The 2023 League of Legends Season: Format Changes for MSI and Worlds
The 2023 League of Legends season is off to an exciting start with two important announcements. First, there will be changes to both the MSI and Worlds formats. These changes include expanded teams attending and a new Swiss stage replacing the old group stage. These changes will bring more excitement to fans and give each match greater significance. The growth of minor regions and the development of talent will also be emphasized throughout the year.
MSI 2023: A Chance for Minor Regions to Shine
In the past two years, MSI has featured 11 international teams, including the top seed from each major region. However, with the changes for MSI 2023, the number of teams will increase to 13. The top two teams from each major region will now participate. The regional split winners will advance directly to the playoffs. This new format gives minor regions a chance to truly test each other without expecting to be overwhelmed by a major region finalist.
The matches will now feature best-of-three series instead of isolated best-of-ones. This provides all teams with more experience and higher-stakes settings on an international stage. The top three teams who advance to the playoffs will have truly earned their spot and will have the opportunity to challenge the top regional seeds. The double-elimination bracket allows for more time to strategize and adjust, increasing the possibility of comebacks and greater rises to glory.
If the tournament goes to the maximum number of games played, MSI 2023 could set a new record for the number of games played at an MSI, with a range of 65 to 115 total games. Coupled with a double-elimination bracket, all regions have a chance to shine against opponents of their relative strength and caliber.
Worlds 2023: Making Every Match Count
Worlds 2023 introduces changes that directly seed all major region seeds into the Swiss stage, with the exception of the winner of the LCS/LEC Worlds Qualifying Series. This means that 14 teams will be pre-seeded into the Swiss stage, leaving two spots for the winners of the play-ins.
In the past, the play-ins have often felt diluted in terms of competitive value due to the skill gap between major and minor regions. However, with only one major region team competing in the first stage of Worlds 2023, it guarantees at least one minor region team to advance alongside a higher level of competition in the minor regions.
The Swiss stage solves two major criticisms of the previous group stage format. It eliminates the group of life/death and inconsequential matches. Teams will only face opponents from different regions in their opening matches, removing any luck factor. Each game will always matter, influencing who enters the knockouts and who is eliminated from the tournament.
The knockouts remain the same as previous years, with all single-elimination best-of-five series. There are no advantages gained from the Swiss stage based on performance, ensuring that the top eight teams are on an even playing field for the title of 2023 world champion.
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