The 2023 LCS Summer Split Begins
The wait is over— the 2023 LCS Summer Split has finally arrived. After a two-week delay caused by a player-initiated lockout, the second half of the professional League of Legends season kicked off today in North America. Despite the extended offseason and numerous changes that have taken place since April, the Summer Split started with a familiar outcome—Cloud9 emerged victorious once again, defeating Golden Guardians.
A Closely Contested Match
Golden Guardians and C9 were among the few teams in the LCS that maintained the same roster from the previous split, resulting in a rematch that closely mirrored the Spring Finals. While C9 secured a 3-1 victory in the Spring Finals, today’s game remained highly competitive throughout the early and mid-game.
For the first 24 minutes of the game, neither C9 nor Golden Guardians had a gold lead surpassing 2,000. It wasn’t until C9’s double-marksman composition, along with Milio making his LCS debut, came online in the mid-game that C9 began to gain an advantage. They won crucial teamfights and effectively shut down Golden Guardians’ chances of a comeback.
Berserker’s Heroics
In a pivotal mid-game teamfight, C9’s AD carry, Berserker, showcased his skills with his signature champion, Zeri. Berserker maneuvered through Golden Guardians’ backline, dealing significant damage and securing a triple kill. This fight led to C9 securing the Baron and catapulting to victory by pushing through the top lane.
C9’s Berserker Shines
Berserker’s outstanding performance in today’s game sets him on the path to potentially win a second consecutive MVP award, a feat never before achieved in LCS history.
This summer, the LCS will adopt a faster pace to make up for the lost time. Previously an eight-week affair, the Summer Split will now be condensed into six weeks, with each week featuring three match days. C9 will continue their first week of games against Dignitas and TSM, two teams that failed to qualify for the Spring Split playoffs.
LCS Summer Split, Cloud9, Golden Guardians, League of Legends, professional gaming, esports