GAM Faces an “Acknowledged but Unsolvable” Problem
Recently, GAM once again failed to secure a spot at MSI 2026. This marks the second consecutive season that the “former VCS powerhouse” will be absent from the second biggest international tournament of the year in professional League of Legends. The community erupted with discussion and debate following GAM’s loss. Many issues were raised, one of which was GAM’s apparent lack of commitment to developing young players.
In reality, not only GAM but most Vietnamese teams do not have youth training programs comparable to those in major regions worldwide. This accurately reflects the current state of Vietnamese LoL and esports as a whole. Simply put: it is very difficult for any parents in Vietnam to agree to their children giving up formal education to pursue a professional player career.
Therefore, when Levi left or when Kiaya gradually became a “veteran,” GAM had no one capable enough to replace them. Currently, Draktharr is the player substituting for Levi. But one thing is clear: this player only fills the position; his influence and skill level cannot yet match the former GAM captain. At least GAM managed to find Draktharr. When Kiaya retires, finding a replacement will be even more challenging.
But This Is Not Only GAM’s Problem
As mentioned, currently youth development is not only GAM’s issue but a common challenge across Vietnamese LoL. Even emerging teams mostly recruit players discovered via “internet cafe” tournaments. Therefore, for at least another 1 to 2 years, GAM will not have truly promising young faces to replace their veterans, and Vietnamese LoL faces a similar situation.