How The Best RLCS Teams Clinched Worlds Main Event
The open format RLCS seasons consist of 3 splits with 3 LAN majors, followed by a world championship. The year-long season sees various teams rising to the top of the esport and claiming the title of best in the world. However, only the most consistent teams that rack up the most points throughout the entire season auto-qualify for the main event at Worlds. The following teams have topped the points leaderboard and have clinched a spot in the main event at Worlds.
1. Karmine Corp
French players Vatira and ExoTiiK joined the team in the offseason before the season started. Right away they confirmed that they would be one of the best.
In the fall they won Regional 2, and got another two 2nd places in Regionals 1 and 3. Claiming the Europe 1st seed, they were underwhelming in the major. They exited in the quarter-finals losing to Vatira’s previous team Moist Esports.
In the winter split they won two regionals and took home another 2nd place. They went on to win the major in dominant form, finally claiming world Number 1. After another good split in spring, they are one of the favorites to win the world championship.
2. Team BDS
After winning last season's world championship, Team BDS entered the season with higher expectations than the rest. The pressure showed as they failed to qualify for both the fall and winter majors, disappointing themselves and fans.
Heading into the spring split they decided to pick up superstar Rise from Oxygen, and send veteran player Extra to the bench. The results were instant as in the first spring regional they got a 3rd place finish. This was followed by two more good regionals. This secured them the Europe 2nd seed for the spring major in Boston where they went on to finish 2nd after being bracket reset by Team Vitality in the finals.
The reigning world champions have made their way back to the top and look to reclaim their crown as champions once again.
3. Team Liquid
As the youngest team here, they have been consistently at the top of Europe and the world throughout the entire season.
Making all three majors and winning two regionals throughout the season. Followed by having only one event where they placed below top 8 is an incredible feat that has allowed them to rack up points to place them among the best in the main event. The team will be looking to take home their first LAN gold at their first world championship.
4. Ninjas in Pyjamas
NIP dominated South America in the fall split by winning all three regionals. After a disappointing major placing just 12th/13th, Lostt left the team to go to Furia. He was shortly replaced by Furia player CAiOTG1.
This led them to a disappointing 4th place finish in the region in winter split, failing to qualify for the major. In spring they decided to replace Caio with Motta, and went on to qualify for the spring major.
Although they won the grudge match against Furia in lower round 1, they exited the major in lower round 2. This team has had ups and downs all season with its three different rosters, but looks in peak form heading into worlds.
5. Gen.G Mobil1 Racing
The newly formed roster took over the fall split by taking two 2nd place finishes, followed by a regional win in the last regional of the split. Heading into the major there were doubts about if Chronic would be able to perform at his first LAN. The LAN nerves didn't seem to affect the team as they went on to win the major, beating Moist Esports in the finals.
After an underwhelming winter split and only making the spring major through a tie breaker, a question can be asked. Will Gen.G have what it takes to bounce back to the top ahead of the biggest tournament of the season?
6. Rule One
Rule One seemed to always be second best to Falcons, as they could never take the region's single major spot.
This all changed in the spring split as they finally took the MENA 1st seed and headed to Boston for the spring major. Just as Falcons did last season, Rule One went on to have an amazing run in the major, taking home 4th place and giving MENA a 3rd spot at worlds. This gave the region enough points to auto qualify themselves in the main event. They look to continue their great LAN performance from spring into this event.
7. Team Vitality
Team Vitality has had one of the craziest seasons the game has ever seen. In the fall split they failed to make Regional 1, followed by another two lackluster regionals. After some promising winter regionals, they then got another 5th/8th placement at the winter major.
Regardless of how they did, Zen would be replacing someone. That someone was Saizen, but Europe was not ready for Zen’s impact. Team Vitality with rookie Zen, went on to win all three regionals, followed by the spring major. Only losing one series the entire split which was to Team BDS in the major.
With a 100% win rate in events so far with Zen, anything short of winning worlds would be a disappointing result for the team.
8. FaZe Clan
As one of the most consistent teams since the open era started it is no surprise to find them in the main event.
They won the first regional of the season and went on to have another 3rd/4th finish at the fall major. The team seemed to be deadlocked from doing any better on LAN. This would finally be proven wrong after an impressive 2nd place in winter, falling to Karmine corp in the finals.
In spring they would fail to qualify for the major, losing the tiebreaker to Gen.G. After changing coaches before this event, they look to finally take home gold at LAN.
Written by Matthew Hartford
This article was created as part of an internship collaboration with NACE
The NACE Internship Program is a collaboration between NACE and Esports Illustrated, designed to give students a first look at the wonderful world of esports journalism. Students are hand-selected by the NACE Council overseeing the project. Each student works in tandem with their chosen group to create interesting stories and riveting recaps each week throughout the internship term. Current NACE x ESI Interns: Coordinator Mathew Taylor Assistant Coordinator Thomas McDonald Media Rep David Hunter Writer Andy Haggard Writer Gabrielle DeSena Coordinator Robert "Rob" Gaddy Assistant Coordinator Matthew Hartford Writer Brooks Valdez Media Rep Mitchell McKittrick The National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE) is a nonprofit membership association organized by and on behalf of our member institutions. Together, our members are developing the structure and tools needed to advance collegiate esports in the varsity space. We are collaborating to lay the groundwork in areas such as: Eligibility, Path to Graduation, and Competition & Scholarships. NACE is the largest member association of varsity esports programs at colleges and universities across the U.S.