League of Legends Esports: Top Teams of 2023 and What to Expect in 2024
Published: Jan 3, 2024
A few of League of Legends’ elite organisations found great success in 2023, though none ended the year as happy as Korea’s T1. The legendary side capped off the year by winning theirs and Faker’s fourth World Championship trophy, seven years on from their last Worlds title. The team struggled to find their footing through much of the year, owing partly to an injury suffered by their superstar mid laner, but the stars aligned when it mattered most.
T1 upset China’s JD Gaming in their Worlds run, the latter having been the biggest Worlds favourite in years, shaking up the League of Legends betting scene with unexpected results.
Despite the loss to T1, JDG’s rumoured $14m mega roster was the best team of the year having won both LPL splits and MSI earlier in the season. They will live on as one of the strongest rosters ever assembled, though sadly forever a “what if” now that their failure to win Worlds has led to a restructuring of the lineup.
Another constant challenger was Korea’s Gen.G. Like JDG, they also showed more consistency than T1 as they claimed both Spring and Summer LCK splits — respectively their second and third successive domestic titles — but it was international results that blighted the team. Their consistent inability to turn domestic titles into international success saw them only manage a fourth-place finish at MSI and a quarter-final exit at Worlds; both considerable underperformances for LCK champions.
Over in the West, Europe’s G2 Esports was unsurprisingly the standout performer. The 12-time LEC winners claimed three titles this year – Winter and Summer victories as well as winning the inaugural LEC Season Finals. Unlike previous G2 rosters, however, their current side has been unable to upset Eastern competition at international LoL tournaments despite claiming positive scrim results over them.
Respawning into the new year
Heading into 2024 much of the landscape may very well stay the same.
T1 will remain together as the squad heads into their third season as a unit. Having always been a strong team on paper, the lineup had been labelled chokers for losing a number of key series during their first two years. But that has been quashed with their Worlds win. With the stigma gone, they’ll look to start a legacy in 2024.
Gen.G’s rebuild around star mid laner Chovy should see them remain as T1’s biggest rival while the team continues to chase international success.
JDG’s changes mean that they lose some star power, though swapping knight for Yagao may not prove a huge downgrade and the side has faith in their new rookie top laner sheer. Still, the changes will be welcomed by LPL rivals with the likes of Top Esports, Bilibili Gaming, LNG Esports, Ninjas in Pyjamas and others all looking like contenders.
In the West, G2’s unchanged roster are clear favourites to put up the most fight on the big stages, though a strong C9 roster may give NA fans some hope while a Wunder/Jankos/Perkz reunion on Team Heretics sees them become a dark horse for a deep international run.
Image: T1 via X
