Play-in Group A: team we VS gambit gaming vs lyon gaming

Nearly everyone agrees that this series is going to go in the direction of Team We. Not only are they hailing from one of the most dominant regions, but for a third-place seed, they are looking incredibly dangerous. With Gambit Gaming still working with a fairly new roster and Lyon Gaming still struggling to find success internationally, things are looking to go heavily in Team We’s favor.

What to expect:

Well, we already sort of called it. Team We will probably take the first seed, and among the last two competitors, Lyon is probably superior. Gambit Gaming simply doesn’t have the experience of their Latin counterparts, so we expect to see several missteps from Gambit as they negotiate the minefield that is Group A. If Team We does seed first, as we are expecting, it will put that much more pressure on the other groups to seed first to avoid a head-to-head against these favorites.

play-in group b: cloud9 VS team one esports vs dire wolves

We talked about it previously, but C9 has a great draw for the play-ins. As far as rankings have gone, Oceania and Brazil have ranked consistently below North America, so unless Team oNe eSports or Dire Wolves can pull off a Flyquest level maneuver, they are going to have it rough.

What to expect:

NA mid-laners have been in top form this split, and if there’s one thing we are certain of, it’s that Jensen will crush whatever comes at him from these two teams. Although C9 did play sloppy in their last matchup against CLG, we are expecting them to have little trouble against their inexperienced counterparts in Group B.

However, we may get to see some fun drafts. Team oNe has been known to choose some off meta champions, and they may be hoping to surprise C9 with a win by playing them into something they have no ready defense against. Dire Wolves, meanwhile, have done very well in their region and represented at the Mid-Season Invitational, but they failed to make it out of the play-in stage previously, showing a lack of experience against other regions. They are probably the stronger of the two new teams but lacking in any tricks up their sleeve.

play-in group c: fnatic vs young generation vs kaos latin gamers

We know who the fans will be cheering for in this matchup. Despite a less than stellar year, Fnatic are surely going to have the crowd on their side against the newer teams of Kaos Latin Gamers and Young Generation. Fnatic also has experience on their side, something that should help them from getting rattled by the massive crowds and pressure of worlds.

What to expect:

Vietnam has been a rising star in LoL, so we expect Young Generation to bring solid performances to their games and not go down easily to Fnatic’s experience. Kaos is the least sturdy of the three teams, so we can expect them to struggle against both teams and to have to play quick and adaptive to stay in. As for Fnatic, we expect to see veterans Rekkles and Soaz leading their team to victory.

play-in group d: hong kong attitude vs 1907 Fenerbahçe vs rampage

Of all the Groups, this one has the best chance of some surprising and exciting turn-arounds and plays. Though Hong Kong Attitude have performed well in the past, their performances have been less than consistent. Against the rising regions of Japan and Turkey, we aren’t sure who will take the victory here.

What to expect:

If Hong Kong Attitude does lose a game, we expect it will be hard fought. They are a team accustomed to tough, tough competition, whereas 1907 Fenerbahçe – the team most likely to have their name mispronounced – is used to dominating their region. Japan’s Rampage has also faced challenging matches in their region and could use that experience well to stay strong in the Play-in gauntlet.