Cloud9 head coach Mithy has been one of the most influential figures in the League of Legends (LoL) esports scene for many years. He is known for his innovative strategies and ability to bring out the best in his players. However, he has recently spoken out against a popular aspect of LoL competitive play: best-of-one (Bo1). Mithy believes that Bo1 is an outdated system that no longer reflects the true skill of a player and that it limits the potential for growth and development in esports.
Best-of-One (Bo1)
Bo1 was introduced back when LoL was still in its early stages, and it has been with us ever since. It’s a simple system where two teams play one game each to determine the winner. The first team to win is declared the champion. This system was popular because it was easy to understand and quick to play. However, as the game evolved, so did the need for more complex systems that could reflect the true skill of players.
One of the main issues with Bo1 is that it doesn’t allow for any growth or development in a player’s skills. A player can win a game based on their initial strategy and not be tested on their ability to adapt to new situations or make split-second decisions under pressure. This means that a player could win a game, but still have weaknesses that need to be worked on. On the other hand, if a player loses a Bo1 match, they may feel like they are starting from scratch, even if they played well in the game.
Another issue with Bo1 is that it doesn’t reflect the true skill of players. In LoL, every champion has its own unique abilities and playstyle. This means that a player who excels at one champion may not necessarily be good at another. In Bo1, players are forced to pick one champion each game and face off against their opponent’s choice. This can lead to some very unbalanced matches, where a player who is great at one champion may have no chance of winning against a player who is better suited to the other champion.
Best-of-Five (Bo5)
Mithy believes that Bo1 limits the potential for growth and development in esports by not allowing players to be tested on their ability to adapt to new situations or make split-second decisions under pressure. He also believes that it doesn’t reflect the true skill of players, as it forces them to play one champion each game and may lead to unbalanced matches.
There are already other systems in place that have been developed to address these issues. One such system is best-of-five (Bo5), which was introduced back in 2017. In Bo5, each team plays three games instead of one. This allows for more opportunities for players to showcase their skills and adapt to new situations. It also provides more data points to determine the true skill of a player, as it takes into account multiple games instead of just one.
Another system that has been developed is round-robin, which was used in the 2018 League of Legends World Championship. In this system, each team plays every other team in a set number of rounds. This ensures that every team gets to play against every other team and provides a more comprehensive view of their skills.
Mithy believes that Bo5 is the way forward for LoL esports. He says that it allows for more opportunities for players to showcase their skills and adapt to new situations. It also provides more data points to determine the true skill of a player, which is essential in a game like LoL where every champion has its own unique abilities and playstyle.
Round-Robin
Mithy believes that round-robin is another system that can reflect the true skill of players. In round-robin, each team plays every other team in a set number of rounds. This ensures that every team gets to play against every other team and provides a more comprehensive view of their skills. It also allows for more data points to determine the true skill of a player, as it takes into account multiple games against different opponents.
In conclusion, Bo1 is an outdated system that no longer reflects the true skill of players in LoL esports. Mithy believes that Bo5 and round-robin are the way forward, as they allow for more opportunities for players to showcase their skills and adapt to new situations. They also provide more data points to determine the true skill of a player. As LoL continues to evolve, it’s important to keep up with these changes and develop new systems that can reflect the true skill of players.