The Top Five Moments Of League Of Legends Esport From 2020

From almost zero LAN events to everything getting cancelled left right and centre, 2020 hasn’t been an easy year for esports but somehow, through it all, one title managed to thrive and against all odds, give us an absolutely extraordinary 12 months.

Even though Riot Games decided to pull the plug on MSI this year, Worlds was as grand, as spectacular, and as exciting as it’s ever been, and they’ve pretty much been one of the few publishers that’s managed to put on such a well-renowned event this year. Not only that, but 2020 will also forever be the year that marks the end of several prominent legends’ careers - but before we get ahead of ourselves, this is the top five moments of League of Legends esport from 2020.

Suning Upset Top Esports at Worlds

It was one ferocious battle between two LPL teams but the unlikely winners, Suning, ended up on top. Going into Worlds 2020, Top was one of the indisputable favourites having dominated the LPL Summer Split with a 13-3 record, triumphed at the Playoffs against JDG as well as taking home the Mid-Season Cup. Suning, on the other hand, were the challengers from China but seen as an underdog going into the matchup against Top. 

However, thanks to the magic and versatility of jungler Le “SofM” Quang Duy and the carry potential of Chen “Bin” Ze-Bin, and Tang “Huanfeng” Huan-Feng, Suning ended up with a shocking 3-1 victory over LPL’s first seed Top. Not only that, but this specific semi-finals matchup also provided the wholesome rivalry between former Flash Wolves teammates and long term friends Hu “SwordArt” Shuo-Chieh and Hung “Karsa” Hao-Hsua, both of whom have been incredibly vocal and supportive of each other. Both of them wanted to win, but both of them also wished nothing but the best for the other, with Karsa citing that he supported SwordArt in the finals against Damwon. Although Suning eventually ended the tournament as the runner ups, they showed everyone what they’re capable of and SwordArt even got picked up by TSM in the offseason. 

LCK Back On Top

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After missing out on not just the Summoner’s Cup but also a spot at the Worlds finals for two years in a row, an LCK team has finally won League of Legends’ most coveted trophy once again. Damwon Gaming was one of the favourites going into Worlds and proved just how scary, organised, and consistent they were as they blitzed through one team after another at the international event. They dropped just three games throughout the entire tournament and played beautifully in the semi-final and final to become the fourth Korean team to win Worlds.

Not only that, every member of the team showed their individual brilliance, playing some of the most perfect games of League of Legends we’ve seen this year. Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu was named the MVP of the tournament as he set the bar for how the jungle role should be played in the Worlds meta, but every single one of his teammates also stepped up to the occasion. After their performance at Worlds in 2019, Damwon was on a mission to not only redeem themselves but kickstart a new Korean dynasty at international events. It’s hard to tell how they will fend in 2021 given the recent roster shuffle, but it’s safe to say that they really put the LCK back on top in 2020.

Uzi’s retirement 

You don’t have to know anything about League of Legends to have heard of Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao which is why his retirement was one of the most poignant moments of 2020. While Uzi’s decision wasn’t completely unexpected, due to a series of hand and shoulder injuries he sustained over the years, the announcement nevertheless shocked the competitive LoL world. It’s hard to believe that one of the most well-known and legendary players of the scene was only 23 years old at the time of his retirement, and it was made even worse by the fact Uzi had to retire due to health reasons.

Few can rival the accolades and influence of Uzi, and the community was right to be saddened by his retirement, even more so because he had never managed to win Worlds. But when it comes to a player like Uzi, the focus won’t be on what he didn’t achieve but instead, everything he did manage to achieve, including two consecutive LPL titles and a stunning MSI first-place medal. 

Bjergsen and Doublelift Retire

In recent times, pro players from all over the globe have been hitting their limits with competitive League of Legends, but for some reason it feels like more players have retired in 2020 than ever before. While there are plenty of honourable mentions, the retirement of Soren “Bjergsen” Bjerg and Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng, however, were some of the most shocking news to come out of the esports scene this year. 

After seven years with TSM and becoming synonymous with the North American brand, Bjergsen announced his plans to give up his iconic mid lane and move into a coaching position right after Worlds this year. The news was particularly surprising, because Bjergsen, who’s widely regarded as the LCS’ greatest ever mid laner, showed absolutely no signs of a decaying career. In fact, many considered 2020 as one of the best years he’s had in recent times as he hard-carried his team throughout the regular seasons all the way to Worlds. Although he won’t be playing in the LCS any more, he certainly won’t be a stranger to competitive LoL fans as the new head coach of TSM.

Sadly, the same can’t be sad for Doublelift. The former TSM, Team Liquid, and CLG ADC is one of the most decorated Western players - he announced his retirement just a month after Bjergsen but unlike his teammate, Doublelift won’t be hanging around in the LCS as a coach. Having been involved with competitive League of Legends since the age of 17, Doublelift is one of the longest-standing professional players. In fact, with his retirement, there are now zero players from the very first season of Worlds playing in the LEC or LCS. 

EU Rostermania 

From G2’s iconic acquisition of Rasmus “Caps” Winther to the SKT and KT Rolster’s rebuilds, the offseason in League of Legends is always filled with surprises and drama. However, for LEC and LCS fans, no other offseason can trump the roster shuffles of winter 2020. In what will be remembered as one of the most shocking transfers of all time, Fnatic’s best and most famous player, Martin “Rekkles” Larsson decided to leave his team and go to their biggest rivals G2. Rekkles, who’s donned the Orange and Black colours for nearly seven years will be reunited with Caps on the new G2 roster but all this came at a huge cost for Ocelote’s organisation. The arrival of Rekkles meant the departure of another, one that nobody could have predicted this year. 

Having spent almost every second of his professional career at G2 and helping them become the most dominant LEC team of all time, Luka “Perkz” Perkovic formally left the EU roster in November 2020. Wanting a chance to play in the mid lane again, Perkz will not only be leaving G2 but also for the first time in his career, leaving Europe altogether for a new start over in the LCS. While North America has had a reputation for being less competitive than the LEC, there is no doubt that a player like Perkz will be the star on the new Cloud9 roster.