Remake controversy strikes LPL's QG vs LGD match
Within a week of the controversy during the Team Vitality vs Giants Gaming match, a League of Legends game between QG Reapers and LGD Gaming had to be remade. LGD Gaming had built a lead with a specific strategy, but when a bug involving Tahm Kench was discovered, Riot China called for a Game 1 remake.
In the first match between LGD Gaming and QG Reapers, LGD chose a strategy that relied on banning five mid lane champions. Kim “Doinb” Taesang chose Viktor, and Wei “GODV” Shen chose Ekko. The Ekko pick was extremely effective for LGD, pushing out and exerting pressure on both sides of the map, as well as diving deep in teamfights. LGD Gaming had just secured Baron after a fight that put them definitively in the lead, when a pause was called.
Casters reported Tahm Kench player, Liu “Ali” Xudong, couldn’t use a spell. Shortly after, LGD Gaming manager Yang “Nicholas” Shunhua posted more details on Weibo:
“After official communication with Riot,” Nicholas said, “here’s the latest update: Tahm Kench couldn’t cast Devour. He couldn’t Devour the AD. At the Baron fight, he Devoured Rengar, but afterwards he couldn’t Devour the AD, so they decided to replay the game. There’s nothing we can do. I hope the five players and coaches won’t be affected by these circumstances and will play well in the next match.”
In the following games, QG Reapers banned Ekko in both matches and went for a more top-centric approach, selecting Camille. They also chose their mid laner in the first rotation, preventing LGD from banning five mid picks. QG Reapers managed to 2-0 both games.
Following the matches, LGD’s sizable fanbase took to social media. The hashtag “Kick QG out of LPL” began trending. Though LGD’s lead wasn’t anywhere near as definitive as in the case with Giants Gaming and Team Vitality, as the Baron fight had just then given them control of the match, it was clear that LGD had prepared this specific strategy for QG, and they were unable to execute it again. LGD fans accused QG of willfully knowing about the bug before the decisive fight, but not bringing it up until they lost control of the game. Regardless, the remake was allowed in accordance with the ruleset.
There is still no update as to when the Chronobreak tool that was used in the NA LCS will be available internationally.
You can follow Kelsey Moser on Twitter @karonmoser.
