When mentioning the region of LPL, alongside factors often discussed such as being a rival to the LCK region, or having a “aggressive” playstyle that doesn’t shy away from clashes in the past. LPL is also renowned as the top choice for many talented players who haven’t found opportunities to shine in the LCK or PCS. Among the two largest regions in the world of League of Legends, LPL seems to be “more relaxed,” both in terms of community and professional environment. However, perhaps it is precisely for this reason that LPL has also been mired in many negative issues.
Specifically, recently, a case of match-fixing and fraud was discovered in the Demacia Cup – an annual tournament typically held at the end of the LPL season. Although it is merely an entertaining tournament, the Demacia Cup has garnered significant attention from the LPL. This year, top teams from LPL confirmed their participation and were required to use their main roster for the competition. This raised the competitiveness of the Demacia Cup and contributed to making the tournament more exciting.
The team identified with negative behavior is WINGS (WGS). This is a team that has previously won the collegiate level League of Legends tournament. However, they did not maintain integrity when officially participating in the Demacia Cup. Notably, this is the fourth consecutive year that LPL has discovered negative issues at various levels. Previously, in 2020, there was an incident involving two players from Rogue Warriors and LGD Gaming. In 2021, it was noted that Bo from FunPlus Phoenix had exhibited negative behavior in the LDL before being promoted to FPX’s main team. In 2022, LDL once again faced a blemish, this time involving match-fixing.
This record of LPL makes them the worst region, not in terms of professional skills, but in terms of professionalism, the attitude of players towards the profession, and the management capabilities of the relevant parties.
At this point, LPL fans may no longer be able to defend their home region. Because even university students are beginning to have cheating mindsets, the League of Legends scene in the land of billions is truly in danger. And this continues to be a painful blow after the LPL’s complete failure at the recent 2023 World Championship.