Preface: The S16 season has officially started, and I'm sure most players are paying close attention to the recent matches. The competition in each region is very intense. The LPL playoffs are about to enter a crucial phase; there are four World Championship spots, with BLG having already locked in one, leaving three left. The competition is very fierce. Teams like AL, JDG, TES, LGD, tomorrow's WE, and even IG coming from the loser's bracket all want to get involved. Recently, Riot officially announced changes to the World Championship: the 4th seeds from the LPL and LCK no longer need to play in the play-ins and will directly enter the Swiss stage.

LPL and LCK fourth seeds directly advance

I believe the vast majority of players are very focused on this World Championship. The S16 season is highly competitive, with many dark horse teams emerging in the LPL. Both LGD and WE have shown excellent overall form. So far, only BLG has secured a World Championship spot in the LPL; the remaining three slots are still up for grabs. The top-ranked teams all have a chance to challenge. As the World Championship approaches, Riot has officially released the rulebook for this year's Global Finals.

Among them, the play-in rules have been adjusted as follows: The play-in teams include the LEC third seed, LCS third seed, CBLOL third seed, and LCP third seed MVK. The four teams will compete in a double-elimination BO5 format, and the winning team will advance to the Swiss stage of the S16 World Championship.

It's clear that Riot was quite dissatisfied with last season's schedule. After all, IG and T1 are undoubtedly the teams with the most viewership. Knocking out such teams in the very first match was undoubtedly a heavy blow to the entire World Championship. With this rule change, the 4th seeds from the LPL and LCK no longer need to play in the play-ins; they directly enter the Swiss stage, guaranteeing at least several rounds of matches. Riot really regretted their previous decision.

In the past couple of days, the probability of each LPL team qualifying has become a hot topic among netizens, especially for TES. Although they have fallen into the loser's bracket, the overall situation is still quite clear, as their performance in the first two splits was outstanding. Currently, TES has secured a spot in the Regional Finals, but it's not yet determined whether they will be in the winner's or loser's bracket. If they defeat IG and BLG beats WE, then TES will definitely enter the winner's bracket, giving them two chances to qualify for the World Championship. However, if they lose to IG, TES will likely end up in the loser's bracket, making their chances of securing a spot very low.

WE's situation is quite complicated because they have fewer points from the first split. If they defeat BLG in the next round, they will at least secure a spot in the loser's bracket of the Regional Finals, with a chance to enter the winner's bracket. If they lose to BLG, then any of the following conditions being met will allow WE to enter the loser's bracket: AL beats LGD, TES beats IG, or IG beats TES and then WE beats IG. It seems WE's Regional Finals prospects are relatively clear; they are basically guaranteed to participate, and the remaining competition will determine the final spots.

Zaijian thinks

It seems Riot was also very dissatisfied with the previous tournament arrangement, but there was no room for adjustment at the last moment. IG is the most popular team in the LPL, and T1 is a global focus. The last season's top 17 competition was a dilemma—losing either side was painful. This time, to prevent such a situation, all four teams from the LPL and LCK will enter the Swiss stage. The officials really will do anything for viewership; they started contradicting themselves in the second year.

What do you, the viewers, think about this matter?