Cloud9 wins the 2023 LCS Spring Split

It’s a good time to be a Cloud9 fan. While most LCS teams are struggling to find their footing, C9’s belief in their systems keeps bringing in results. The League team has fielded several iterations of the roster, but they have somehow managed to win at least one LCS title in each of the last four years. With bot laner Berserker claiming regular split and Grand Finals MVP honors, Cloud9 looks forward to facing off against the best teams on the international stage.

WE ARE YOUR BACK-TO-BACK LCS CHAMPIONS!!! #C9WIN pic.twitter.com/tUYwdsWY11

— Cloud9 League of Legends (@C9LoL) April 10, 2023

Berserker is 2023 LCS Spring Split MVP 

Nick “LS” De Cesare tenure as ‌Cloud9’s head coach didn’t last long. And while his approach to the game was a breath of fresh air to the LCS, the hype quickly subsided. One long-lasting change he made that altered the future of Cloud9 was the acquisition of bot laner Berserker. 

Kim “Berserker” Min-cheol was scouted and plucked out directly from the T1 Challengers roster, the biggest talent machine in League of Legends. After years of competing for the starting job against bot laner Gumayushi, Berserker was ready to come out of his shell.

And boy did he make an impression right away. Berserker proved his worth right away, leaving everyone without a doubt that he was the best ADC in the LCS. Top laner Summit, the multiple role swaps and coaching changes might have overshadowed his performance in 2022. But in 2023, it was crystal clear. Cloud9 is Berserker’s team, and the rest of the squad performed accordingly. This entire C9 roster was miles ahead of the competition, thanks in large part to the great coaching structure and precise gameplan everyone ‌agreed on. Everyone on the roster deserves credit, but Berserker was the tip of Cloud9’s spear, and that’s why he claimed the 2023 LCS Spring Split MVP title.

2023 LCS Spring Split Playoffs recap

The 2023 LCS Spring Split playoffs turned out to be more than a 2 team race. Cloud9 and FlyQuest were always going to be the main topics of discussion. With rosters worth several million dollars and several Korean imports to show for it, these teams took the LCS by storm. Bot finished tied for first place, with a 14-4 record, before Cloud9 won the tiebreaker match.

They were followed up in the standings by 100 Thieves, Counter Logic Gaming, and Evil Geniuses, who all finished with a 10-8 record. Golden Guardians finished sixth in the regular split with an 8-8 record, good enough for the last playoff spot. 

Roster Update: #LCS Finals pic.twitter.com/XGFMmQ6Oez

— FlyQuest (@FlyQuest) April 8, 2023

CLG and EG were quickly dismantled throughout the first two rounds with identical 0-3 scorelines. FlyQuest did the same to 100 Thieves but suffered the same fate the following week against Cloud9. One team that went under the radar and managed to reach the Grand Finals through the loser bracket was Golden Guardians. Their match in the lower bracket finals against FlyQuest proved to be what dreams are made of. The Korean mid jungle duo of River and Gori, spearheaded the playoff resurgence of Golden Guardians. Their synergy enabled their sidelines to acquire leads and carry games with it. It’s been a long time since we last saw top laner Licorice on Fiora, but this year’s MSI will feature the veteran as the LCS second seed. The same goes for bot laner Stixxay, with the two being the remnants of the last CLG roster to compete on the international stage. 

Cloud9 takes down Golden Guardians in the Grand Finals of the 2023 LCS Spring Split

Golden Guardians took FlyQuest to Silver Scrapes and managed to secure a game 5 victory. Their reward was a duel with the goliath that C9 was this split, losing only 1 map on their way to the LCS finals. The first game started with Golden Guardians creating a massive advantage. 11 kills at 15 minutes with 9 of them for GGS meant that the underdog had complete control over the game. But a few ill-advised fights funneled into Berserker’s Aphelios and a Baron steal later, and Golden Guardians found themselves on the back foot. From a 10 000 gold lead to losing the game in 38 minutes, this sequence was a back breaker for Golden Guardians. 

But if game two was any indication, GGS were not fazed. Mid laner Gori took matters into his own hands, securing a 3-0 start on his Ahri pick. Unlike game one, Golden Guardians didn’t let their foot off the gas pedal. The game ended in 27 minutes, courtesy of their flawless execution. As it was through the entire playoffs, their mid jungle duo enabled the rest of the map, transferring and increasing leads with proper team fighting and positioning to even out the series at 1 a piece.

Game three saw Cloud9 respond with the same ferocity. A first blood gold lead going on Berserker was only the foreshadowing. Cloud9 mid laner Emenes redeemed himself on his LeBlanc pick after a rough game on Akali in game two. Cloud9 had the answer for the Kennen pick from Licorice once again, giving their team a 2-1 series lead. 

Game four turned out to be the deciding one, given how poorly Golden Guardians handicapped themselves during the draft phase. Berserker got two early kills from Blaber’s insane play making and Cloud9 never looked back. With Stixxay’s Lucian being set behind and a Galio, Malphite, Wukong lineup lacking damage, Cloud9 managed to secure Ocean Soul in 25 minutes. The game was over shortly after, giving C9 their fourth LCS title in as many years. Despite the 3-1 outcome, this series was a lot more competitive from the side of Golden Guardians than many would have expected. The sheer achievement of the six seed reaching the Grand Finals through the lower bracket is enough to warrant them being the LCS’s second seed at the upcoming MidSeason Invitational. 

Cloud9 co-founder and CEO Jack urges LCS teams to sign his backup roster

And while celebrations were going on, C9 Jack Etienne took to Twitter to suggest a proposition. While some might frame it as taking shots at the LCS organizations struggling to break their cycle of mediocrity, Jack offered some explanation in a follow up tweet. According to him, the C9 Challengers roster competing in the Academy League has been performing admirably in scrims all year long. They cruised to the best record and won the title in the NACL competition, and according to Jack, they have a positive win rate against many LCS teams, including their own main roster.

For clarity, I’d give up my challenger team for zero buyout if it means they play in the LCS.

My promise to each of these players is to develop their skills and give them a platform to get into the LCS.

If teams however do compete in bids I’d of course need to consider that.

— Jack Etienne (@JackEtienne) April 10, 2023

The level of depth their systems have created is admirable, and it has led to C9 enjoying continued success in all League of Legends competitions. But there comes ‌a point where those players deserve to compete on a bigger stage, make a name for themselves, and enjoy some fiscal gains. Cloud9 probably can’t pay everyone what they’re worth, so giving them a platform to further their careers and cash in on their potential by selling them to teams in need is probably the correct play for all parties involved.