The LPL Demacia Cup is set to begin in a week. A LOL blogger recently revealed the competition structure: there are three phases in total. Teams are ranked according to their performance this year. During the first phase, teams from the LPL Phoenix group will compete against streamer teams. Only Wallbro and Guozi represent the streamers. The precise number of qualifiers remains unclear, but it’s estimated that 8 teams will be narrowed down to 2.

In the second phase, four Peak group teams, along with BLG and IG—two World Championship teams—join the winners from the first phase. Top Esports and AL will defend the third phase, which is likely the quarterfinals. The second phase should eliminate two teams and advance six. Except for the semifinals, all matches will be played online. The offline matches begin at the semifinals, a move that the organizers surely intend to capitalize on.

BLG promotes their second-team support

Insider Red Tea recently posted: BLG registered two supports for the Demacia Cup, one being Thehank from their second team. This young player stood out in the LDL support role and won the LDL annual championship with his teammates this year. BLG bringing him up likely aims to pressure ON, but it could also be just to test his level in the Demacia Cup. If he performs well, he might stay on the first team.

BLG’s new coach Daeny favors rotation heavily and will replace players who don’t comply. If this rookie truly has talent, ON’s position might be in jeopardy. Previously, BLG’s manager went to pick up Xun and already issued a warning. Yuan Xi mentioned the new coach will be strict about both gameplay and lifestyle. Daeny negotiated with BLG for a long time and only signed near the transfer deadline, likely demanding considerable authority.

Hang reveals on stream that no team wants him

During this LPL winter transfer window, many top-tier players chose to take a break, but some were forced to rest because no team wanted them. Among them is Hang, the first-stage LPL support player. After the World Championship, Top Esports did not renew his contract, and other strong teams showed little interest. Hang said he doesn’t want to take a break but has nowhere to go, so he must step away from the scene for now.

Hang’s career is quite unusual. His skill is not top-tier, but he’s been lucky to be signed by strong teams every year. However, his weaknesses become apparent at these teams. This year’s Worlds saw him return to basic Nami play, which impressed viewers. Strong teams feel he lacks the skill, while weaker teams hesitate to spend more on him. Without lowering his price, Hang will likely struggle to find a job next year.

GEN’s two carries attend military training

In the LCK KesPa Cup, GEN’s strength dropped drastically due to the absence of their two carries. They started the group stage 0-3 without a win, losing even to Vietnam and North American teams. GEN didn’t explain why the two didn’t play, and it was widely assumed they were exempt from military service and thus skipped the event. Recently, Daechul posted a buzz cut photo, revealing the real reason: both brothers are participating in community service.

Although they qualify for military exemption, they still must attend four weeks of basic military training and community service. So for the next month, Shiz and Daechul won’t be available for streaming or competing. Chovy, who keeps long hair, looks quite handsome, but his buzz cut isn’t bad either. Unfortunately, there’s no buzz cut photo of Shiz yet, but many are curious how he looks with short hair.

Conclusion:

Hang’s current situation is quite awkward. After Worlds, his reputation took a hit. Strong teams don’t want him, and weak teams think he’s not cost-effective. Finding a new team is genuinely difficult now. He can only wait until the first stage ends to see if any team needs a support. If he lowers his value, he probably won’t be completely unemployed.

So, what do you think about Hang’s skill level?

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