On April 6th (Vietnam time), Faker celebrated his 10th anniversary since debuting in the LCK arena. The turret dive that took down Ambition at the peak of his performance truly left the entire League of Legends community in awe, particularly within the LCK. That was the kill that opened the door to a legendary career, to the extent that even the “victim” Ambition felt proud to be the first to fall to Faker.
Faker’s greatness and influence are not confined to the LCK but have spread across the globe. Vietnamese fans are ready to debate fiercely for Faker, while North American and European teams always seek ways to “interact with their idol” whenever they compete internationally. Even in the LPL, they are willing to offer Faker salary proposals that even traditional athletes would envy.
However, on the day Faker reached the 10-year milestone, many viewers were surprised to realize how quickly time has passed. Once again, concerns about the LCK, the League of Legends community, and the entire Esports scene were brought back to the forefront.
No player has the talent and professionalism like Faker
There is a truth: Since Faker’s performance declined (from 2019 to late 2021), many have actively searched for a name worthy enough to replace him. However, in terms of professionalism, no one can compare to Faker at the same age as the “Demon King.” Even Chovy or ShowMaker cannot maintain performance for as long.
Not to mention, Faker possesses absolute professionalism – something that almost no player has been able to achieve. This is reflected in the smallest details, such as practicing League of Legends, answering interviews, or treating those around him. Even the fact that Faker focuses solely on competition without a girlfriend is a manifestation of his utmost professionalism.
Faker’s influence is so great that he cannot be replaced
When Uzi retired, the LPL had GALA, JackeyLove, or foreign players like Viper. But for Faker, any replacement is purely theoretical. Even if someone could replace Faker in terms of expertise (like ShowMaker), the profound influence of Faker is on a different level.
Many players, experts, and media would feel honored to meet, chat, or work with Faker. Even someone as arrogant as Doublelift would concede to be behind Faker. Faker’s influence extends to the next generation. No one, not even ShowMaker or Chovy, dares to claim they have surpassed Faker, even when they have defeated SKT T1/T1 multiple times.
A guarantee for the T1, LCK, and LoL brand
There are a few figures in the sports/Esports world whose names surpass their teams, but this number is very small. And Faker is one of them. All five of the top five most viewed matches feature T1, according to Eschart. T1’s matches attract the attention of audiences worldwide across all platforms.
The CEO of Gen.G once stated that when Faker retires, the entire League of Legends will fall into disaster, not just the LCK. This is because there will no longer be a name influential enough that even outsiders, parents, and other famous figures would have heard of. Perhaps you don’t need to be a hardcore T1 fan to realize that LCK’s appeal will significantly diminish if one day Faker decides to “put down the sword.”
Conclusion
In the past, there was a former player, Diamondprox, who played for 11 years. But as a rule, both Diamondprox back then and Faker today will eventually have to step away from the keyboard. When that day comes, it will likely be a massive shock that will shake the LCK and the entire League of Legends scene. But those are common occurrences, especially when Faker’s influence in the League of Legends is unparalleled.