Intel Extreme Masters events are set to be light this year, with yet another team announcing that it will not be attending the Oakland event. This time round, it is Splyce announcing that they will not attend this year’s IEM Oakland. Whilst the team has been satisfied with its past year’s performance, head coach Jakob “YamatoCannon” Mebdi feels it is time for reflection and rest, according to the team’s statement.
Splyce has spent the year grinding, with a very short break in the summer. Similar to TSM’s reason for not attending the event, time between events seems to be a common factor. The time between Worlds and IEM is hardly a month total, leaving the teams very little time to reflect on their performance, and even less to rectify it if need be. IEM Oakland might have shot itself in the foot by following up so soon after Worlds, with two major teams from the LCS regions now saying they need time before another event. Splyce are the most recent team to back out of the event, but they may not be the last.
Do you think IEM Oakland is too soon after Worlds? Leave your comment down below, or tweet us @GAMURScom.
Jordan Aldridge-Payne is an esports journalist for GAMURS and can be reached on Twitter @mrjordanap.
