This Week in Esports [May 2nd - May 9th]

With 2016 MSI group stages behind us, we're back with another edition of This Week in eSports!

[Warning: This post contains event spoilers!]

Continue reading for the results from the MSI 2016 group stages and bracket heading into knockout stage, various team & player news, VODs, and more!

Mid-Season Invitational 2016 Group Stage Results

After five days of group stages, RNG, CLG, SKT, and Flash Wolves all continue on to the knock out stage of the 2016 Mid-Season Invitational!

Here's how the group stages shaped up - VODs can be found here.

The top four regions continue on to the knock out stage and secure a top four seed at Worlds 2016:

1. [CHN] Royal Never Give Up  //  8W - 2L
2. [NA] Counter Logic Gaming  // 7W - 3L
3. [LMS] Flash Wolves //  6W - 4L 

4. [KR] SKTelecom T1 // 6W - 4L 

Here's the updated MSI bracket heading into the Knockout Stages May 13-15th!

More MSI 2016 information on the event can be found here:

• Post Group Stage announcement
• Schedule
• Teams
• Official Rules (Full Ruleset) 
• MSI Primer

You can also keep up with the action in-client by switching to the MSI 2016 tab on the left side of the screen:

REMINDER: MSI icons, bundles, esports legacy content, and more available through 15th!

Team, Player, Event & Organization News

NA:

• Cloud 9
• Impact has joined Cloud 9 as their starting Top Laner for the upcoming LCS summer split.
• Meteos and BunnyFuFuu are starting for C9 .

EU:

• Freeze has joined H2K as their ADC for the upcoming LCS summer split
• Steeelback has joined ROCCAT and will be their starting AD Carry for the Summer LCS Split

Riot:

• A Competitive Ruling has been put out for Renegades and TDK:

• "TL;DR: Renegades management has been found to have knowingly violated the competitive ban against Chris Badawi, misrepresented their relationship with TDK, and compromised player welfare and safety. Both the Renegades organization and TDK organization will no longer be allowed to continue participating in Riot-sanctioned leagues. In addition, Chris Badawi will be permanently banned from association or affiliation with any team or organization participating in a Riot-sanctioned league, while Christopher Mykles is banned for one year from holding any Riot-sanctioned position within a competing organization. Chris and Sean Shim of TDK are indefinitely banned from association or affiliation with an organization in a Riot-sanctioned league, subject to first review in January 2019."

• A Competitive Ruling has been put out for Team Impulse

• "TL;DR: Team Impulse management has repeatedly failed to pay their players on time and to provide valid contracts for their players, as required by the LCS Rules and Team Agreement. League officials have, on multiple occasions, clarified requirements and even directly intervened in team operations to ensure payments, and have determined that Team Impulse does not meet League standards for a professional organization. As such, they will not be permitted to continue participating in Riot-sanctioned leagues."

• [REMINDER] Riot has announced the location for the 2016 World Championship!

• 2016 World Championship will be held across North America September 29th - October 29th
• Group Stage: September 29-October 2 + October 6-9 at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, CA
• Quarterfinals: October 13-16 at The Chicago Theatre in Chicago, IL
• Semifinals: October 21-22 at Madison Square Garden in New York, NY
• Finals: October 29 at Staples Center in Los Angeles, CA