Worlds 2022 semifinals recap — a big upset and spectacular games

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Both Worlds 2022 semifinal games took place this last weekend, with T1 vs JD Gaming happening on Saturday, and DRX and Gen.G taking place on Sunday. The first semifinal was seen by some as an anticipated grand final since it put two of the tournament favorites against each other. 

LCK was looking to make a return to its golden age and set up an all-LCK final, the first since 2017. To do that T1 would have to defeat the LPL champions and one of the tournament favorites JD Gaming. Game one was a very back-and-forth affair, and despite T1 being in control in the late game, and seeming like the LCK team was about to secure the first game of the series, JD Gaming managed to hold on and came out with the victory. 

After game one T1 fixed their mistakes, having a much better approach in the late game, playing the map really well, and proving why they are seen as one of the best teams in the world. With some great performances by Zeus and Faker, and overall a good showing by all the players, the LCK giants won the series 3-1 and secured their fifth Worlds grand final appearance. 

In the second semifinal, Gen.G came in as the favorite to defeat DRX, who are the dark horses of the event, and have been surpassing expectations since the beginning of the tournament. Gen.G hadn’t lost to DRX this year and dominated the LCK in Summer, so it was normal for people to think this series would be no different, and that Gen.G would come out on top. 

After a dominant game one victory by Gen.G, it seemed like this would be no different than what happened in the LCK regular season. However, DRX improved a lot since then, and in the next three games, they completely dominated the LCK champions. They were playing the map better, and their teamfighting execution was impeccable. Gen.G looked like a shadow of the dominant team we saw in the Summer. Every time they went for a play it backfired, with DRX having a great read on how Gen.G wanted to play the game, and what they needed to do to stop them. With Zeka having a spectacular performance, DRX won the series 3-1, upsetting yet another team in the playoffs, and booking their ticket to the grand final, the first Worlds final of Deft illustrious career. 

Worlds 2022 Semifinal Viewership Stats

The first semifinal series between T1 and JD Gaming was the most popular one of the two, and is also the most popular game of the tournament so far. Up to 2.2 million viewers came together to concurrently watch the LPL champions battle the most legendary organization in League of Legends history. The official broadcast of the event was the most popular stream of the semifinal series, with 543K PV. The LCK stream was the second most popular, with 274K PV. 

Gen.G vs DRX also had great viewership numbers, with 1.9 million Peak Viewers tuning in to see if the cinderella story of DRX would continue, or if the team that dominated the LCK in Summer would move on to face their biggest rivals in the grand final of the biggest stage of them all. Once again the official broadcast of the event was the most popular, with the LCK broadcast securing second place in the category. 

Worlds 2022 grand final will see T1 vs DRX battle each other for one of the most important titles in esports. Faker is looking for his fourth championship, the first since 2016, while Deft will finally have a chance to fulfill his destiny and become a world champion. It has all the ingredients to be one of the most exciting grand finals in Worlds history. With both teams playing at a great level and having a great storyline coming into this match. T1 vs DRX will take place in the Chase Center in San Francisco, on the 5th of October.