Alongside BLG, Gen.G was another name that disappointed at the recent EWC 2024. As the reigning champions of LCK and MSI, Gen.G was highly regarded in this tournament. However, they quickly collapsed against TES with a score of 2-0 and were eliminated in the Quarterfinals.
It was believed that the embarrassing defeat at EWC 2024 would cause Gen.G problems, but they displayed a terrifying performance in LCK. Specifically, in their recent match against KDF, Gen.G defeated their opponent quite easily with a score of 2-0. Moreover, the dominance of this team was evident as KDF couldn’t even last until the 30th minute in both games.
Surprisingly, the Gen.G players themselves believe that the defeat at EWC 2024 has made them much stronger. “We accepted the loss at EWC and learned a lot from it. It was a valuable experience, and I’m sure I will return to Saudi Arabia in the future,” Canyon shared with the media after defeating KDF.
“After League of Legends updated to the new version, we felt like we didn’t know which champions to prioritize when drafting. However, after the defeat at EWC, we learned many things and gained more experience. Despite suffering a heavy loss, the whole team has a better understanding of the new patch, which has strengthened Gen.G significantly. Therefore, I still feel quite lucky,” Peyz also agreed with Canyon.
Looking back at patch 14.13, viewers can see that this was a significant update from Riot. Moreover, champions that were considered favorites for Gen.G, such as Karthus, Skarner, or Kalista, all received substantial nerfs. Perhaps this contributed to Gen.G feeling “lost” in the ban/pick phase, leading to their early elimination at EWC 2024.
However, upon returning to LCK, Gen.G showed a “transformation” right from the drafting phase. No longer were there any “out-meta” picks like Twisted Fate or Aphelios; Gen.G brought out more powerful and “timely” champions such as Kai’Sa and Gangplank, completely overwhelming their opponents. This shows that Gen.G has learned a lot from their recent defeat.
With their victory against KDF, Gen.G remains at the top of the LCK Summer 2024 standings. In fact, with the “knowledge, experience, and lessons” gained from EWC 2024, it is entirely possible for them to maintain this position until the group stage concludes.