The Mid-Season Invitational 2021: A Game-Changing Meta Shift
The 2021 League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational brought about a significant change in the game’s meta, unlike any seen before in an international tournament. While some may have found the sudden changes jarring, seasoned League fans shouldn’t be surprised as the meta tends to shift before such events.
Remember when Riot completely shook up the meta before Worlds 2015? They turned Mordekaiser into a formidable bottom lane carry after years of irrelevance as a solo laner. Similar changes were made to enchanter supports like Lulu and Karma before MSI 2017. These changes reflect the recent shake-up in the professional League meta prior to this year’s Mid-Season Invitational.
Unexpected Champions Dominate MSI 2021
Prior to MSI 2021, certain champions like Morgana, Lee Sin, Rumble, Diana, and Lulu received buffs, making them potential power picks for the tournament. While some of these champions proved to be dominant, others fell short of expectations.
Surprisingly, the notable champions that emerged at MSI were mostly legacy picks from past metas. These champions went from being practically worthless in the competitive scene to dominating the professional meta almost overnight.
For instance, Lee Sin, who was picked only 11 times in the Spring Split, saw his pick/ban rate skyrocket to 91.4 percent at MSI, making him the third most contested champion at the tournament.
Similarly, Varus, who had a minimal presence rate in the Spring Split, featured in 86 percent of the games at MSI.
New Champions in Familiar Roles
In addition to individual picks, the roles of certain champions underwent massive changes. Champions like Morgana and Rumble, who previously had little impact in the jungle, suddenly dominated in that position.
Take Rumble, for example. Prior to MSI 2021, Rumble had only been picked as a jungler 33 times in the history of professional League. However, in the span of two weeks, this number doubled.
Morgana, on the other hand, transitioned from being a typical mid-tier support champion to becoming one of the best junglers in the game.
The Meta’s “Old Reliables” at MSI 2021
Despite the major changes to certain champions and roles, many familiar picks still prevailed at MSI 2021. Kai’Sa and Tristana continued to dominate the bottom lane, while control mages like Viktor and Zoe remained popular in the mid lane. Engage-focused supports like Leona and Nautilus also remained relevant.
While some priority picks seemed odd, players often defaulted to the champions that had brought them success in domestic play. Champions like Udyr and Nidalee were still chosen along with the meta’s newcomers.
The Ever-Changing Meta and its Impact at MSI
MSI 2021 witnessed a swift shift in the professional League meta, forcing players to adapt to a different landscape. The champions that players relied on were a mix of familiar faces and new additions. In total, 82 different champions were picked at least once at MSI, showing an increase compared to the previous year’s World Championship.
While the meta at MSI was not particularly “stale,” given the nature of tournaments, where numerous games are played on the same patch, a completely altered meta may await when domestic play resumes.
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