According to numerous reports, FlyQuest has finalized their 2022 LCS roster and, well, it’s quite a peculiar one. Now, on the one hand, they’ve undoubtedly upgraded from 2021. On the other, this is still a “budget-friendly,” mid-tier roster that’s not going to make waves. A gatekeeper, if you will.

If FlyQuest are content with such a position, so are we. Not everyone can (or should) compete with the Team Liquids and Cloud9s of the world and, well, we mustn’t forget that gatekeepers are a natural part of the “food chain.” The important thing is that they improve with each new split — that’s the number one thing we (the fans and the media) want to see. And, to their credit, the FlyQuest roster they’ll field in 2022 can, by all means, be considered as an upgrade over its predecessor.

Is this FlyQuest going to upend the status quo? Not a chance in hell, but they could definitely make things a bit more exciting, and that’s precisely what a gatekeeper is supposed to do. Plus, the fact that they’ll compete in the Best of 1 format means they’ll surely be able to pull off a few upsets (should their more dangerous peers underestimate them).

A spot in the playoffs might be a stretch — we’re leaning towards Immortals and the Golden Guardians for that one — but it’s not an outlandish notion either. It’ll all depend on how quickly they can synergize and come up with an identity to call their own. If that happens at a reasonable point in the season, some amount of success will be all but guaranteed.

Three players have extended their contracts with this highly idiosyncratic organization, with the other two spots being filled by a hyped-up LFL mid laner and veteran support who needs no introduction.

Top Lane: Colin “Kumo” Zhao

Jungle: Brandon Joel “Josedeodo” Villegas

Mid Lane: Loïc “toucouille” Dubois [formerly of GameWard]

AD Carry: Johnson “Johnsun” Nguyen

Support: Zaqueri “Aphromoo” Black [formerly of Dignitas QNTMPAY]

Most folks will probably be indifferent upon seeing this roster and, well, it’s easy to understand why. It’s a solid mix, with a veteran shotcaller in the bottom lane, a capable marksman who still hasn’t hit his peak, an LFL MVP in mid, a talented jungler who didn’t quite live up to the hype, and a talented (albeit somewhat middling) top laner who’s been trying to secure a starting spot in the LCS for a while now.

We’ve seen better rosters but also worse ones, too. Moreover, one could argue that there’s a bit of potential present here as well — and we really do mean “a bit.” They’re not going to challenge 100 Thieves for the LCS throne nor will they upend the long-established LCS status quo, but they’ll surely pack a punch.

The only question now is: how hard will that punch be? Are we talking about a moderate jab or a wild haymaker that’s powerful enough to shut someone’s lights out? We’re leaning more towards the former, but it’s a wider spectrum than one would expect, and it’d be unfair to immediately ascribe a certain role or position to this 2022 FlyQuest roster before they’ve ever stepped foot on stage.

Johnsun and Aphromoo were quite stellar back when they played under the Dignitas QNTMPAY banner, and if they can rekindle a bit of that magic next year they could, by all means, surprise a lot of people. How well Toucouille will perform, on the other hand, is anyone’s guess. The LCS isn’t known for importing relatively unknown ERL players, but that’s obviously yet another “gold mine” they’re going to exploit going forward. Toucouille is by no means a household name but he’s done admirably well in the LFL and has a fair bit of hype behind his back, too, so there’s definitely a reason to be optimistic.

Josedeodo, on the other hand, hasn’t really shown much ever since his stellar showing at the 2020 World Championship. Whether that’s because he wasn’t set up for success or because he’s just not as capable as everyone believed still remains to be seen, but he’s no doubt worthy of another shot. Maybe it would’ve been better for him to have accrued a bit of experience in Academy first before plunging him into the LCS, but he’s handled the transition from the LLA fairly well, even though he doesn’t have anything concrete to show for it.

Last but certainly not least, we have Kumo, a player who’s been both hot and cold thus far, depending on the circumstances. He delivers when you least expect him to, and then fumbles and fails at the most random of moments. Overall, though, he hasn’t been all that impressive the last time he was given the opportunity to start for FlyQuest. He did have standout moments, but they were somewhat few in number. Whether he’s the right player for “the job” still remains to be seen, but we’re glad he was given the nod by FlyQuest; Kumo has potential, of that we’re certain.

All in all, things could’ve gone a whole lot worse for FlyQuest. They’ve made some very solid changes coming into 2022 and should, by all means, be able to put on a show. This roster has all the hallmarks of a feisty, idiosyncratic playoffs contender, and while that might not sound like much, it is nonetheless a step in the right direction.