The first phase of the LPL Demacia Cup is almost over, with only three BO3 matches remaining. Recently, OMG beat TT 2-1 to claim their second group stage victory. LNG also won their last match against WE, marking their third consecutive win. Out of four qualifying places, LNG, OMG, and LGD have confirmed their spots. The final place will be determined between UP and WE, with the winner advancing.

The second stage promises to be more exciting. BLG and IG are holding positions in groups A and B, while JD Gaming and Weibo are also participating. If these two teams end up in the same group as BLG, the competition will be thrilling. IG has announced their starting lineup: Rookie will not play this year. The starters include Wei, Soboro in the top lane, Renard mid, and the bot lane duo of young P and Jwei. Their strength is somewhat behind teams like Weibo.

IG's new top laner pays tribute to TheShy.

IG recently released a video introducing their new top laner. Soboro explained the origin of his ID, which comes from his hometown’s famous pineapples. When discussing the differences between LCK and LPL top lane playstyles, Soboro said: Although I debuted in the LCK, I learned by watching TheShy, so I can adapt to the LPL style. No wonder IG signed him—he’s clearly a big fan of TheShy.

The new top laner's skill will be tested during the Demacia Cup. If he learned from TheShy, his playstyle should be aggressive and mechanically flashy, making for great entertainment. However, whether he can perform well remains uncertain. Currently, the LPL’s top lane standouts are Bin, 369, and Saint, while most other teams’ top laners have been underwhelming. A fresh face is definitely needed to shake things up.

Khan hopes Faker can keep playing until he’s 50.

Two retired LCK players, Khan and Peanut, recently discussed the future of LOL during a livestream. Peanut said: No one knows when LOL will end. People always say LOL is dying, but as long as Faker is around, LOL won’t fade away. Peanut publicly wished Faker good health. Khan, who was chatting with him live, also hopes Faker can continue his pro career until he’s in his 50s.

Wow, hoping Faker plays until 50 is quite an exaggeration. But if Faker retires, it would indeed be a huge blow to LOL. Khan said: When Lee retires, I will truly feel like the world of League of Legends has collapsed. That’s not an exaggeration. LOL is already declining, and Faker’s consecutive World Championship appearances and victories in the past three years have kept the global scene vibrant.

Foreign media release player KDA rankings.

Recently, overseas media compiled the 2025 full-year player KDA rankings. FNC’s bot laner Upset topped the list with a 7.7 KDA. Second place went to AL’s Hope, which makes sense given his high score. Positions three to six were all AD carries: Aming, Viper, and Ruler. Eighth place was also an AD carry, KC’s Caliste. In the top eight, seven players are AD carries.

Ranked seventh is Chovy, the only mid laner on the list. Neither T1 nor KT, who reached the World Championship finals this year, have any players on the list. This suggests T1’s playstyle this year was quite aggressive and bloodthirsty. It’s expected that T1 players wouldn’t rank high in KDA. Upset is somewhat overrated here; he tends to preserve his KDA while only pretending to try hard. Such stats aren’t very meaningful.

Conclusion:

No one knows how many more years League of Legends will remain popular. Our region is indeed facing a harsh winter. However, as long as Faker remains in the neighboring LCK, the audience won’t disappear. The same applies to international tournaments—whenever Faker participates, the event’s popularity is guaranteed. But how many more years can Faker keep playing? That’s really uncertain. Hopefully, he can hold on for a while longer.

So, how old do you think Faker will be when he finally retires?

Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments!