Two separate realms of competition have arisen: the powerhouse leagues of the East, LCK and LPL, and their Western coequals, LEC and LCS. As the League of Legends Worlds 2024 unfolds, there remains a pretty glaring question in the heart of the esports community: why can’t the West find strength to keep pace with those from the East? Will they be able to match up and outdistance such giants, or will they be content to stay in their shadow? Here is a review of these take-ups, explaining the reasons behind the gap.
The Clash of East vs. West
The competitive landscape of League of Legends has been long typified by the stark dichotomy between East and West, but a new chapter within this familiar narrative is dawning. For all intents and purposes, for years, the international tournaments had been dominated through skill and teamwork by the areas of the LCK (South Korea) and LPL (China). Whereas LEC (Europe) and LCS (North America) failed to catch up with that, questioning the competitive viability of Western leagues around the world.
A Closer Look at LPL and LCK
The LCK and LPL are the epitomes of excellence in League of Legends esports. Their dominance is far from a product of pure individual talent; it deeply roots itself in a powerful ecosystem that supports player development and competitive integrity. These teams, such as T1, Gen.G, JDG, and EDG, have become household names around the world, consistently showing such skill that they stand in a league of their own compared to their Western opponents.
Riding high into Worlds 2024, these teams have enjoyed great success. T1 won Worlds 2023 and thus consolidated its power, while other LPL teams have taken top positions at international tournaments. Other than that, these teams achieved the best places, being placed from 2nd to 4th in Worlds 2023.
What’s Holding the LEC and LCS Back?
Contrarily, though, both LEC and LCS teams have not fared all too well on the global stage as far as Worlds 2024 is considered. Both regions carry some extremely talented names, with enough potential legends within them who could not turn those respective potentials into successes in these big tournaments.
Their best individual players sometimes made miraculous plays to get everyone excited, but eventually, they fell short of synergy and proper strategy. It is true that many games exemplify how the Western forces took early leads but could not convert those leads into actual victory, resulting in defeat. For example, G2 Esport got sent out after its loss in a 1-2 against Bilibili Gaming in the group stage.
This is complicated further by regular roster changes within teams on the Western side. Roster shuffles sometimes benefit team dynamics to come out fresh, but more often lead to instability that will limit performances in the longer run. For example, G2 Esports managed to collect some wins over Eastern sides in the previous years, but teams like Team Liquid and Cloud9 have struggled to sustain cohesive player compositions due to frequent changes.
The philosophical approach to risk-taking also varies considerably between regions. Eastern teams are more aggressive, taking every opportunity that comes up. On the other hand, Western teams tend to play cautiously, and this can sometimes lead to missing opportunities.
Another good example is the quarter-final series between FlyQuest and Gen.G, which recently got eliminated by Gen.G at 3-2 after a hard-fought match. This one was especially telling of the problems facing Western teams when they compete against already established Asian powers. That inconsistency throughout the series actually speaks to a larger theme in Western teams: starting strong but faltering down the stretch against stiffer opponents.
Can the West Catch Up?
Historically, the Western teams haven’t been able to keep pace with LCK and LPL and have an abysmal tournament run cut way too short. Some analysts believe that the West finally began to move forward by coming closer to early game statistics, but the reality is that transcending the dominance already instituted by Eastern teams is not an easy task.
Although the problems are there, new trends indicate that Western teams change their approaches gradually in terms of matching problems that emerge. Some teams have adopted aggressive play to win matches, but that alone will not narrow down the gap. In an environment of shifting competition, though it is uncertain whether the West can catch up with LCK and LPL as soon as possible, that’s definitely not going to get easier, but continued changes in strategy and mindset mean that maybe there is an upward curve yet.
Conclusion
The League of Legends Worlds 2024 only serves to lay bare both the skills gap and the systemic issues that have troubled LCS and LEC for so long. But burgeoning talent alongside a rising willingness to adapt strategies can be looked at as rays of sunshine on the horizon. However, the resilience and resolve of the West may usher in a better future as they close the gap on the dominant forces in LCK and LPL. Time will tell if they can turn these
