FLY Bwipo on the level of the LEC: "They’re relying too much on their star power, and their star power is not quite what it used to be"
A player with vast experience in the two biggest professional leagues in western League of Legends, Flyquest's Bwipo understands better than anyone what it means to play in the LEC and the LCS.
In an exclusive interview with Strafe Esports, Bwipo got to voice his thoughts on the current level of the LEC in comparison to the LCS.
LEC individual skill declining
The LCS has a long history of importing players from the LEC and lower European leagues to come play in North America. This has largely been due to the perception that players in Europe are generally mechanically superior. Bwipo, however, feels like that gap is beginning to close.
"I think that kinda individual player skill always shone through when it comes to LCS vs LEC, I think that the players were always stronger individually, which is why a lot of them get imported to NA and not the other way around. But that has diminished, from what I can tell. And not only that, they still rely on it."
Flyquest's Bwipo and Inspired both originally hail form the LEC. (Credit: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games)Likewise, Bwipo finds too many flaws in the LEC's macro gameplay.
"I don’t feel like their macro is really tight and really solid macro. I think G2 tried to keep it at that standard for a long time but they weren’t able to. I feel like maybe the rest of the region weighed them down, I don’t know.
But yeah, they’re just not like that Gen.G level of type macro gameplay, if you know what I mean. There’s no holes. You have to take a fight they agree to take to beat them or you have to find a really big lead somewhere that is not supposed to happen.
I don’t feel that way with the best teams in the LEC. You know, I feel like you can definitely make picks. There’s some holes in the gameplay from what I can tell. I haven’t watched in depth, but basically, that’s the feeling I get, you know?"
When asked whether he agreed with Eain "APA" Stearns' recent comments on the LCS playing superior League of Legends to the LEC, Bwipo did not hesitate.
"First and foremost, I agree with him."
Ultimately, it appears the LEC might be relying too much on a level of individual skill that is simply not there anymore, while their macro is not good enough to compensate.
"They’re relying too much on their star power, and their star power is not quite what it used to be. But obviously I’m biased; I used to be one of those guys. It’s just a feeling I get watching."
Bwipo's words provide interesting insights into the growing discussion surrounding the levels of the LEC and the LCS.
The Belgian top laner started his journey in the LEC back in 2018, when he signed up to play for Fnatic. After several successful years in Europe, Bwipo made the swap over to North America in the late stages of 2021 to be Team Liquid's top laner in the LCS, where he still competes to this day, now under the Flyquest banner.
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Image source: Colin Young-Wolff/Riot Games
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