Vietnam has officially been made its own competitive region. Previously a part of the GPL (Garena Premier League), Vietnam was coupled with many other regions for a chance to play competitively. They battled against the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Thailand in order to get a spot. But after putting out consistently dominating performances, Vietnam has finally been given its own region tournaments and slots for international play under the VCS moniker.

The biggest change for Vietnam is that they are now guaranteed a play-in spot at international events like MSI and Worlds. While this might not seem like a huge deal – the Vietnam based GIGABYTE Marines and Young Generation were the GPL representatives at Worlds 2017 – it not only makes qualification easier, but it shows a level of respect for the region as competitive players. This also means that the other GPL regions should have a stronger presence at international tournaments now that the VCS competes in its own qualifiers.

This also means that Rift Rivals has changed slightly for the VCS. The GPL has traditionally competed against Oceania (OPL) and Japan (LJL) – two historically weak regions. VCS will now be grouped with Turkey (TCL) and Russia (LCL), two regions that have been far more competitive, meaning VCS should be facing tougher competition. It is worth pointing out that Japan’s recent ruling on esports will certainly increase the regions profile, and coupled with VCS being removed from the GPL, it should make for a more interesting competition come Rift Rivals.

For Vietnam, this is a fairly well-deserved change. At MSI 2017, the GIGABYTE Marines placed first in the play-in stage. While they were ultimately defeated by TSM, it was only through a reverse sweep in a 5-game series, showing they could go toe-to-toe with even NA’s best. At World’s, they managed a 50% win-rate against Immortals and knocked off many of the smaller competitors. They are also famous for their hyper-aggressive playstyle, something the competitive scene desperately needs more of.

As for the global scene, this indicates Riot’s efforts to be inclusive but also competitive. It’s not much fun to see smaller regions crushed at Worlds, but it is fun to see different playstyles go head to head. Riot will just have to strike the proper balance in quality competitions and inclusion..