Although the 2024 LPL Summer Split has just completed its first week of matches, the tournament has already experienced its fair share of “storms.” First, OMG’s Cube unexpectedly returned home after his team suffered a defeat. Most recently, Xiaolaohu from FPX was expelled from the team’s headquarters due to conflicts, even physical altercations with management.
Not stopping there, LPL fans were further dismayed as behind-the-scenes stories began to surface. Specifically, former Invictus Gaming player – Leyan recently shared insights about the salaries of most players in the LPL. Moreover, he warned that many talented players might “quit” professional gaming to pursue… boosting.
“In reality, the salaries of most LPL players are much lower than what people imagine. Do you know how much a rookie player’s monthly salary is? Just 15,000 RMB (about 50 million VND). Even I, when I was playing and had some fame, only received 20,000-30,000 RMB (about 70-100 million VND) each month. Meanwhile, boosting can earn over 100,000 RMB (about 350 million VND) monthly. I guess incidents like Cube’s will happen more frequently when their salaries are so low,” Leyan shared.
About a month ago, former RNG player – Able shocked many by announcing his retirement at the age of 24. It’s important to note that Able is a skilled ADC in the LPL and could have played on mid-tier teams for several more years. However, what surprised the community even more was that he retired abruptly to pursue boosting. And as Leyan mentioned, Able has been able to earn over 100,000 RMB monthly from this job.
A noteworthy detail in Cube’s recent departure was that he faced criticism from fans for not performing up to his salary. It’s quite possible that the backlash he received in light of his low salary contributed to his frustration and decision. If Cube indeed retires to switch to boosting, it would be a truly sad story.
Perhaps in the near future, LPL teams (especially mid-tier teams) should offer better compensation for their players. Otherwise, the situation where players “quit mid-season” to pursue boosting is likely to become more common and could lead the LPL into chaos.