The Importance of Side Selection in Competitive League of Legends
In the world of competitive League of Legends, side selection plays a critical role that often goes unnoticed. Summoner’s Rift is divided into two halves: the red side and the blue side. Each side offers its own advantages and disadvantages during the pick and ban phase, as well as during the actual game. During the 2021 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) knockout stage, blue side emerged as the dominant force, boasting a remarkable 78.57-percent win rate across 14 games over the course of two days.
Side Selection in the MSI Semifinals
In the MSI semifinals, side selection was determined by the seeding from the rumble stage. This meant that Royal Never Give Up (RNG) and DWG KIA had the opportunity to choose their side in the first game of their respective matchups against PSG Talon and MAD Lions. Both teams opted for the blue side. After the first game, the losing team had side selection for the next game in the series.
In the RNG vs. PSG series, the losing team consistently chose the blue side in all four games, as reported by Games of Legends. The MAD vs. DWG series saw a slight variation, with MAD choosing the red side for game four and subsequently losing. They returned to the blue side for game five, but it proved futile as DWG secured their place in the finals.
The Side Selection Battle in the Finals
The finals followed a similar pattern, except the side selection for the first game was determined by a coin flip rather than seeding. RNG won the coin flip and immediately selected the blue side for their opening game, which they went on to win. Side selection alternated throughout the series based on each team’s wins or losses. RNG ultimately secured side selection for the final game and opted for the blue side. They emerged as the MSI champions after a one-sided and record-breaking game, according to Games of Legends.
The Overwhelming Dominance of the Blue Side
During the knockout stage, only three out of the 14 games played resulted in victories for the red side. The rest were all won by teams playing on the blue side. Fans have taken notice of this trend, with a Reddit post sparking a discussion about the imbalance of success on each side of the map. Analyst NovaAsterix pointed out that the camera angle on the blue side provides a significant advantage for champions reliant on skill-shots, such as Nidalee, Xerath, and Rumble.
It is clear that currently, the blue side holds a significant advantage on the map in competitive League. Fans will be eager to see if this trend continues in the upcoming Summer Split.
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