The Play-In stage for the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) in Vancouver 2025 is going to be quite the spectacle. G2 Esports, Bilibili Gaming, GAM Esports, and FURIA are competing for two spots in the Bracket Stage. Players can expect the competition to be much fiercer because of the fearless draft for the latest patch 25.13. Even if there are plenty of well-known guys, the lesser-known are hungry to prove their worth. My Lead Games dives into the key narratives shaping this exciting chapter.
G2 Esports: Thriving Under Pressure
G2 Esports is a force to be reckoned with in LoL. Though G2 lost in the 2025 LEC Winter Finals to Karmine Corp and the Spring Finals to Movistar KOI, their global clout remained intact. The squad, like the Eastern teams, tends to rise to the occasion when there is a crowd watching.
Patch 25.13 puts a digital thumb on the scale in favour of G2. This environment is great for their creativity, as a single clever play can win the entire series. G2 may have the biggest roster shake-up this year, but it won’t shortcut them to success, especially with players like Rasmus Caps Borregaard Winther, who can always revive a forgotten midlane champion and Rudy Skewmond Semaan, who can hold an early lead in the jungle. Skewmond and Labros Labrov Papoutsakis may add flair to the roster but don’t always consistently perform great. Meanwhile, Caps and Sergen BrokenBlade Çelik will have tougher competition in the DACH region domestically than before. Even so, G2’s malleability and spirit to try new things make them a threat in the Fearless Draft.
Bilibili Gaming: Searching for Consistency
BLG Is In Vancouver But Questions Remain About The Team’s Talent And Future Loss of jungler Peng Xun Li-Xun has created holes in their once-powerful lineup. The BLG team is supported by solid bot lane stars, Chen Bin Ze-Bin and Zhuo Knight Ding. The team struggled with drafts and macro play stiffness in LPL season.
Last year, BLG almost won an international title, but being trophyless in each tournament is affecting their momentum. The Play-In stage is a place to reset for a Bracket Stage spot, but no rest for the wicked. The duel between jungler Yang Beichuan Ling and Đỗ Levi Duy Khánh is set to unfold with their match against GAM Esports. They need to find their footing in order to pass the jungle execution test in 25.13.
GAM Esports: The Upset Specialists
GAM Esports, the LCP second seed of Vietnam, has a penchant for sucking the most out of its opponents. GAM’s stable roster offers stable climate after a heavy playoffs workout against CTBC Flying Oysters. The fact that they have a history of pulling surprises on Western teams makes them a dark horse no one should take lightly.
GAM’s natural gameplay and draft strategy are similar in approach to Patch 25.13. Any bracket should be on guard for powerhouse teams known for playing bold strategies and exploiting opponents’ errors. GAM has a history of proving naysayers wrong and they will look to do so once again in 2024.
FURIA: Brazil’s Bold Contenders
Furia is the new South region LTA and enters the Play-In as an underdog. With Brazil and Latin America performing well at recent international events, FURIA has the burden of proving their region’s worth. Players such as Guilherme Guigo Araújo Ruiz, who plays aggressively in the top-lane, Pedro Tatu Seixas in jungle and Arthur Tutsz Peixoto Machado, who plays reliable midlane mages make this team a well-rounded early skirmish set.
Patch 25.13 scales up compositions that could be hard for FURIA’s playstyle which likes to play fast. But they could throw slower teams off by dictating the tempo with explosive plays, like Tutsz’s mages or Guigo’s pressure. If FURIA pulls ahead early, maybe they can turn the LTA South on its head and surprise everyone.
Catch the Action Live
The MSI 2025 Play-In stage will be filled with intense fights, and low seeds upsetting high seeds. Be sure to catch the show on June 27, 2025, at 8:00 PM BST through popular streaming platforms or the LoL Esports website. This stage may change the course of the tournament with fearless drafts and hungry teams.
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