In the history of League of Legends, there have been numerous instances where teams immediately plummet after rising to glory. A prime example is SKT T1, who became the first team in League of Legends history to maintain their reputation and roster, yet after claiming the Worlds Championship, they were immediately absent from the largest international stage the following season. However, SKT T1 later rebounded and has remained a powerhouse to this day. In contrast, there’s another team that, after winning Worlds, has quickly descended without any glimmer of hope, and that is Edward Gaming.
After becoming the Worlds champion in 2021, EDG struggled to qualify for the 2022 tournament. However, their Quarterfinal match against DRX was the last bright spot for that year’s champions as they lost to the LCK representative with a score of 3-2 after a surprising performance from Kingen and Zeka. Since then, EDG has rapidly faded away. Not to mention, a slew of key players have left the team one after another. Now, only JieJie remains from the 2021 Worlds championship roster still wearing the EDG jersey.
In fact, in the LPL Spring 2024, EDG has plummeted down near the bottom of the standings, marking one of the worst starts in the history of this traditionally strong team. EDG has been a hallmark of success in the LPL, so this is unacceptable. On forums, Chinese fans have even suggested that EDG consider transferring to… VCS to find a chance to participate in MSI. However, some comments responded harshly: “They might not even be as good as GAM now.”
In reality, this might simply reflect the frustration of EDG and LPL fans towards this team. They have also “revamped” their roster, but the new young players lack both the mentality and skills. Meanwhile, JieJie has never shown himself to be a true leader. Forcing JieJie to take on the role of Meiko is too much for this player, especially when the 2021 Worlds champion has also seen a decline in performance compared to his former self.
Moreover, EDG is facing internal conflict allegations. Just a few days ago, EDG was fined for using an unregistered player. Notably, EDG was well aware of this regulation but still disregarded it.
EDG is at the end of their rope. This team is no longer what it was when they celebrated victory in Iceland over two years ago. But EDG is still fumbling with their solutions and hasn’t truly found an effective way forward.