2018 was one of the most exciting years in LoL esports. We saw many young players rise and many old and reputed teams fall. So, I decided to recount the most fascinating events of the the year. I will be focusing on the NA LCS, EU LCS, LCK and the Worlds.

NA LCS

Teams in NA have always been good, locally. They have probably the best rosters in the world like 2018’s Cloud9 roster and Team Liquid.

We saw many new teams rise like 100 Thieves and Clutch Gaming. We saw veteran players being benched for new academy players like Zeyzal, Blaber and Goldenglue.

This year saw Cloud9 reach the Worlds, in an almost fairy tale like story. Cloud9 then went on to reach the semi-finals of the Worlds, first for a NA team since season 1 of the Worlds.

By the end of the year, we saw major roster changes. Jensen moving to Team Liquid. Bang formerly a member of SKT joined the LCS. In my opinion, the current Team Liquid roster should be the most dominant roster in the LCS this year.

EU LCS

The EU LCS isn’t the EU LCS without Caps. This young mid laner has rightfully taken the title of ‘Baby Faker’. His mechanical skill is unmatched. He is not your average mid laner. His picks are not exactly standard. He even picked Vayne during the Worlds in the mid lane and dominated. He can play any champion in the mid lane and still dominate, and he shows no sign of stopping in 2019.

EU made its mark at the Worlds as well in 2018. They were just shy of dominant. Both G2 Esports and Fnatic made it to the top four, knocking every representative of the LCK in the process.

Fnatic with their high-caliber roster was the most dominant in EU, with Bwipo leading the Top and Rekkles dominating the Bot lane.

LCK

Relative to previous years, the LCK was disappointing. Faker did play well, but was unable to carry his team to the finals of the LCK, much less the Worlds. Out of all the representatives of the LCK at the Worlds, only Afreeca Freecs and KT Rolster played near expectations but even they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. First in many years. With a new and improved SKT roster, we expect the LCK representatives to rise up to their inital dominance.

Worlds

2018’s edition of the Worlds could not be any further from surprising. We saw previously dominant teams and regions fail like the KT Rolster from the LCK fail and players and teams rise, who we have never heard of like theShy from Invictus Gaming from the LPL.

We knew this season was different when Cloud9 defeated Afreeca Freecs in quarterfinals. We could feel the winds of change. As the quarterfinals progressed, every single LCK representative got eliminated.

For first time since Korea got a server, they had missed coming in top 4. The only teams left were Fnatic, iG, Cloud9 and G2 Esports. It was possible for the west to get their second title since season 1.

Cloud9, played well in the semis but eventually fell to the European super-team, Fnatic. iG beat G2 Esports in the semis. The LCK had lost the title, but iG could keep it in the east.

Most viewers expected Fnatic to easily beat iG in the finals. However, things were not meant to be. iG swept through Fnatic. They took the crown to unknown territory, to the LPL.

For the first time in many years, Korea fell. Usually they were the ones to set the META, but they were ones following the META this year.

2019 and beyond

In every region, there have been major roster changes. In NA, Team Liquid is making a super team with Jensen as mid and Doublelift as the AD carry. We see Bang join 100 Thieves join as their bot laner, formerly a player for SKT, the most dominant roster in the world.

In EU, Caps joined G2. When a team has to move their mid laner (who is one of the best in EU) to AD carry, to put the best mid laner in EU in their mid lane, the team has too many good players. They moved Perkz to AD Carry to make space for Caps. Another rookie team rising in EU is XL. They are playing amazingly. They almost beat G2 in the LEC.

In the LCK, Faker alongside his new roster are proving themselves. He is showing the world that he is not lost his worth and can still prove it at the international level.

What 2019 holds for us is unknown, but from what we know at the moment, it is going to be an amazing year for the League of Legends esports.