The first disaster of LCK has occurred! HLE finished last and was directly eliminated, with Ruler personally sending Kanavi out.

Hello to all LPL viewers and League of Legends summoners, this is Tianxia Game Report.

The group stage of the first split in LCK this year was extremely dramatic, with teams in the Elder Dragon group having very close scores. Under LCK regulations, all teams from the winning group qualify, but one team from the losing group faces elimination.

This led to the biggest disaster in LCK since the start of the year, arguably the largest tragedy in LoL esports.

The first LCK disaster is here, with HLE directly eliminated.

In the super week matches held two days ago, T1, positioned in the Baron group, performed impressively by sweeping DK 3-0, achieving a five-win streak in the group stage and directly impacting the standings. If the Baron group wins, all five teams advance, including the 0-5 BRO team.

Yesterday’s match between GEN and HLE became a do-or-die battle for HLE. If HLE lost 0-3 to GEN, they would finish last in their group and be eliminated, missing the subsequent matches.

If HLE lost 1-3, the elimination would depend on game duration: if under 34 minutes and 43 seconds, KT would be eliminated; if longer, HLE would be out. If HLE either won against GEN or lost 2-3, they would qualify for the play-in stage.

Unfortunately, HLE faced the worst outcome yesterday, being swept 0-3 by GEN and ultimately eliminated. It’s worth noting that HLE was the top team in the Elder Dragon group during team selection, yet under the 10-to-9 format, they were still eliminated, making this the first major disaster of the year.

Their gameplay remained chaotic, and HLE failed to win team fights.

Reviewing HLE’s performance across the three games, their heavy losses mainly stemmed from poor team synergy and lack of chemistry. Players often acted independently, and while HLE could gain some early advantages, they were unable to match GEN’s renowned team fighting in the late game.

The first game clearly demonstrated this: Chovy’s Yone underperformed, being targeted and killed early. Despite HLE’s initial lead, the first team fight was decisively won by GEN, and later Kiin secured a pentakill to end the match.

In the second game, Kanavi’s Jarvan underperformed, losing a crucial duel in the bot lane to Aatrox. Although Gumayusi’s Ezreal farmed well and HLE gained mid-game momentum, they lost the late team fights after Bard and Galio’s ultimates initiated, pushing HLE to the brink of elimination.

In the third game, HLE’s play was visibly rushed. The mid and jungle repeatedly tried and failed to kill Chovy. Kanavi’s blue buff invasion failed, while GEN opted for steady scaling. Mid-game, HLE managed a counterattack, but Gumayusi made a critical error, losing a turret and dying.

Ruler personally eliminated Kanavi, and Homme apologized.

Because GEN’s lineup was stronger in the late game, HLE had to speed up their pace, choosing the classic Tobi-style strategy—directly contesting Baron. However, they were too slow, allowing GEN’s Canyon on Pantheon to steal the Baron with his ultimate. Later, Chovy’s R+Flash combo sealed HLE’s fate.

Ultimately, HLE had to accept a 0-3 elimination. Notably, these longtime rivals met again, with Ruler personally eliminating Kanavi to exact revenge successfully.

Summarizing the three games, I believe HLE’s biggest problems lie in the mid and top lanes. Zeus’s performance no longer matches that of a top-tier LCK top laner, being outplayed by Kiin who earned the MVP for their matchup. Compared to the currently hot Doran, Zeus’s form is disappointing for HLE.

Mid laner Zeka also performed poorly with various mistakes. Kanavi toned down his aggressive style somewhat but still showed traces of recklessness.

After the match, Homme apologized again and admitted that HLE’s team cohesion is insufficient. He promised to take responsibility next season and strive for better results. From any perspective, HLE’s situation—spending so much money yet finishing last and getting eliminated—is unprecedented. Failing to earn points in the first split will directly affect their performance in the following two splits.