Team preview ahead of Worlds 2023: Flying Oysters and Whales of Vietnam. Regional duos PCS and VCS as unknown opponents

Our last preview is dedicated to the regional duos PCS and VCS, which may be on the fringe. Still, they could be a nice addition to the tournament.

Oysters will try to make up for a lackluster performance last year

The Flying Oysters, or CTBC Flying Oysters, are the traditional regional number two in the PCS behind the dominant PSG Talon. This team is no newcomer to the Worlds either, where they have made several appearances.

While the Oysters’ last appearance at Worlds made it to the elite stage of the tournament, the team won virtually nothing there and was more of a harmless sparring match for the favorites. This year, however, things could change, especially with a more viable draw.

Still, the entry into the tournament will be very important for this team. Given the draw, where we have the winner of WQS (BDS), we can expect the battle for second place and a chance to fight for promotion to be very fierce.

The team can definitely be helped by the experience from previous Worlds and the knowledge that PCS is still a better league than, say, LJL. It is the clash with the Japanese champions that can tell a lot about the current strength. With teams like the Flying Oysters, it’s hard to predict what direction a team will take.

With the change in tournament format, the battle for regional prestige and maintaining their position as a regional top five team will also be important. After all, PCS has been falling into mediocrity lately and any setback in the play-in phase could be fatal.

Vietnam’s future with the Worlds premiere

Team Whales will be playing on the world stage for the first time, unlike the Taiwanese duo. A team made up of young talent and the future blood of the Vietnamese league spiced up with experienced players will certainly not have high ambitions. Still, the team can make a decent run and help improve Vietnam’s image.

On paper, we can see familiar names like BeanJ or Artemis who already have experience on the international stage. However, experts view the team with slight skepticism and don’t think the team will get any significant result.

For the Whales, it will primarily be about experience and maintaining the regional prestige of the VCS. However, nowhere is it written that a possible surprise could be born. The unknown opponent has a lot of cards to play.

But the first match for the newcomer of the tournament is very difficult. The WQS (European BDS) winners will be in their way and it will not be an easy affair. But the duel could be an opportunity to fine-tune the game plan and fight for second place. The chances are much higher there after all.

Source: Leaguepedia