LoL athlete & club news

LCK player Prince has announced his retirement from professional gaming to pursue a career as a commentator. After two years of competing in international leagues, he found the stress overwhelming, particularly during his time with FlyQuest and World Elite. Despite achieving some success, he felt responsible for his team's underperformance and recognized the mental toll it took on him. Prince expressed excitement about his new role, believing he has a good voice for commentary and looks forward to this fresh challenge in the LCK.

In a Reddit post, a user expresses their disdain for playing League of Legends while passionately enjoying watching esports, particularly T1 matches. Despite being a silver-ranked player, they find joy in observing professional gameplay, appreciating the insights provided by commentators that enhance their understanding of the game. The user acknowledges their limited skill level but emphasizes that the entertainment value of watching esports outweighs their playing experience. This sentiment resonates with others who may share similar feelings about the game.

The LCK Cup 2025 is set to kick off on January 15 at 17:00 KST, marking the beginning of an exciting tournament for League of Legends fans. The competition will feature a structured format, starting with a Group Stage, followed by Play-Ins, Playoffs, and culminating in a grand final. The announcement has generated anticipation within the community, as fans look forward to the matchups and performances from their favorite teams. Detailed match schedules are available through the provided link.

T1 has announced the cancellation of all livestreams due to ongoing DDoS (Distributed Denial of Service) attacks that have plagued the team since December 2024. The organization communicated that these attacks have disrupted their streaming capabilities, prompting them to halt all broadcasts until further notice. They assured fans that updates regarding the streaming schedule would be provided once the situation stabilizes. This incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by esports organizations in maintaining secure and reliable online interactions with their audience.

Yuan's detailed analysis of the 2024 Grand Finale between BLG and T1 highlights critical strategic decisions, particularly in Game 5's draft phase. He notes that Faker recognized the importance of early game control, leading to T1's strategic bans against BLG's preferred picks. The analysis emphasizes the tension between player confidence and rational drafting, with BLG's reliance on signature champions like Kai'Sa and Jax potentially backfiring against T1's well-rounded composition. Ultimately, Yuan argues that for BLG to succeed, they must secure early advantages, despite facing challenging lane matchups.

DRX has officially announced their roster for the 2025 season, featuring a mix of established and emerging talent. The main roster includes Rich in the top lane, Sponge as the jungler, ucal in mid, Teddy as the bot laner, and Andil as support. The coaching staff is led by head coach Ssong, with Frozen and Alive assisting. Additionally, the LCK CL roster comprises Frog, Juhan, Kyeahoo, LazyFeel, and Pleata, coached by Catch and Saroo. This lineup aims to strengthen DRX's competitive edge in the upcoming season.

In a Reddit post, a user seeks recommendations for highly engaging professional League of Legends matches to watch after enjoying Worlds 2024. They express disappointment with some matches from previous tournaments, including Worlds 2022, which had a mix of thrilling and dull series. The user is also interested in matches from the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and is looking for suggestions that promise excitement and entertainment, hoping to avoid the 'snoozefest' experience they encountered in some past games.

The support role in League of Legends is experiencing a significant decline in popularity, with player distribution dropping to around 15% in some regions, a stark contrast to the historical range of 18-20%. This decline is impacting match quality, as many games feature autofilled players, leading to unbalanced outcomes. To revitalize the role, suggestions include introducing support-specific objectives, flexible champion picks like Ashe and Orianna, new supportive summoner spells, and low-economy items tailored for various champions. These changes could attract more players to the support role and enhance overall gameplay.

In a Reddit post, user HobbenHero expresses frustration over the toxic behavior prevalent in League of Legends, particularly during unranked games. They question the purpose of players shouting terms like "Top Diff" or "Jungle Diff" when someone is struggling, especially when they are trying out a new champion. HobbenHero argues that such negativity only serves to demoralize teammates rather than foster a supportive environment. Other commenters contribute to the discussion, suggesting that education on ranked etiquette could help mitigate this toxicity, highlighting the need for better player conduct in the game.

SangriaPorFavor has shared a tier list for the LEC Winter 2025, inviting feedback from the community. The post emphasizes an open-minded approach to the rankings, encouraging discussion and differing opinions on the placements. While the tier list itself is not detailed in the content, the author seeks engagement from fellow League of Legends fans to share their thoughts and critiques. This interaction highlights the community's interest in player rankings and the evolving dynamics of the competitive scene in League of Legends.

The discussion centers around the perceived decline of AD Assassins in League of Legends, contrasting them with ADCs. While ADCs have faced criticism for their performance against tanks, they still excel against squishies and have had moments of dominance in recent seasons. In contrast, AD Assassins have struggled for three years, with few players opting to use them, particularly in the mid lane. Comments from the community highlight frustrations with both roles, suggesting that while ADCs receive more attention, AD Assassins remain largely overlooked despite their consistent underperformance.

In a bold assertion, a fan believes Cloud 9 will emerge as the best team in the upcoming year, ranking them alongside FlyQuest as top contenders. The fan expresses optimism, citing the return of key players from the 2021 roster and the addition of new import talent as factors that will contribute to a strong performance. This perspective reflects a long-standing hope for Cloud 9's success, as the fan admits to being hopeful for the past four years. They invite further discussion on their blog for more insights.