Fans of Clutch, RNG react differently to elimination from Worlds 2019

October 19, 2019 marked a pivotal moment in League of Legends esports history as both Royal Never Give Up and Clutch Gaming saw their World Championship dreams end simultaneously. This represented a historic low for RNG as they failed to advance past groups for the first time in organization history, while simultaneously serving as the final competitive appearance for the Clutch Gaming brand identity.

The notorious “group of death” featuring SK Telecom T1, Fnatic, RNG, and Clutch Gaming delivered intense competition throughout the stage. The final qualification spot remained undecided until Fnatic secured victory in the last match of the day, claiming the final Knockout Stage position.

While Clutch entered as clear underdogs with minimal advancement expectations, RNG appeared positioned as legitimate championship contenders following three impressive initial performances. However, the concluding day of Group C competition completely reversed expectations as Fnatic unveiled innovative strategic approaches that propelled them forward.

The community response to these parallel eliminations couldn’t have been more polarized. One squad earned widespread admiration for their determined efforts and competitive spirit, while the other faced severe criticism for perceived underperformance and questionable roster decisions.

Clutch Gaming: A Cinderella story

Among all new LCS franchise entrants, Clutch Gaming demonstrated the most substantial competitive influence despite lacking prominent branding or celebrity endorsements. Their initial roster construction featured one established European competitor, a serviceable Korean import, and three domestic players initially overlooked by the broader community.

Clutch’s debut lineup established their competitive credentials by securing fourth position in the 2018 LCS Spring Split standings. Achieving this required overcoming Team SoloMid, igniting an unforeseen competitive rivalry that would persist throughout the following competitive year.

Preparing for the 2019 season, the organization implemented crucial adjustments including coaching staff changes and strategic acquisitions from Echo Fox’s player pool. The true Cinderella narrative emerged during the 2019 Summer Split when the team languished in ninth position amid acquisition rumors involving Dignitas, suggesting an anticlimactic conclusion for both players and brand identity.

The organizational transformation following the Dignitas acquisition proved immediate and profound. Fresh coaching leadership and ownership infused revitalized energy into a squad seemingly destined for failure. Clutch ascended the standings to claim fifth place, securing their playoff qualification. TSM once again stood as the competitive barrier, but Clutch demonstrated complete readiness to challenge North America’s most popular organization, defeating them once more and eliminating TSM from playoff contention.

Team Liquid strategically selected Clutch as their semifinal opponents, perceiving them as the more manageable matchup. Clutch refused to surrender easily, extending the three-time LCS champions to a decisive fifth game before ultimately finishing fourth in playoffs, earning their regional gauntlet position.

In the gauntlet finale, Clutch and TSM confronted each other for the final time. Clutch emerged victorious, denying TSM their World Championship qualification for the second consecutive year. Their European play-in stage performance proved dominant, securing main event qualification against considerable odds.

LoL Worlds Group of Death Challenge

Clutch’s Group C placement appeared inevitable given Liquid and Cloud9’s assignments to Groups D and A respectively. The distribution of remaining qualified teams virtually guaranteed Clutch’s assignment to the tournament’s most difficult group. This placement gained additional narrative significance through inclusion of SKT and Fnatic, two previous organizations of Heo “Huni” Seung-hoon that he had explicitly expressed desire to compete against.

Despite concluding the group stage without victories, Clutch forced opponents to exert maximum effort in every contest. Multiple instances saw them positioning competitors in precarious situations, demonstrating their capacity to challenge established international powerhouses.

The North American representatives departed the competition with pride in their accomplishments and satisfaction with their performance. Globally, the League community expressed overwhelming support for Clutch’s competitors, commending their perseverance throughout adversity. The organization’s trajectory from LCS ninth place to World Championship qualification within months represented one of esports’ most remarkable turnaround stories.

Clutch’s competitive journey concluded permanently as the cowboy-branded squad won’t reappear in 2020. Current roster stability remains uncertain, though organizational interests likely favor retaining core talents including Huni, Tanner “Damonte” Damonte, Sun “Cody Sun” Li-Yu and Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme. The primary uncertainty involves jungler Nam “Lira” Tae-yoo, who delivered underwhelming performances throughout the World Championship.

However, Dignitas might pursue alternative strategic directions, potentially initiating their LCS involvement with completely refreshed roster construction.

The Rise and Fall of RNG

While RNG may not possess the most extensive championship collection or impeccable competitive record, they command significant professional respect. Originating from China’s 16-team LPL region demanded extraordinary effort to maintain relevance and cultivate fan devotion. Following their disappointing World Championship conclusion, RNG risks substantial supporter attrition.

RNG entered the 2018 World Championship as projected champions following consecutive LPL title victories and their 2018 Mid-Season Invitational championship. They approached the golden road achievement threshold, nearing unprecedented competitive accomplishment.

The organization then faltered in quarterfinal advancement, suffering defeat against G2 Esports. Subsequently, Invictus Gaming secured China’s inaugural World Championship, preserving regional pride while fundamentally altering RNG’s organizational trajectory.

The World Championship consistently emerges as the competitive examination RNG appears destined to fail. This marked the initial instance of the organization failing to progress beyond group stages. Player dissatisfaction and fan frustration reached unprecedented levels following the elimination.

Fnatic Finally Gets Revenge on RNG at Worlds 2019

Group C’s final advancement scenario unfolded during the concluding Fnatic versus RNG match, recreating familiar high-pressure circumstances. RNG and Fnatic cultivated a distinctive international rivalry dynamic with RNG historically assuming the dominant role that consistently denied Fnatic advancement opportunities. This iteration witnessed Fnatic assuming the destructive position, shattering RNG’s championship aspirations with early elimination.

LEC supporters celebrated Fnatic’s triumph as they conquered their most formidable competitive obstacle. RNG competitors observed from their stations as opponents celebrated their conclusive, magnificent victory. From his position, Jian “Uzi” Zi-Hao watched tearfully, anticipating subsequent developments. The elimination’s dramatic nature potentially marked Uzi’s final international competitive appearance.

Uzi’s persistent back injury challenges have been publicly documented for considerable duration. The bot lane specialist took sabbatical in 2018 for recovery, returning precisely for World Championship competition. Managing community criticism alongside persistent health concerns may prove overwhelming for Uzi, whose professional career originated in 2012 when he was merely 15 years old.

No official confirmations exist currently. Uzi might possess additional competitive years remaining, though this potentially represents the conclusion for China’s most prominent competitive star.

Fortunately for Uzi, he doesn’t shoulder primary responsibility for elimination criticism. The community demands Li “Xiaohu” Yuan-Hao’s organizational departure. Supporters demand the player’s removal alongside coaching staff changes and formal apologies. Fan outrage has reached levels where some have declared intentions to withdraw organizational support entirely.

Historical precedent indicates this criticism will persist, particularly if the LCK reestablishes regional dominance. The LPL can potentially redeem Worlds 2019 with FunPlus Phoenix already securing Knockout Stage qualification and Invictus Gaming positioned for final day group advancement. While promising, these developments may prove insufficient for community satisfaction.

The group stage concludes October 20. Knockout Stage competition resumes October 26.

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