For LPL fans, Invictus Gaming (IG) has always been a very special name. They were the first team to bring home the World Championship title for this region, marking the beginning of a strong development phase for LPL. Moreover, outstanding members of IG in 2018 such as TheShy, Rookie… have become idols for many gamers and continue to hold significant fame to this day.
However, just days before MSI 2024 takes place, the LPL has received some very sad news from one of its prides. Specifically, the manager Guokui of Invictus Gaming (IG) has recently shared pessimistic views about the team’s financial situation. Furthermore, this team is at risk of being expelled from the LPL tournament if a solution is not found.
“We not only have no money but are also burdened with a huge debt. This has been going on for a long time, about 3 years now, and the situation has only worsened over time. I truly feel extremely tired and want to give up because the team has no way to generate revenue,” IG’s manager bitterly shared.
Before IG, another LPL team, RNG, also faced a similar situation when encountering financial difficulties and excessive debt. Even in late 2022, RNG received a direct warning of expulsion from the LPL organizers if they did not resolve this issue. This could very well be the reason the team had to sell major stars like Bin, Xiaohu, GALA, leading to a continuous decline in performance over time.
Nevertheless, RNG’s financial situation at that time was not as dire as IG’s current state, as their debt had not lasted for 3 years. Therefore, a similar situation is likely to occur with IG as they may receive a warning from the LPL organizers. The disadvantage for IG right now is that they do not have any players considered stars in their lineup. While RNG previously could “offset losses” through the transfer fees from Xiaohu or GALA, IG currently cannot do this. This makes the possibility of IG being expelled from the LPL due to financial issues very real.
Basically, IG is an Esports organization with a rich tradition as they were the first LPL team to win the World Championship. It is sad to see IG’s performance declining and leading to the departure of stars one after another. This may very well be the main reason for IG’s current overwhelming debt. If there are no effective solutions to address these debts, IG’s “disappearance” from the LPL tournament may just be a matter of time.