There are fewer conditions in esports the place extra expectations are levied on one’s shoulders than whenever you’re Korea’s quantity seed on the League of Legends World Championship. The sport’s historically strongest area usually sends its high staff internationally with the complete expectation of coming dwelling with the Summoner’s Cup in tow.
Traditionally, the highest seed out of Korea has all the time been considered as a (if not, the) event favourite at Worlds, and this yr, the scenario isn’t any completely different. Gen.G, who gained LCK Summer time in traditionally dominant trend, are a widespread option to win all of it.
At their heart is Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon, four-time Worlds attendee and zero-time Worlds winner. What’s fascinating about that final half, although, is every time the now-21-year-old involves the event, it seems like he has a sensible shot at profitable all of it based mostly on his uncooked expertise alone.
This yr, he could have the strongest probability of his profession.
Gen.G is Chovy’s fourth staff in as a few years. After revealing his skills to the worldwide scene with Griffin in 2019, Chovy bounced from DRX to Hanwha Life Esports the final two seasons earlier than lastly discovering his place because the premier chip on Gen.G. And whereas all three of his previous groups every obtained bounced from Worlds within the quarterfinals, Chovy believes that is the yr he can lead a staff deep within the event.
“Prior to now, myself and my teammates didn’t have sufficient expertise,” Chovy instructed Dot Esports. “Gen.G has numerous expertise and everybody is de facto proficient. So long as we are able to repair the problems we’re going through proper now, we’ll be capable to get a fantastic end result.”
That final line of Chovy’s implies Gen.G has struggled at Worlds so far, and as we sat down with the LCK champ, there was a way of dissatisfaction in his eyes—regardless of the staff’s profitable document on the group stage.
“Heading into Worlds, we’re struggling as a result of numerous issues are usually not working proper now,” Chovy mentioned of Gen.G. “For instance, the way in which we play teamfights and the way in which we typically method and play the sport will not be pretty much as good, and that’s why I feel we’re not taking part in as effectively.”
If there is hassle in paradise, Gen.G has accomplished a stable job of masking it on-stage.
The staff is 2-1 after the primary spherical robin of the group stage, and sits only one recreation behind Royal By no means Give Up (who they lost to) for a share of first place in Group D.
That preliminary loss on day one (and their subsequent not-so-dominant efficiency towards 100 Thieves of their subsequent recreation) scrubbed Gen.G of their authentic title of “worldkillers” and should have given China’s JD Gaming sole possession of the “event favourite” moniker.
And Chovy agrees. In keeping with him, the LPL seems stronger than the LCK to this point, and JDG seems to be the “strongest amongst them.”
“Primarily based on how all the groups have performed to this point, I wish to say LPL [is stronger], however we now have so many video games to play nonetheless, so we’ll have to attend and see,” Chovy mentioned of the Chinese language groups at Worlds.
Past secondhand observations, Chovy has a possible assembly with JDG circled on his calendar. Ought to the LCK and LPL champions meet at Worlds, it wouldn’t be till the bracket stage on the earliest. However, a possible matchup between jap titans—and extra importantly, his would-be lane opponent Zeng “Yagao” Qi—is intriguing.
“Yagao is essentially the most spectacular participant to this point within the mid lane due to the way in which he performs with the staff,” Chovy mentioned. “The best way he makes the staff play [around him] is so vital.”
However though Yagao might make for a worthy opponent, Chinese language mid laners have traditionally given Chovy suits.
Relationship again to his first World Championship, Chovy holds a dreadful 2-8 document in particular person video games towards Chinese language groups, whereas being outdueled by names like Rookie, Knight, Cryin, and Xiaohu alongside the way in which. Regardless of his success towards his LCK counterparts (particularly this season) Chovy has by no means had a lot of a solution for the LPL.
On Sunday, Oct. 16, Gen.G and RNG will play the final scheduled match of the 2022 Worlds group stage. That match might have immense implications on the ultimate standings of the group, and by proxy, the quarterfinals.
Earlier than then, although, Chovy and Gen.G have some issues to resolve. Whereas different groups at Worlds are making it look simple, every of Gen.G’s video games have been immensely aggressive, particularly compared to how simply they breezed by the LCK Summer time Cut up.
On the conclusion of the primary spherical robin, Gen.G rank fifth in whole kills, fifth in goal management, and tenth at gold distinction at quarter-hour, in line with League stats website Oracle’s Elixir. Though they’ve scraped two wins collectively, Gen.G doesn’t look practically as dominant of their wins as most of the different squads at Worlds so far.
“I’m conscious lots of people are counting us as one of many favorites of this event, however our efficiency does not likely present that top high quality efficiency,” Chovy mentioned. “Proper now, I’m not evaluating our staff as that top.”
Chovy and the remainder of Gen.G will return to the Worlds stage on Sunday, Oct. 16 for all six of their second spherical robin video games in Group D.
