full potential, they need to find a new mid laner and support who are worthy of playing under their banner. 

In their current state, they’re nothing more than a solid challenger; they’re a gatekeeper that can compete for a spot in the playoffs but not much else. That, in itself, is far from a bad thing. But once you remember that they have one of the best top laners in the world, a seasoned veteran in the jungle (who’s still horrendously undervalued), and a very talented and proven AD carry, it’s impossible not to feel underwhelmed. 

Whether or not they end up in the playoffs will once again hinge on Ssumday, Meteos, and Cody Sun. If they play their best League of Legends, they’ll definitely have a shot at reaching Top 6. 

Golden Guardians — GGS had one of the worst line-ups in history coming into 2020. There was just nothing to get excited about, and while this is definitely a harsh way of phrasing things, it is by no means untrue. Their Spring Split line-up was — at best — mediocre and severely limited in potential. Fortunately for everyone, it seemed as though GGS never got the memo. They fought to the best of their ability, they adapted as well as they could and were eventually able to string a couple of unexpected wins and reach Top 6 — to the surprise and bewilderment of basically everyone.

The most important thing for the Golden Guardians this time around is the fact that they’ve signed a proven mid laner to lead the charge. They’ve brought over Damonte, a young native talent who quickly rose to prominence for his stylish, aggressive play. His 2019 stint with Clutch Gaming was absolutely spectacular (given what they had to work with), and the fact that Damonte failed to find an LCS team to start for in 2020 was definitely a baffling twist no one thought was possible. 

With such a stellar mid laner under their banner, one simply has to expect a much more dangerous GGS this time around. Their jungler Closer — a man who needed little time to prove his worth — is every bit as talented and mechanically gifted, and it’s fair to assume that the two of them will present a fantastic challenge even for the best teams in North America. 

Finally, former LCS champion Huhi will be starting for GGS right from the very get-go. He’s not exactly a sensational support by any stretch of the imagination, but he’s still miles ahead of Keith even on a bad day. He won’t make GGS’ bottom lane particularly dangerous, but he’s not an easily exploitable player and will bring a lot of experience and shotcalling to the mix.

Will all of this be enough? It’s impossible to know at this point in time, but as far as roster changes go, the Guardians certainly emerged from this most recent off-season as the clear-cut winners. 

If they end up in the Top 6 this time around as well, no one should be overly surprised. This is arguably the best line-up GGS ever had, and it’s fair to expect a bit more from them going forward. 

Dignitas — A roster that is both fascinating and also somewhat frightening (for all the wrong reasons). This line-up is brimming with aggression and mechanical talent, but it’s also quite a big question mark. Once last Spring began, Dignitas quickly rose through the ranks and became one of the best and most commanding teams in the region. Such a dominant streak didn’t last for long, however, but it was at least a memorable ride. They were talented albeit inherently flawed and somewhat one-dimensional.

The one roster change they’ve made won’t shift their philosophy or style of play — that’s almost guaranteed at this point. Aggressive League of Legends and constant skirmishing are a part of their DNA, but they’re just not refined enough to compete at the highest of levels. This is more a case of aggressive play for its own sake. They’re rarely in control and even when it does end up being the case they’re just not clean enough execution-wise to be deemed as a layered threat. Even if they accrue an impressive lead early on (through stellar laning and a proactive approach to the game) you can almost be certain that they’ll drop the ball in the mid or later stages of the game. That’s Dignitas in a nutshell, basically.

Still, the players they have are all talented and are a good match stylistically speaking. If they get on the same page they might be able to surprise a lot of people. In the end, however, they shouldn’t be as good as 100 Thieves of the Golden Guardians so expect to see them near the bottom of the standings yet again.

The Worst of the Bunch

Finally, we have two bottom-tier dwellers, two teams that simply didn’t play good League of Legends last split: Immortals and Counter Logic Gaming. Coming into Summer, however, one thing was for certain: they had to make ample changes to their line-ups if they wanted to improve even in the slightest. 

Such a thing didn’t happen, for whatever reason. Whether that’s because of ignorance, arrogance, or something else entirely is anyone’s guess. Either way, they’re not exactly abysmal, but they’re just unimpressive across the board and they lack the strength, fortitude, flexibility, and talent which are necessary to compete with any of the teams listed above. Now, make no mistake: they might be able to get a couple of wins on the board. They might even upset here and there and punch above their weight class. Still, once all is said and done, they’re destined to occupy the very bottom of the standings. 

Closing Remarks

The 2020 LCS Summer Split is bound to be an entertaining one. If you're looking to be on competitive League, make sure to watch as many games as you can to better understand who's good and why. This was just a preliminary power ranking, but these things shift and change on a weekly basis. Finally, don't expect pristine League of Legends for the first couple of weeks (at least). Teams need at least a month to synergize fully and get back into the swing of things. Because of this, the first four weeks or so are often brimming with upsets and huge twists no one thought were possible. Once the season develops, however, things are bound to come into place. 

Tournament Format

Group Stage:

Double round robin with Best-of-One matches. The top six teams qualify for the seasons playoffs.

Playoffs:

Double elimination bracket with Best-of-Five matches. The top two teams of the season are seeded directly into the upper bracket finals. The third seed chooses whether they play either the fifth or sixth seed, with the fourth seed facing the leftover seed.