LCS format changes

LCS

From now on, all matches of the LCS Summer and Spring Split Group Stage will be played over 8 weeks. Each Saturday and Sunday 5 matches will be played in the group stage. Each first and last week of the split will be "superweeks" and in addition to the weekend, 5 matches will also be added on Friday. Matches are played on a Double Round Robin in Bo1 format.

A similar system is already in use at the LEC. It is worth recalling that earlier LCS used a Triple Round Robin in the Bo1 format. All matches took 9 weeks and were played from Friday to Sunday (5 games).

Spring Split results will no longer carry over to Summer Split as they did this season.

The Spring Split Playoffs will feature 6 teams to compete for the title of North America's Strongest Team and the right to represent LCS at MSI 2022. The Lower Bracket Final and Grand Final will be held at NRG Stadium in Houston with a live audience on April 23-24, 2022.

Teams will also have more time to rest as the organizers moved the start of the summer split after MSI one week further and added another week between the end of the summer split group stage and the LCS Championship playoffs.

Lock-In

The LCS Lock-In 2021 tournament was a huge success with the audience and the organizers decided to repeat its success and slightly improve it by the fact that all matches will be held in LAN format at the studio. 100 Thieves and Team Liquid, as finalists for the 2021 Summer Split, will draw the teams. 2 groups of 5 teams will play in a Single Round Robin in the Bo1 format and identify the top 8 teams that will converge in the Single Elimination bracket of the playoffs. The winner of the tournament will receive $ 150,000.

Proving Grounds

The Academic Playoffs have been canceled, with all 10 teams competing in the Proving Grounds, where the 10 LCS Academic squads and the top 10 amateur teams will compete for a massive prize pool.

For amateur teams, from now on, there will be 2 tournaments per split, according to the results of which they will be directly selected at the Proving Grounds. The point selection system has been abolished.

The Scouting Grounds tournament is canceled.

Matchmaking

Also, Riot Games will launch a separate matchmaking for professional players and everyone who aspires to become one. The Champions Queue will launch in 2022. More details and information on the requirements for players, the developers will provide in the next few months.