MSI 2023 Playoffs Draw: Fans Bemoan Disappointing Bracket

The stage is set for the Bracket Stage of the 2023 Mid-Season Invitational in London. After eight teams brawled it out over the course of six days in the Play-In Stage Stage, only three: Bilibili Gaming, G2 Esports, and Golden Guardians emerged with tickets to the Bracket Stage.

The three joined Gen.G, T1, JD Gaming, Cloud9, and MAD Lions in the Brackets stage of MSI 2023. The eight will now compete for the lion's share of the $250,000 USD in total prize pool as well as bragging rights for their region.

MSI 2023 Brackets Stage Matchups Revealed

The group stage paired LCS representatives Cloud9 and Golden Guardians against LPL representatives Bilibili Gaming and JD Gaming respectively. While the LEC duo of G2 Esports and MAD Lions got paired against LCK powerhouses Gen.G Esports and T1.

Fans have already dubbed this as a disaster for Europe and North America, since the two regions will have to go up against some of the favorites for the event in the very first round of the Brackets Stage.

Riot's tournament format has received criticism for allowing teams from the same region to face each other in the next round of the brackets. This has caused disappointment among fans, who were looking forward to seeing inter-regional matches. An example of this is the potential Upper Bracket Semifinals match-up between T1 and Gen.G, both hailing from the LCK. Fans are understandably frustrated by the prospect of missing out on highly anticipated cross-regional games.

Fans often look forward to inter-regional matches in the Mid-Season Invitational. These matches showcase the different playstyles, strategies, and metas from each region and are often exciting to watch. When teams from the same region compete against each other, some fans feel that the excitement and unpredictability of the matches are diminished, as the teams are already familiar with each other's playstyles and tendencies.