Gaming
The LCS EU Spring Split gets underway on Friday January 19, and four fantastic players from the UK will be competing. Nubar ‘Maxlore’ Sarafian, Barney ‘Alphari’ Morris, Raymond ‘kaSing’ Tsang, and Marc ‘Caedrel’ Robert Lamont are just a handful of Britain’s most prominent esports athletes and they continue to make a name for themselves both at home and overseas.
Last year, Alphari and Maxlore were the only UK players in the Spring Split (they went all the way to Worlds), so to have double the amount of competitors playing at the highest level is a big improvement. But is there still room for the British scene to grow?
To find out, we spoke to LCS caster Aaron ‘Medic’ Chamberlain, MnM Gaming’s founder Kalvin ‘KalKal’ Chung They told us what they think of the current state of British League of Legends, while Alphari weighed in with his opinion on the possibility of a UK super team.
What do you think of the British LoL scene at the moment?
Medic: UK League of Legends continues to go from strength to strength. It's definitely been a process and there were times over the last few years when a lot of us thought that the whole scene might implode. However, there has now been a changing of the guard and we're starting to see UK players develop and challenge for spots in the LCS.
Kalvin: Talent continues to show itself in Britain but too many people see that as a sign of a good scene. A healthy esports scene should be one that creates a sustainable industry that grows talent from within. We see a lot of talented players leave the UK to play elsewhere. Many people may blame this on lack of funding, but I see very few people actively improve their business model to cater towards a more sponsor-funded team. The British LoL scene's individuals and parties need to reassess their numbers and strategy to bring more sustainable funding to support the right talent.
Slowly, we're seeing more people recognise PC gaming as a viable option and we have to continue giving them opportunities to get into esports
How do you think the British LoL scene could improve?
Medic: Honestly, we've got to keep doing exactly what we're doing at the moment. One of the main issues in the UK is the lack of engagement from the community because we're a very console-centric area. Slowly, we're seeing more people recognise PC gaming as a viable option and we have to continue giving them opportunities to get into esports. The Belong arenas from GAME are a great example of engaging at a grassroots level.
Why are we starting to see more British talent at the LCS and is there more to come?
Medic: The UK has always developed talented players. It's taken a while but teams are starting to recognise that, and players like Fredy122 and kaSing really led the way for UK players to enter the LCS. One issue we had a lot in the past was consistency. UK teams would disband and reform for each individual tournament, and it didn't allow skilful players to truly shine. Now rosters and tournaments tend to be a lot more stable and we're seeing the fruits of that stability.
Are there any constraints for British players in particular?
UK internet quality is lacklustre compared to other esports-heavy countries like Sweden and Germany. This makes operating as an individual player extremely hard.
Kalvin: I think that the biggest issue is we do not create an environment that is appropriate for new fans, brands, and supporters. For example, if you go to any national team's esports website, you’ll notice it’s built on the premise [that] people understand esports. Teams and organisers need to put in the effort to create that bridge to communicate in a language that traditional businesses and individuals understand. This is what will foster the supportive environment and acceptance that the UK yearns for and will, in turn, create a positive environment that players need to grow.
UK internet quality is also lacklustre compared to other esports-heavy countries like Sweden and Germany. This makes operating as an individual player extremely hard. Many players are unable to stream and grow their brand due to internet related problems. It is the same as giving football players a deflated football and expecting them to perform as well as others with perfect training equipment.
Meanwhile, funding is lacking due to a repeated history of inefficiencies in UK esports related companies, and coupled with the expensive operating costs of the UK economy, it’s a disaster for players who need the financial and social support of esports clubs. All is not impossible for UK players to succeed and progress, but a joint effort in improving industry standards and player mentality can definitely change that.
Are there any British players that you think have the potential to make it to the top?
I think Caedrel has a mountain of potential. He's an intelligent player and now has his chance to shine on the LCS stage.
Medic: Maxlore is definitely already up there. Taking SKT to a game 5 [see video below] is something very few players can claim, and Misfits were one of the first teams to prove that SKT were fallible at worlds. Personally, I think Caedrel has a mountain of potential too. He's an intelligent player and now has his chance to shine on the LCS stage.
Do you think we will ever see Britain house its own super team?
Alphari: If there was a good reason to do so then sure – at the moment there’s no reason to, even if there are OK UK players in every position.
Finally, what would you say to aspiring British LoL players who are looking to break into the competitive scene?
Every player you see at the EU LCS has put in thousands of hours to perfect their craft
Medic: Keep up the grind. Every player you see at the EU LCS has put in thousands of hours to perfect their craft. It's not something that is going to happen overnight, you're going to fail many times on your journey and you have to invest the time to beat the best.
Alphari: Don’t stay in the UK scene for longer than needed to start getting recognised, and spam soloq without typing too much.
Kalvin (MnM): The more time you can spend practising the better, but whatever the amount of time you practise for, make sure it’s effective.