As we know, after MSI 2024 concludes, fans will be able to engage in events leading up to the official start of the Summer Split. Prominent among these is likely the Hall of Fame system – a dedicated Hall of Fame for the League of Legends community to honor individuals who have made outstanding contributions throughout the game’s history since its launch. Of course, Faker is expected to be the first name inducted into the Hall of Fame, and this was subtly hinted at by Riot in a recent teaser introducing the new system. In addition to being inducted into the Hall of Fame, the inducted individual will also receive a specially designed skin to honor them, which could be priced quite expensively.
But the next question is: who will be the player right after Faker to be inducted into the Hall of Fame? With Faker’s achievements and his influence on League of Legends in particular, and Esports in general, even extending to the entertainment industry in Korea, it is unquestionable that he is dubbed the “G.O.A.T of League of Legends.” However, who deserves to rank just behind Faker has long been a contentious debate within the League of Legends community. Because aside from Faker, who has clearly outpaced the rest, the nominated players always spark controversy.
Among them, in the LPL, Uzi and TheShy are perhaps the two names most frequently mentioned, as they boast numerous accolades and have some of the largest fanbases in the Chinese League of Legends scene. The influence of these two players on the LPL and the global League of Legends scene is considerable. However, both players have struggled to maintain consistent performance. Uzi still lacks a World Championship title – something many other AD Carries besides him have achieved (JackeyLove, Lwx). Meanwhile, TheShy is known for his fluctuating performance and had a period of extremely poor discipline, which contributed to a persistent hand injury that has caused “Shy”‘s career to plummet since 2019.
Uzi and TheShy are frequently mentioned, but for various reasons, they remain controversial
Moving to the LCK or on the global stage, currently, it seems only Ruler, Chovy, and BeryL are the three players who could follow in Faker’s footsteps. However, Ruler has somewhat lost his form recently, particularly during the forgettable Spring Split of 2024. BeryL has won two World Championships with two different teams and is the only Support to have achieved this. But he remains empty-handed at MSI. As for Chovy, he is currently the best Mid Laner in the LCK. However, the crucial point is: Chovy still lacks a World Championship title – an accomplishment Faker has achieved four times.
For the retired legends of the LCK, the star-studded roster of SKT T1 in 2015 – 2016 may likely “follow in Faker’s footsteps” into the Hall of Fame as they are the most successful team in the history of League of Legends. Names like Bengi, Bang – Wolf, captain MaRin, “super substitute” EasyHoon, and “the Duke” Duke are well-known to the League of Legends community and are closely associated with the peak era of this team.
Furthermore, considering Faker is both the G.O.A.T and the inaugural member of the Hall of Fame, it seems Riot recognizes that if only one player is inducted each year, it would be too few. Therefore, aside from Faker, future inductions will likely include a list of about five players being inducted into the Hall of Fame at once. This way, it will avoid unnecessary disputes and ensure no player is overlooked.
The only issue is, if so, once again, the debate over who deserves to be ranked just after Faker will ignite another discussion. And players like Chovy, Gumayusi, or Peyz… could very well become the “Vice G.O.A.T” if they continue to maintain peak performance, have long careers, and solidify their influence in the League of Legends scene with their current foundation.