DETROIT, MI – AUGUST 25: The final play to end the game for Team Liquid that defeated Team Cloud9 to win their 4th straight championship during Day-2 of the 2019 LCS Summer Finals at Little Caesars Arena on August 25, 2019 in Detroit, Michigan. Team Liquid defeated Team Cloud9 3-2 in a best of 5 match play to win the North American 2019 League of Legends Championship. (Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images)
Photo by Dave Reginek/Getty Images
The 2019 season for League of Legends is in the books and already we're turning our eyes to 2020. It'll mark the 10th year of League of Legends esports, and expectations are high. Here are some of the things we're hoping to see out of the LCS in 2020.
Legacy Names Return in Force
The LCS landscape is going to look very different in 2020. Two legacy brands are making their return to competitive North American League of Legends. Those two teams would be Dignitas and Evil Geniuses. Technically, Dignitas is a re-branding of the existing Clutch Gaming and not an entirely new team. Evil Geniuses on the other hand bought Echo Fox's slot in the LCS after their organization was removed by Riot last summer.
Either way, we're very hopeful that both of these teams will storm onto the scene in force. And it's looking pretty good. Clutch Gaming qualified for Worlds last year and just re-signed Huni, so they should be pretty strong again next season as Dignitas. Evil Geniuses meanwhile have wasted no time building their roster. They've managed to ink last split's MVP, Svenskeren, to a deal. Both Sven and Zeyzal will be leaving Cloud9 to join Evil Geniuses in the spring.
A Team Gives Us Hope For Worlds
In an era when it all feels hopeless, we need someone to give us hope that North America can win it all next year. Recent events have shown that we're still lagging behind Europe, and even Europe can't seem to get over the hump at Worlds. We need a team to rise above all that and capture the hearts and imaginations of the LCS faithful.
The path to do so runs through the Mid-Season Invitational. Team Liquid has won 4 consecutive splits, and it has amounted to nothing at Worlds. So a team dominating the spring or summer split isn't likely to get anyone to believe. However, if a North American team can roll into MSI and win, it could make all the difference. One of our teams winning an international competition would prove there's hope for Worlds, and really excite the fan-base.
A Home Grown Talent Rises Above The Fold
Listen, Doublelift isn't going to be around forever. We need someone born and bred in North America to rise to that superstar level. We need our version of Caps, Faker, or Rookie. Someone that is feared and respected internationally.
OAKLAND, CA - SEPTEMBER 09: Doublelift of Team Liquid walks onstage during the 2018 North American League of Legends Championship Series Summer Finals against Cloud9 at ORACLE Arena on September 9, 2018 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Robert Reiners/Getty Images)
North America, more than any region, is known for signing mercenaries out of other regions to compete. However, this is someone who needs to be home-grown. I don't know if 2020 is the year this happens, but I do believe it's not far off. As our esports infrastructure continues to come online, and more high schoolers are considering esports as a legitimate career path, it's only a matter of time. We will eventually have an international superstar of our own, and that will be an exciting time.
What about you? What are you hoping to see in the 2020 LCS?! Let us know on social media!
