Cloud9 fail to qualify for Worlds for the first time in team’s history

For the first time ever, Cloud9 will miss the League of Legends World Championships after a devastating second half to the Summer Split that culminated in a 3-1 loss to TSM. This is the first time since the team’s inception that they will not be going to the international tournament.

In offseason 2019, it was revealed that Zachary “Sneaky” Scuderi would be leaving the team and replaced with Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen. Cloud9 fans were sceptical; Zven had not performed well on TSM and his game five performance against Team Liquid, where he was caught out in river, was still branded in fans’ minds. But the angriest people were those who were devoted to Sneaky, and lashed out on social media. 

Despite the backlash initially, Cloud9 dominated - and that word is not being used lightly here - the Spring Split; going 17-1 in the regular season. 

• Read more: Golden Guardians knocked out TSM in playoffs

Cloud9 have failed to make Worlds 2020 (Picture: lolesports) 

No other team even came close to that kind of record, and after a playoff run that continued to snowball, they won Spring Finals against FlyQuest for the first time in six years. 

However, with COVID-19 having prevented the LCS from continuing in studio, let alone any allowance for international travel, MSI was cancelled (usually reserved for the 1st place team from Spring) and Cloud9 were never able to exercise their prowess on the rift in front teams from other regions.

Summer Split had become more of a mixed bag. Though they went through the first half of the series 9-0, they began to steadily lose games in the second half of the split. 

At first it was thought as limit testing; they knew they could do well and were not experimenting with different picks or play-styles, but it became clear that it was more likely that other teams had either found Cloud9’s number and had learned how to counter it, or they had simply caught up in skill and were able to challenge better than before. 

Although Cloud9 secured 2nd place and the playoff bye, they lost to FlyQuest 3-1 and were thrown into the loser’s bracket. Though they 3-0 Evil Geniuses and sent them packing, it wasn’t enough and after the loss to TSM, their season is officially over.