JDG’s Tough Times
Recently, JD Gaming – a team that once dominated the LPL and the League of Legends scene until their semifinal match against T1 at Worlds 2023 – unexpectedly lost to Ninjas in Pyjamas, the team of former Worlds 2018 champion Rookie. This surprising victory for NIP has put JDG in a difficult position. They have been eliminated from the playoffs of LPL Summer 2024 and have lost control over their own fate. Currently, JDG is relying on Anyone’s Legend to defeat FunPlus Phoenix to ensure they still have a chance to compete for a spot at Worlds 2024. In summary, the situation for the former LPL king is extremely dire.
Fans Demand JDG Release Ruler Soon
In this context, LPL fans, especially JDG fans, are feeling extremely frustrated as they watch their team plummet since the surprising defeat against T1 at Worlds 2023. On many forums, alongside concerns about a future of “watching Worlds from home,” several fans have called for JDG to “liberate” Ruler soon. The Korean ADC has perhaps been one of the few names that still maintains high performance. However, League of Legends is a five-person game and “one swallow does not make a spring.”
According to Chinese media, after the match, LPL fans flooded JDG’s post to demand the team “let go” of Ruler. One blunt comment stated: “Let Ruler go, please! Every time there’s an important match, he’s pressured to pick Ashe. It’s better to let him go!” In reality, during the match against NIP, Ruler did not use Ashe. But when another key damage dealer, who should have shared the burden with him, Yagao, is underperforming, Ruler has to carry much more than usual with both Kanavi and Missing also not performing as expected.
Ruler and JDG’s 2024 season is more perilous than ever. However, perhaps this is also a necessary wake-up call for the team, especially when this season, they no longer show the champion caliber that they once had.