TL;DR
- G2 transformed from regional contenders to world-class team by signing Caps from rivals Fnatic
- Perkz demonstrated exceptional leadership by transitioning to bot lane for team success
- The roster change immediately produced dominant LEC and Worlds performances
- Strategic role swaps require careful synergy building and personal sacrifice
- This move established new standards for roster construction in professional esports
As the 2019 League of Legends World Championship approaches its climax in Paris, G2 Esports prepares for their ultimate challenge against Fun Plus Phoenix. This historic appearance wouldn’t materialize without Luka “Perkz” Perković’s unprecedented decision to relinquish his mid lane position for Rasmus “Caps” Winther.
While currently recognized as Europe’s premier League of Legends organization, G2’s journey to the top involved overcoming significant competitive barriers. Despite maintaining consistent regional performance, the team lacked the final component needed for international dominance. Their 2018 campaign saw them advance from Europe’s third seed position to the Worlds semifinals, where they fell to the eventual champions, Invictus Gaming.
Throughout this period, Fnatic consistently outperformed G2 in regional competitions, reaching the World Championship finals before their defeat by Invictus Gaming. Caps emerged as the cornerstone of Fnatic’s achievements, with G2 management fully recognizing his exceptional mechanical skills and game sense.
Strategic Acquisition: How G2 Secured Their Missing Piece
Following their near-miss at the 2018 championship, G2 leadership committed to aggressive roster improvements for their 2019 Worlds campaign. Their analysis identified the mid lane position as the critical upgrade area, specifically targeting the player nicknamed “baby Faker” – the very competitor who consistently challenged Perkz for regional supremacy. The solution became clear: they needed Caps.
Securing Caps required extraordinary organizational flexibility, particularly from Perkz, who had established himself as G2’s most reliable performer. Despite the personal challenge of leaving his established role, Perkz embraced the bot lane carry position for the 2019 season, while Caps assumed control of the mid lane.
“He represented my primary competition, the opponent I measured myself against,” Perkz explained. “However, collective achievement ultimately outweighs individual recognition.”
Common mistake: Many teams attempt role swaps without adequate preparation time. Professional players typically need 2-3 months to develop proficiency in new positions, while G2 allocated their entire preseason to this transition.
The revised lineup demonstrated immediate competitive success. G2 entered the World Championship as the top seed from the 2019 LEC season, with both Caps and Perkz delivering standout performances. They consistently secured advantages in creep score, gold accumulation, and experience gains throughout their lane phases during the tournament.
During the group stage, the team suffered only one defeat. The knockout phase saw them overcome even the legendary SK Telecom T1 in the semifinals. Relocating their star player, transferring his central role to potentially the region’s superior talent, and cultivating synergistic cooperation between both players represented the crucial evolution that propelled G2 to the championship match.
This represented a substantial organizational gamble that yielded significant returns. Whether this strategic maneuver culminates in a world championship victory will be determined when G2 confronts Fun Plus Phoenix for the title.
Advanced optimization: Successful role transitions require developing complementary champion pools. Perkz focused on marksmen that could create cross-map pressure while Caps maintained lane dominance, creating a dual-threat system that confused opponents. Teams considering similar moves should analyze our Class Guide for similar strategic frameworks.
The Caps acquisition established new paradigms for roster construction in professional League of Legends. Organizations now recognize that strategic talent acquisition sometimes requires existing players to embrace unconventional roles, much like understanding different Complete Guide approaches in other competitive titles. This case study demonstrates how prioritizing team composition over individual stardom can transform competitive trajectories.
Action Checklist
- Evaluate team weaknesses through comprehensive performance analysis of recent tournaments
- Identify key acquisition targets that address specific competitive gaps
- Assess current player flexibility and willingness to transition roles
- Develop structured transition plan with adequate practice time allocation
- Implement complementary champion pool development for new role configurations
No reproduction without permission：Game Guides Online » How Perkz giving his lane to Caps took G2 to 2019 Worlds finals How Perkz's strategic role swap with Caps transformed G2 Esports into a championship contender