On September 5, 2026, the first League of Legends Haidou Tournament kicked off in Shanghai Qiantan, with the offline finals about to begin. After nearly two months of national qualifiers across five tracks—public, university, platform, internet cafe, and partner—the 12 teams that stood out from over a million participants will compete here to crown the first Haidou King and vie for a total prize pool of 1.5 million yuan.
After a tough Swiss-stage competition, Team KSS from the platform track successfully advanced to the top four. After the match, we joined other media friends in interviewing them.
Below is the detailed interview content:
Q: What motivated you to sign up for the first Haidou Tournament? Did you ever imagine making it to the top four?
A: Since we're just casual players, we didn't overthink it. We simply found the mode interesting and wanted to give it a try. We never expected to make it this far, so it's quite a surprise.
Q: How do you handle it if you randomly get a champion you don't like or aren't good at during the match?
A: We communicate within the team to see if any teammate can handle that champion. If not, we have to swap it out.
Q: What has been the most memorable moment of the Haidou Tournament so far?
A: During the platform stage, we played against Wending Changge. We were eventually reversed 3-2 in that match, which felt really disappointing.
Q: What do you think makes the Haidou Tournament special compared to other competitions?
A: The tournament offers a wide variety of gameplay content, and the opponents are generally much stronger.
Q: As a team that advanced through the platform track, what advantages do you feel you have compared to teams from other tracks?
A: Compared to other tracks, our team's advantage lies in our familiarity with each other and our better synergy.
Q: Looking back on your journey so far, what do you feel is the biggest difference between tournament matches and regular Haidou games?
A: The biggest difference is team composition and choosing Hextech augments based on it. For instance, we can't just play champions we prefer; if there's a tank available, we have to pick it no matter what.
Q: Among the other top four teams, is there one you're most eager to face or most want to avoid?
A: I think all the other top four teams are very strong, so we're looking forward to facing them.
Q: Which match so far was the closest victory?
A: It was probably the first match today. We were evenly matched with our opponent, but we ultimately won thanks to our resilience.
Q: From the platform stage to the national top four, what adjustments have you made in terms of strategy and mindset?
A: Initially, our coordination wasn't great. But after playing together for a long time, our synergy improved, our skills strengthened, and that's how we made it to the top four.
Q: So far, is there any champion you particularly regret not having been able to pick?
A: There are many. For example, my best champion is Gangplank, but I haven't been able to pick him yet. I hope to get him in later matches.
Q: Setting aside the randomness factor, is there a specific champion-Hextech combination that you feel guarantees a win?
A: Corki with "Show Your Sword," Yasuo with "Mystic Punch," Hecarim with "Mystic Punch" and "Phantom Weapon," Karthus with "Bear Drop" and "Dive Bomb," Gangplank with "Back to Basics," and Lillia with "Upgrading Zhonya's" and "Infernal Conduit."