Champions Queue was meant to be the solution to North America’s competitive woes, but according to Golden Guardian’s support Kim “Olleh” Joo-sung, that hasn’t been the case.
In a recent stream, Olleh went over some of his issues with the current state of the high-skill private server known as Champions Queue. From player drop-off to inconsistencies in scheduling, the rank two player on Champions Queue seemed to have plenty to say about the current state of the ranked experience.
What problems does Olleh see in Champions Queue?
One of the key issues that Olleh articulated was a lack of a consistent player base both as the Champions Queue split progressed as well as once the split’s results began to be decided. This was made doubly complicated by support players getting the least number of games according to Olleh, compared to other roles. Support is a noticeably less popular role, as it relies on more intangible skills and doesn’t offer the power fantasy that more carry-focused roles.
As the split progresses, the possibility of prize money becomes less and less feasible for lower-ranked players. In Olleh’s eyes, this directly leads to less and less participation. He asks that other professional players commit to playing on the server on a daily basis until 1 AM, a substantial ask even for pro players. Olleh defends this by comparing it to solo queue schedules before the existence of the CQ system.
Doublelift defends Champions Queue
Previously co-laner with Olleh, Peng “Doublelift” Yilang, has come to Champions Queue’s defense in the past.
The marksman player had won the LCS with Olleh on Team Liquid, but he defended the private server environment as vital for North American development. Olleh believes that the practice environment of Champions Queue can’t get better until North American professionals commit to playing as regularly as they might do for solo queue.
