The 2023 offseason transfer window is coming to a close, and one of the two largest regions in the world for League of Legends (LoL), the LPL, has begun finalizing its last deals. As in previous years, the LPL remains flooded with transfer rumors and blockbuster deals have truly exploded. However, in recent years, even teams within the region have had to “tighten their belts” due to the overall tough economic situation. As a result, many players have made career changes after years of playing for a single team.
Recently, the last founding member of Edward Gaming – Meiko has officially said goodbye to the team that has been with him throughout the early years of his career (from December 2014 to now). Not only is he one of the most successful players of EDG, but Meiko is also regarded as a symbol of the team. During his time competing here, he has witnessed many teammates come and go. However, the fact that he himself is leaving EDG is something Meiko may not have anticipated until this season.
In addition, Meiko’s departure from EDG has inadvertently helped Faker set a new milestone: the longest-serving player for a single team in a Major region. Faker has been with SKT T1/T1 since the early days of his career, and to date, he has worn the T1 jersey for over 10 years. This is an achievement that is not easy for anyone to surpass, especially in a highly competitive tournament like the LCK. Moreover, to remain at a team for such a long time, besides skill, one must also consider the player’s influence, media effectiveness, and contributions outside of gameplay.
However, if we look at the broader League of Legends scene, Faker still falls short of one player, the “King of LJL” – Yutapon. The Japanese player is the same age as Faker but debuted a year earlier with LD50 Gaming. After LD50 Gaming was acquired by FocusMe, Yutapon continued to compete under the new team name to this day. Thus, in the global League of Legends scene, Faker still lags behind the Japanese player by one year.
Meiko, Yutapon, and Faker are all symbols of player loyalty in League of Legends. However, Meiko had to leave EDG after a season that was not particularly successful. And the current race is merely an underground competition between Faker and Yutapon.