Worlds 2023 first-timers and rookies to watch

Every fan of competitive League of Legends likely has their alarms and notifications set because the most essential part of the season is ahead of us. The 2023 World Championship is scheduled to begin on Oct. 10 (a day earlier if you count the Worlds Qualification Series), and we couldn’t be more excited. 

The tournament is known for bringing us exciting storylines each year. Favorites can dominate or disappoint early, whereas dark horses may pull off an ace or two out of their sleeves and make a deep run. Renowned pros can prove themselves, while fresh faces can carve their name in the history books on the biggest stage. 

When it comes to new pros, Worlds is known for allowing some of them to shine bright like a diamond each year. If they’re brave enough and can withstand pressure, they’ll write history, and all of the spotlights will be on them. If not, they will have to work for their chance at redemption the following year.

Worlds 2023 is no different. This edition is filled with first-timers and rookies worth your attention, and if you don’t know where to look, don’t worry. We’ve got you covered. Here are five players you need to watch this year.

Fnatic’s Noah

Everyone who has followed LEC this year knows how much of a disaster Fnatic were in the first half of the year. Failing to make the Winter Groups and Spring Playoffs must’ve been hurtful, but it turned out to be a perfect wake-up call as well. Before Summer, the team brought in Trymbi and LEC rookie Noah, and the latter shook up Europe. 

The Korean AD carry finished the 2023 LEC Summer Season with a stellar KDA of 22.2, the highest among all players in that stage. It’s a humongous lead over the rest of the competition. Second-placed Trymbi had 6.8 KDA, while third-placed Hans Sama and Mikyx finished with 6.5 scores.

Noah hasn’t been flawless. In fact, he has fallen off a bit under pressure in the following stages of the European competition, and at Worlds, he’ll face challenges like never before. Still, with his vast champion pool (eight different champs since his LEC debut) and proper guidance from veterans like Trymbi and Humanoid, Noah has the potential to pop off. Once he does, he’s surely bringing some fireworks.

Gen.G’s Peyz

Before the 2023 season started, one of the loudest roster changes in the East was Gen.G’s swap of Ruler for Peyz. Worlds 2022 semifinalists and 2022 LCK Summer champions opted for a rookie rather than spend some money on a well-known individual. That itself comes with pressure.

However, saying Peyz has handled the pressure well is almost an understatement. 

In their championship run at the 2023 LCK Summer Playoffs, Peyz has been the fourth-best player in terms of KDA (second-best ADC) with a score of 7.2. In the 2023 LCK Summer Split, he scored not one, not two, but three pentakills. His stellar performances earned him the LCK Rookie of the Year award, LCK Finals MVP of Spring 2023, and places in second and third All-Pro Teams in Summer and Spring, respectively. In a true Gen.G fashion, Peyz has been winning trophies left and right, and he might add the cherry on top at Worlds 2023–if he maintains his jaw-dropping performance level.

LNG Esports’ Hang

Out of all the four main regions, LPL is often the most surprising due to its unique format and the fact that not many people from Western audiences follow it. For comparison, the 2023 LCK Summer Split peaked at 1,528,729 million viewers, while the 2023 LPL Summer Split did so at 288,463, but there is no data from Chinese streaming platforms, according to Esports Charts. Either way, LPL’s representatives always make a dragon’s entrance at Worlds, and if we had to bet on the biggest rookie to watch from that region, that would be Hang. 

Hang joined LNG Esports after an unsuccessful stint with FPX last year. Under LNG’s banner, though, he began showing his true colors. 

In the summer, Hang has been often put on aggressive, engage supports, like Nautilus, Rakan, Leona, and Rell. In LNG’s games, it’s often Hang who finds a lost enemy and engages toward them. During the team’s victory against Bilibili Gaming at the 2023 LPL Regional Finals, Hang often started fights, earning himself 34 assists in the meantime. If Hang maintains his confident approach, he might remind everyone why Chinese teams have been known for their aggressive playstyles–and why they have been so successful.

G2 Esports’ Yike

With three domestic trophies, G2 Esports are once again Europe’s front-runners. Their success is mostly a team effort, but you can’t forget about the impact of their rookie, Yike.

When you look at G2’s stats during their championship runs this year, they are topping each position in terms of KDA, so there’s no point highlighting Yike’s solid individual results. But when you take a glimpse at G2’s playstyle, you’ll quickly realize how diverse, well-communicated, and aggressive they are. In this well-oiled machine, Yike is the main engine.

The French jungler almost always finds himself right where he needs to be. Now, he’s arrived at Worlds. History shows teams who rely on strong early game and polished macro can often be easily read by opponents. But Yike and G2 have already been baptized at Mid-Season Invitational 2023, earning international stage experience, and they have a clean slate (and I have tons of Copium). 

Team Liquid’s APA

Last but not least, we have three teams coming to South Korea all the way through the Pacific Ocean. All three of them may cause a lot of trouble, but the one we find particularly interesting is Team Liquid. Similarly to Fnatic, Liquid turned their season around, and a key aspect of this change in tides was APA.

The 21-year-old mid laner replaced Haeri on July 5, when Liquid were 5-4 in the 2023 LCS Summer Split. Since then, they have never dropped below fourth place and completed a lower-bracket run to book their spots at Worlds 2023. 

APA was certainly a breath of fresh air for Liquid and became the main contributor to their victories. In the regular season, he boasted four Player of the Game awards in five victories despite missing out on half of the season. When APA is playing well, Liquid are doing so as well. All North American fans should put their faith in the 21-year-old, for he might be our savior on the Worlds stage.