The Chinese League of Legends Pro League (LPL) is reportedly gearing up for a significant overhaul in its format for the upcoming Summer Split, with the introduction of the Fearless Draft.
As anticipation builds for the Mid Season Invitational (MSI), China’s premier League of Legends competition is said to be planning several changes for the future. It was announced on Wednesday that the LPL would undergo a major format change for the Summer Split, including the implementation of the Fearless Draft.
In the coming days, the city of Chengdu, China, will be buzzing with excitement as the Mid Season Invitational unfolds. However, fans in the region have also been eagerly awaiting news regarding their domestic league, with speculation rife about potential updates.
After days of speculation, it has been confirmed that the LPL will indeed undergo a significant format change for the Summer Split, incorporating the Fearless Draft. Naturally, this has sparked numerous questions and uncertainties, not only about the draft itself but also about the new format, which promises to be unlike anything seen before.
New LPL Summer Split Format
Group Stage (Bo3)
- The 17 LPL teams will be divided into 4 groups (one with 5 teams).
- Teams will compete in a double round-robin format, with the top 9 teams advancing to the Upper Bracket and the remaining 8 teams moving to the Lower Bracket.
- No teams will be eliminated in this phase, and matches will feature the Fearless Draft.
- The Fearless Draft entails that champions used in a best-of-three series cannot be repeated throughout the series. There will be no bans in the first map of each series.
Qualification Stage (Bo3)
- For both brackets, the format is a single round-robin with traditional picks and bans.
- In the Upper Bracket, the top 7 teams from the table will advance directly to the Playoffs, while the 8th and 9th place teams will have another chance in the Elimination Phase.
- In the Lower Bracket, the top 4 teams from the table advance to the Elimination Phase, while the remaining teams are eliminated.
Elimination Phase (Bo5)
- This stage will feature 6 teams, with 2 from the Upper Bracket and the rest from the Lower Bracket.
- The 6 teams will compete head-to-head in a best-of-five format, with the winners securing the remaining 3 spots for the Playoffs.
Conclusion
In summary, the LPL is set to make a strong comeback following the conclusion of the Mid Season Invitational, which coincidentally takes place in China.
It’s worth noting that the Fearless Draft is not entirely new, having been previously implemented in the LDL and the LCS Academy League. This suggests that we may see it in several regional competitions in the near future.
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