How the LCS OCE Players Have Contributed to the Region

Ever since the dissolution of the Oceanic Pro League, North American League of Legends has changed drastically to the benefit of the region. The LCS OCE players have shown great improvement during their time as regular players in the region. Despite losing their home region, it just seems that the former Oceanic pros have found a better place where their skills and abilities are not only developed but also compensated quite handsomely compared to other regions.

History of LCS OCE Players in the Region

Among all of the wildcard regions, the LCS organizations have favored signing players from the OCE region because of the quality of talent and also the value that they get from native English speakers. Communication is a key part in team play so having people that are fluent in speaking the language provide so much value. The region has always had OCE players in the region whether it’s on their regular rosters or in Academy teams being developed for the future.

OCE players have always found a home in the LCS but it was Panda that was first included in the main roster but he didn’t get to play too many games. FBI was the first real Oceanic player that found a home as a starting player when he played with Golden Guardians. As of today, a lot of the LCS’ star players come from the OCE with some of them being at the top of their role. LCS OCE players continue to show their value by proving that they deserve the status of major region players.

The Benefit of OCE Players in the LCS

The OCE players are always hungry for opportunity. Even though they didn’t receive the highest quality of coaching and organization in their home region, the players and staff always tried to develop their talents for the chance of being picked by the top teams even in other regions like NA. This mentality doesn’t seem to die out even though they managed to achieve part of their goal which is to make it into a Major Region team as a starter in the main roster.

The popularity of LCS OCE players doubled when Riot Games announced that these players will no longer be taking an import slot in rosters. It has allowed teams to free up space for more foreign talents while retaining the core of their teams. Since Koreans and Europeans are prioritized in the import slot, it was very hard for OCE players to take a spot with the import restriction. Today, most teams have at least 1 or more OCE players in the starting position.

The Top LCS OCE Players in 2021

Now that we understand the value of OCE players in the region, let’s talk about the Top 3 best LCS OCE players that have given the region so much to be proud about. From the regular season to their appearances in the Mid-Season Invitationals 2021, there are certain players in the region that are definitely so valuable that we’re sure the teams will keep them even if Riot Games decides to retract the rule stating that OCE players are regulars in the LCS.

1. FBI

FBI is arguably the best AD Carry in the LCS right now with a consistent performance throughout the Spring and Summer Splits. Even though TSM managed to out them during the Mid-Season Showdown, FBI remains as the best ADC in the league. FBI started his career in the OPL but slowly became relevant enough that he managed to secure a spot as a member of the Golden Guardian’s 2019 roster and slowly worked towards earning a starting position.

Even before his partnership with Huhi in the bottom lane, LCS fans knew that FBI was a rising talent in the bottom lane for the LCS. He finally became noticed as a powerhouse ADC when the 2020 Golden Guardians found the winning formula that allowed them to climb up the ranks thanks to the synergy that the team had all throughout the map. FBI has yet to win the LCS but we’ve got a feeling that this man is really close to achieving that goal whether it’s this season or the next.

2. Fudge

When Cloud9 decided to undergo a full rebuild when they released Licorice and Nisqy from the roster, fans were extremely skeptic about the idea of Fudge replacing one of the most consistent members of the team. At the beginning of the season, the fans looked like their fears were right but Fudge quickly adjusted and showcase his ability as carry-style top laner that would pick aggressive champions and demand jungle attention to secure early leads.

Fudge is also the first LCS OCE player to have won a Regular Split. Alongside Cloud9, he proves that he isn’t only a filler member for the roster but an actual contributor to the organization’s success in the past season. Fudge is definitely here to stay in Cloud9 since he has shown that he is capable of adjusting to the meta to benefit his team in clutch situations. He was also able to hold his own during MSI 2021 when matched against higher-level Top Laners internationally.

3. Ryoma

Ryoma may have been demoted to the Academy league in favor of 100T’s new mid laner – Abbedagge – but this man has been one of the better mid laners in the LCS. He has been an essential part in the earlier iterations of 100Thieves being one of the most consistent mid laners in the region that wasn’t too ambitious in his plays but managed to make it flashy for the fans.

The 100Thieves Academy has one of the best mid laners in the League but we think that this is no place to hold a king. Maybe Ryoma will be able to explore his options in the following split and decide to play as a starting mid laner in another team. When it comes to OCE players, Ryoma is probably one of the more popular names in the league and even the most casual fans will know that he belongs to the OCE.