The last time Bilibili Gaming appeared at an international event, they faltered. Top Esports eliminated them from the World Championship in the Swiss Stage. Now, at First Stand, they have their first opportunity for redemption. Only a handful of teams stand between them and winning the first international event of the year. Will the additions of Xun and Viper aid them in their pursuit of glory?
Bilibili Gaming First Stand Roster
- Chen “Bin Zebin” – Chinese Top Laner
- Peng “XUN” Lixun – Chinese Jungler
- Zhuo “Knight” Ding – Chinese Mid Laner
- Park “Viper” Do-hyeon – Korean Bot Laner
- Luo “ON” Wenjun – Chinese Support
After a disastrous World Championship performance, BLG brought XUN and Viper to the roster. XUN returns to the team following a year away on JD Gaming. Viper was originally in the LPL playing for EDward Gaming. He returned to China after three years in Hanwha Life Esports. XUN replaced Yang “Beichuan” Ling and Zhao “Shad0w Zhiqiang. Viper took Zhao “Elk” Jiahao’s spot after he spent three years on BLG.
BLG’s Late Game Struggles
BLG’s biggest weakness comes in the latter stages of games. Even when they have significant gold leads, they struggle to close out the game. The Upper Bracket Final was a perfect example of this. They had leads in every game of the series. Despite that, they only managed to win 3-2. Game three had the lowest total gold lead for BLG with a near 7k lead.
With Gen.G Esports and FearX in the competition, BLG will need to improve in this aspect. Gen.G rarely gives over significant gold leads in the early game. FearX is a dominant team in the early to mid-game. BLG might be able to rely on their early games against the rest of the teams. However, if they want to lift the trophy, their late games must improve.
Restoring Faith
The last time a Chinese team won an international competition was the Mid-season Invitational in 2023. In the tournaments since then, four finals have featured LPL teams. Two of those finals were the Esports World Cup. The other Grand Finals were the 2024 MSI and World Championship. On both occasions, BLG featured but lost to the LCK competition. BLG will need to restore fans’ faith in their team and in the LPL. In the previous edition of First Stand, Top Esports disappointed fans. They lost to CTBC Flying Oyster and Karmine Corp in the group stage, before losing 3-0 to Hanwha Life Esports.
On the personal side, BLG must redeem themselves after a disappointing World Championship. Despite being the LPL first seed, they fell in the Swiss Stage. They lost to 100Thieves, G2 Esports, and Top Esports. BLG must, at the very least, advance to the Grand Finals to have some redemption during First Stand.
Prediction
BLG is one of the favorites to qualify out of Group A. With FearX as their biggest competition, anything short of a knockout-stage qualification is a surprise. First place might not be a guarantee. In recent years, the LPL has struggled against LCK competition. FearX might be the second seed coming out of the LCK, but they are a team BLG should not take lightly. After the group stage, BLG should be one of the two teams in the Grand Final. The only team that, in theory, is better than BLG is Gen.G Esports.
BLG’s Path to Victory
BLG starts the Group Stage against FearX. Should they win the match, they will face the winner of G2 Esports Versus Team Secret Whales. Losing to FearX will put them in an elimination match against the aforementioned teams. Two wins in the group will earn qualification to the Knockout Stage. Two losses will eliminate them from the competition. Should they qualify, they will face one of the teams from Group B. The team they play will depend on the position in the group.
More First Stand Content
The articles below will provide more information on the First Stand event. Stay tuned for more previews on the teams later this week. You can expect further preview and review coverage of all the matches taking place next week.
