This Week in Esports [September 7th through September 13th]

With the World Championship groups decided, we're back with another edition of This Week in eSports!

[Warning: This post contains event spoilers!]

Continue reading to see who will be playing who during the 2015 World Championship group stages, a look at the Worlds Pick'em & prizes, and more!

2015 World Championship - Groups decided

This weekend played host to the 2015 World Championship Group Draw show. As the name implies, this was a live broadcast to decide which groups each of the sixteen qualified teams will compete in during the group stage of the upcoming tournament. Rules and structure for the Group Draw can be found here.

Following the live draw, here are the results:

Group A:

• CLG (NA)
• Flash Wolves (LMS)
• KOO Tigers (LCK)
• paiN Gaming (IWC)

Group B:

• FNATIC (EU)
• Invictus Gaming (LPL)
• ahq e-sports club (LMS)
• C9 (NA)

Group C:

• SKT T1 (LCK)
• H2K (EU)
• Edward Gaming (LPL)
• Bangkok Titans (IWC)

Group D:

• LGD  Gaming (LPL)
• KT Rolster (LCK)
• TSM (NA)
• Origen (EU)

More information on the sixteen WC teams can be found here.

A VOD of the Group Draw show, including discussion on the outcome, can be found here:

Be sure to tune into a special edition of PTL on September 30th, followed by the start of the group stages on OCTOBER 1st. A full match schedule for will be made available on September 18th. An overview of the 2015 World Championship tournament can be found on the lolesports hub.

2015 World Championship - WORLDS PICK'EM

Following the group draw show, the WORLDS PICK'EM has started!

WORLDS PICK'EM is a "two-part challenge in which you predict how well teams will perform at the 2015 World Championship!" As the tournament moves along, which player will earn points to compete with friends and earn rewards.

For the group stage pick, you'll be ordering the teams in each group based on who you think they will finish within the group.

One the knockout stage starts, you'll move on to decide who will continue and eventually win the WC.

This year you'll also be able to earn a two summoner icons - one for simply participating and one for earning a certain amount of points by correctly guessing the winners throughout the group and knock out stages.

Those astute (or lucky!) enough to correctly guess EVERY result will receive the long sought after Championship Riven skin, a limited skin previously only available back in 2012 - only 10 out of 300,000 participants scored a perfect guess last year.

Check out the 2015 WC Pick'em site to pick your teams or see this page for more information on how to play.

Team, Player, Event & Organization News

NA:

• [CLG] CLG has announced that Xmithie will not be playing for the team in the 2015 World Championship due to visa issues. Huhi will be replacing him as starting jungler. 

• Will nothing has been announced, a Filipino senator has reached out to CLG in an attempt to help with Xmithie's visa issues - more in this thread. 

• [TEAM 8] Via the team's FB, Goldenglue has moved to the starting mid laner and Slooshi has moved to substitute.

EU:

• [UOL] Vardags has moved to a substitute  and the team is hosting tryouts for ADC.

China

• [OMG] Gogoing, LoveLing, and Cloud have announced they will be retiring.

• Fan translation of statements can be found here. 
• Original statements via weibo - Gogoing, Loveling, Cloud 

Riot:

• The 2015 ALL-STAR EVENT has been announced! Check out the post for more information! 

• A set of unique summoner icons and "emblems" for each of the 2015 World Championship teams have been added to the PBE - look for these to hit the shop in a future patch!