Since winning the 2023 World Championship, the expectations from fans for T1 have not only remained high but have been steadily increasing. Moreover, for fans of opposing teams, T1 is the biggest obstacle to overcome, especially for teams like Gen.G and Bilibili Gaming. As a result, the pressure on T1’s players has intensified. However, they are facing a significant and challenging issue that continues to affect their training and preparation for matches, which is the DDoS problem.
In a recent interview, Faker shared: “Attacks on livestreams or private lobbies still exist. No matter what, we have to resolve it. If this issue cannot be addressed, I feel the value of Esports may be compromised.” Notably, Faker mentioned this while T1 is still performing decently (having lost only to Gen.G) in the 2024 LCK Summer. On the other hand, they are preparing to face BLG at the 2024 Esports World Cup to be held in Dubai, Saudi Arabia, in early July 2024.
This inadvertently also puts pressure on BLG. Since MSI 2024, the representatives from China have not been performing at their previous devastating level. Recently, they even suffered a defeat against a significantly weaker opponent, LGD Gaming. Faker’s revelations also highlight two issues: if T1 continues to struggle but manages to defeat BLG at EWC 2024, the LPL representatives will face even harsher criticism. Conversely, if BLG wins, their victory may lose some meaning, as the EWC 2024 tournament is not held in high regard while T1 is facing training and preparation issues.
Additionally, T1 has more experience in overcoming adversity, such as the case of their team last year during Faker’s injury. At this moment, it is hard to compare which challenge is heavier for T1. However, if they can replicate the miracle of 2023, T1 will truly solidify its status as one of the greatest teams in League of Legends history.