League of Legends 2018 Worlds finalist and Fnatic superstar AD carry Rekkles voiced his disappointment today about the online nature of the 2020 LEC Spring Split finals due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
“Playing the finals here was super fucking weird,” the Fnatic ADC said. “It’s not something I would want to do again. But I think for sure in early September we should be fine, right, to go in the studio? So, at least that’s something.”
Rekkles’s disappointment with the event’s remote format is understandable. Someone on his caliber, who went to a World Championship finals, is used to big crowds, cheers, and adrenaline. “I like when my blood gets rolling, it gets me hyped up,” he added later on in the stream.
“I understand that newer player are feeling more comfortable at home, but some other players are used to big crowds,” Rekkles said.
The COVID-19 pandemic rattled esports events across the globe, including League of Legends finals in each of the major regions, forcing tournament hosts to cancel, delay, or move events to an online format. Riot Games adapted their regional championships to the remote format to protect the health and safety of all players and staff involved.
While both the LEC and LCS have retained the online format, the LPL resumed games offline without viewers. The recent restrictions announced by Beijing might force Riot to return to an online format in the LPL as well, however.
Related: How can Riot Games salvage the 2020 World Championship
While the formats for the Summer Finals in all regions are still unclear, there’s an even bigger problem coming up soon: the 2020 World Championship.
