The 2021 League of Legends season has continued to be a tumultuous one, especially in the LPL – the most challenging arena in the world. The Chinese gaming community has once again witnessed a comprehensive “changing of the guard” event, as all four teams that participated in the 2020 World Championship were toppled right from the moment the LPL Summer 2021 Playoffs had yet to reach its halfway point.
Old powers like RNG, EDG, and FPX continue their quest to reclaim glory. However, there are also many stars who were once icons of this tournament that have turned into defeated foes in a brutal season, and in fact, LPL Summer 2021 has recorded the sad milestones of once-legendary players.
Speaking of the most bitter defeat this season, it is perhaps impossible not to mention Invictus Gaming. The former 2018 World Champions have yet to find their former shadow, experiencing a tumultuous summer filled with instability in both backstage issues and performance.
All these negative factors have turned LPL Summer 2021 into one of the worst seasons in IG’s history, as they have failed to reach the Playoffs for the first time in 7 years. This is also the first season since joining Invictus Gaming that Rookie has tasted the bitterness of being eliminated in the group stage.
As for Top Esports, the team that just last year dominated with a championship and a second place in the LPL, has also raised the white flag early in the Playoffs and consequently lost their ticket to the 2021 World Championship. Individually for Karsa, this is also the first time in his career since his debut season in 2014 that he will not participate in the biggest tournament of the year for League of Legends, after many seasons becoming a regular at this event, donning the jerseys of Flash Wolves or Royal Never Give Up.
Even more sadly, this could be Rookie’s final season in his career, and it would be truly heartbreaking for a legend, a beloved star, to end his professional career with such a sad scenario.
But ultimately, this may be the inevitable consequence of the development of professional League of Legends. The fierce competition can lead to harsh endings for anyone, but it simultaneously brings excitement and allure, creating a unique beauty in esports.