Riot Games just announced a brand new League of Legends competitive league! Starting in 2020, the League Master Series (LMS) — which currently includes teams from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Macao — will be merged with the League of Legends SEA Tour (LST), which brings together teams from Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
Ten teams will take part in the PCS. The LMS and LST are currently host eight teams each — which means this decision will probably make some teams unhappy... That being said, Riot Games didn't unveil which teams will be elected to the PCS.
Neither the recruitment process nor the format has been unveiled for now — meaning we can't know yet if relegation and promotion tournaments will occur in a fashion way to the LCK. Published on the Garena website (the organization that handles Asian leagues in cooperation with Riot Games, the press release specifies that "concentrating a competitive system will also enhance the team's business opportunities and media opportunities."
Currently, three teams from the LMS can qualify for World Championship, with only one from the LST joining them — and only to the Play-In phase. The Vietnam Championship Series (VCS) will apparently remain an independent league.
At the end of the day, this fusion seems to benefit the APAC region, whose teams are for now considered wildcards — yet their level keeps rising.
It's D-Day! The League of Legends Worlds 2019 Grand Finals just ended with the win of FunPlus Phoenix. G2 Esports failed to achieve the Grand Slam, and lost 0-3 while facing the LPL champions.
