The Snakes finished first in the group with undefeated wins in ten games.
Going down in order are T1, G2 and C9.
These four teams advanced to the semi-finals, and TLN and KBM went home hand in hand.
The results of the group stage were as predicted by most viewers. There was no big upset. The main reason was that the wild card and PCS divisions this season really didn’t have that much strength.
Even if C9 is the last team, if they play seriously, they will be able to beat these two players with ease.
In 2019, Shi Yizhong not only broke the confinement of the LCS and left the S championship there, but also rooted himself in this once taboo place.
“Technical Poverty Alleviation”.
In other words, it is “e-sports culture exported to the outside world”.
Li Hao has accomplished these two points very successfully, which is one of the reasons why he has such great influence around the world.
After Li Hao left the LCS, the team there was not stupid. They tried their best to absorb the experience and lessons learned from last season.
Professional analysts study it and implement the results in their respective teams.
In LCS, the overall game is more organized than before.
Why can C9 stand out from the LCS?
In 2019, they began to take advantage of TSM's bonuses and imitate Li Hao's playing style.
Anyone can learn a little bit about it, but it will be of great help to the LCS because they have so much room for improvement.
As for the currently eliminated PCS and Selecao, they still have a long way to go.
After the group stage, officials added specific teams to the next stage of the schedule.
The Snakes are first in the group, so their opponent is naturally their choice.
From the top three, Snake chose C9.
There is basically no suspense in this set of duels.
There is definitely a big battle between G2 and T1, because they have been entangled in the group stage, and neither one can easily defeat the other.
Facing Li Hao, Ah P felt uncomfortable if he didn't give up a few heads.
But when I saw Faker and T1, not only Ah P, but everyone in G2 was excited.
Immediately after the group stage ended, Li Hao, whose performance was eye-catching, was invited to the joint interview booth.
This is almost an interview event specially customized for him by MSI.
When playing group matches, the scene needs to be arranged one after another. The players basically leave after playing. The occasional interviews are also very short, which cannot satisfy the enthusiastic media people from various competition areas.
Different from the regular season, MSI is a global exchange, and the global league media are basically in place.
Interviewing Li Hao has always been something they desperately wanted to do.
As the number one person in the e-sports world, because of his personal achievements, his astonishing performance, his many famous memes, his admirable professional attitude, his fig-leaf appearance, etc., many perfect factors have come together to create the league of e-sports. The circle has long been unable to trap him.
His popularity is definitely at the level of a top superstar.
In South Korea, Faker is now nominated as a national treasure, and his influence rivals that of top singers and Oscar-winning directors.
As for Li Hao, who completely suppresses Faker, his influence at this time has no problem with becoming a world superstar.
When some domestic celebrities are doing programs, they often point out Li Hao on certain occasions. With a wave of traffic, people in the entertainment industry have already tacitly acknowledged that this person in the e-sports world has greater energy than them.
A simple example.
In 2020, tens of thousands of fans came to China from all over the world to watch Li Hao's eSports. Many of them gave up because they couldn't buy live tickets.
This is a quite terrifying number. Putting everyone together, it is enough to fill a large football stadium. Only during the World Cup can there be such a large flow of cross-border spectators.
Not to mention, most fans come just to see him.
How many people in China can do this?
It’s hard to imagine that such an incredible existence would appear in the e-sports field.
At this moment, the joint interview and live broadcast room of all major competition regions reflects the tip of the iceberg very well.
When Bobby, the manager of the LPL region, came to the interview room, he personally helped Li Hao organize the microphone and placed several sponsor products that had been advertised at high prices.
The logo wall behind is also dazzling.
This is definitely a world-wide real-time broadcast event, not only in the five major competition areas, but also in many wild card team countries.
For example, Brazilian e-sports, they got the news early and took it very seriously.
In addition to the Brazilian reporters dispatched to the scene, the country's ESPs Brasil, Versus, which specializes in the field of e-sports, the local e-sports platform MaisEsports, the largest e-sports media The Enemy, and even Globo Esporte, one of Brazil's largest sports media, also started e-sports.
Competition column.
This country that loves sports very much has now focused its love for e-sports on Shi Yizhong.
In addition, KBM's dialogue with the number one player in e-sports and the collision with the dynasty team are even more important exaggeration factors. Together, these things can stimulate the passion for competitive events in the Samba people's genes.
Therefore, when the broadcast is about to begin, a lot of data has already been connected to the main platform, and the number of online viewers remains high.
Maybe other wild card regions are not as grand as Brazil, and they are not as experienced and professional as the five major regions, but they still participate in their own way.
In the online live broadcast of Little Days e-sports next door, the commentators and commentators felt sorry for DFM, while facing Li Hao's photo on the big screen, they told the e-sports fans on the island in a rather middle-class tone.
Bit of power.
After all, the most powerful and dangerous crab on their island is, at best, just a crab feast on the dining table in front of this number one person.
The Snakes' ten-game winning streak as a group is not enough to attract this championship-level interview.
In the past few days, Li Hao's methods of breaking records have been too violent.
This time, the world's major e-sports media gathered together to study whether Shi Yizhong is a silicon-based creature.
In Gangzi's live broadcast room, he moved his dog son away from the camera and looked at the broadcast interface. Many people were asking questions in the barrage.
For example, who is the foreigner wearing a crisp suit and standing next to Li Hao talking?
The audience originally wanted to make things difficult for Gangzi, but they didn't expect that they actually knew him.
"That's the regional manager of LCS."
"As we said last time in the North American Division, this person came here specifically to visit Brother Hao. After all, the LCS was a stagnant water and Brother Hao was reviving it. This time, taking advantage of MSI's record, I just happened to come over to say hello."
Gangzi said proudly: "This row of noodles belongs to me, Brother Hao."
"How would you evaluate the current interview scene?"
After Flower Pot Man read this barrage, he thought about it for a second:
"Brothers, that's all I can say."
"In 2016, when we were not favored by most people, we went all the way to the Staples Center to win the championship. The intensity of interviews at that time was definitely not as intense as it is now."
"And everyone needs to be clear about it."
"Although this joint interview was carried out after the game, it covered almost all major e-sports media in the league. It is an absolute special invitation program before the semi-finals and is the first of its kind. Tonight, Brother Hao's voice can be heard by tens of millions
In the player’s ears.”
"Would you be very excited when you think about it?"
The flowerpot man combined himself and spoke in a eloquent and emotional way, and then sighed:
"The big scene is completely understandable. Brother Hao's record in the group stage is too scary. This is the season after he won four consecutive championships and won all the dynasty honors! Think about it, a very ordinary person who likes the league very much
The audience must be very interested at this time."
"Imagine it, if the person sitting in the interview seat at this time was the flower pot man, how would you behave?"
Gangzi said "Huh?"
He waved his hands continuously: "It's really no good. I'm probably trembling when I speak. I definitely can't handle this situation."
Gangzi laughed:
"I still remember that in 2016, when the guys from the Old Snake Team were being interviewed, only Brother Hao was very calm. Facing the interview was like eating and drinking. The rest of us were all nervous to death."
"Especially before going on stage, the noise in the scene can scare you to death."
"Don't look at this bitch Flandre's boldness. In fact, he is just a tough talker. In fact, he is a coward, not as good as Gangzi."
"If it were me, sitting in Brother Hao's seat now, my legs would probably be shaking, but I could barely speak. If it were Flandre, he would wet his underwear."
There was a burst of laughter from the live broadcast room, and Gangzi was excited.
The water friends listened to his bragging, and their attention was quickly attracted by the scene of the interview.
After the staff member with the LPL division logo closed the door of the interview room, Manager Bobby finished communicating with Li Hao and announced the start of the interview.
Reporter representatives from each competition area will have the opportunity to ask questions.
There were seventy or eighty people sitting at the scene. Reporters, cameramen, photographers, audio engineers, etc. were all in place, and the flashes kept coming.
This is Li Hao's first official interview after setting a violent record.
The first is the host LPL reporter.
Li Hao also knows this person, he is Xiao Dou from the LPL official side, and he was assigned to the LCS for a period of time before.
As soon as he came up, the 30-year-old young man first repeated Li Hao's brilliant record in this MSI, praised him a lot, and then quickly got back to the topic:
"TheKing, what are your plans for the next semi-finals and finals?"
He said a lot, and Li Hao smiled, spoke concisely, and only answered two words: "Champion."
Li Hao said it very calmly, but everyone felt inexplicably domineering.
seem...
That was not a plan, but an oath that the championship was already his.
Especially the LPL players were extremely excited when they saw this scene.
Reporter Xiao Dou is very satisfied, these two words are enough.
He said two words of blessing and handed it to the next interviewer.
Under Shi Yizhong's strong posture, the most panicked people were naturally the Korean representatives.
A majestic and towering mountain is right in front of you, blocking the LCK.
During the broadcast, Kensi from South Korea stood up. He is a reporter who has studied e-sports in South Korea for a long time. He once worked for Fomos and other media, and later specialized in LCK events.
He raised the microphone and did not mention the fact that Duiwan was ahead of T1. Instead, he asked Li Hao:
"TheKing, I would like to know, from your current perspective, how do you view the LCK at this time?"
"In the 2020 season, what is the level of South Korea's Spring Split in your eyes?"
Li Hao thought for two seconds and said to him concisely and truly:
"LCK is constantly changing, adapting to one version after another, and is at the forefront of version understanding. This is no worse than other regions, but it gives me the feeling that it is not at its most dynamic time. The same is true for this year's Spring Split.
"
"I have played for many seasons and know the LCK very well. In the past, the top LCK teams could cause me more trouble."
Because it was a joint interview, and considering that it was Faker who was leading the team this time, Li Hao was very considerate to the other party at the door of China's home, and he kept clicking until the end.
The implication is obvious: the current LCK team is quite good, and there is no pressure to play.
Kensi's head turned quickly, so he naturally understood.
He felt disappointed in his heart and asked again: "The LCK has also witnessed a youth storm. The energetic young players burst out with fighting power, but they still lost to you. TheKing, do you have anything to say to these young players?
"
Kensi's attitude surprised Li Hao.
Because in the past, when Korean reporters interviewed him, they would always find fault and say some very mean things.
But this person today is much more normal than the previous group of people.
Even the audience can feel that Korean reporters have inexplicable respect for Shi Yizhong.
It seemed that he was really convinced.
After the old stick guys gave in, it was really refreshing and sad.
As media professionals, Kensi and the two surrounding Korean representatives are extremely sensitive to public opinion in their country.
At this time, if they continue to pick on Shi Yizhong and cause confrontation, they will most likely suffer setbacks in the country.
Because the trend of LCK has changed.
It was like when Li Hao shouted the word "champion", Kensi didn't even bother to refute.
T1 was crushed in two games in the group stage, and Shi Yizhong was so terrifying, the LCK could only long for a miracle.
In the camera, Li Hao responded:
"I'm impressed by the young players, but they are relatively immature and need more training. It's not just the LCK, it's the same for any competition. If you want to achieve success, you have to put in energy and train hard. Young players need to work hard and make themselves better."
Become more professional.”
"Focus on your career, and a new youth storm will arise in the future."
"As I have always said, the future belongs to the players of the golden age. This is not empty talk."
Kensi heard the elegant meaning and showed a melancholy smile.
What Shi Yizhong said is still "the future".
He is firmly in control of the present.
Kensi wanted to continue asking, but time was limited and the microphone had already been in Jacob Wolf's hands.
Jacob Wolf is a well-known e-sports reporter in North America. He once served as an e-sports column reporter for ESPs and other media, and later joined the LCS.
2019 was Wolff's most active period. He interviewed Li Hao many times, visited the TSM base and took photos with Li Hao.
The two looked at each other, smiled, and greeted each other tacitly.
"TheKing, before MSI started, have you ever thought about setting an economic record of leading the game by 10,000 consecutive games?"
"This is an extremely crazy thing. Even Faker can't stop you. I feel that you have once again proved the lack of imagination of the e-sports audience."
Li Hao smiled and responded calmly:
"When records come in once or twice, my teammates will encourage me to continue."
"In the following games, they gave a lot of money and helped me together. I couldn't have imagined this record myself before the game, because it was the imagination of our entire Snake team."
"As for Faker, he didn't stop me."
"If he wants to stop it, he will definitely choose a more stable hero."
"However, I appreciate Faker's suddenly tough style. If we meet in the next game, I hope he and T1 can keep it up."
Many people in the room laughed.
Shi Yizhong's elegance, confidence and humor in the interview with the entire league world made everyone's eyes shine.
Some passers-by who didn’t know much about the league’s e-sports accidentally saw this scene and were shocked.
Now they partly understand why this young man can go crazy and get out of the circle.
It is very difficult to achieve this kind of magnanimity and on-the-spot reaction.
…
In the European studio, LEC peak Haochui Coster grinned and said:
"This is The King!"
"He is a domineering and cold killing machine, and also an elegant e-sports prince. Thank you for everything he has brought to the e-sports world."
"In the Magic City Finals, I will definitely appreciate his grace at the scene."
…
…
PS: Good night book friends, we will update on time before 23:59 tomorrow night.
