The 2019 World Champion is on the verge of retiring in disappointment
In recent weeks, the transfer market in the LPL has been quite lively with a series of “blockbuster” deals being revealed. Notably, the reunion of two former World Champions from 2018 – Rookie and TheShy with IG, and Peyz’s sudden move to JDG to fill the void left by Ruler. These high-profile deals have brought a new energy to the LPL and rekindled great hope among the fans.
However, a notable name, LWX, seems to have “disappeared” from this year’s transfer window. In the 2024 Spring Split of the LPL, LWX is still playing for RNG, but as of now, there is no information regarding whether the former World Champion of 2019 will re-sign or find a new home. In a recent livestream, LWX’s close friend, Doinb, even revealed that he is on the verge of retirement due to a lack of competitive opportunities in the LPL.
“Honestly, in the future, it’s going to be tough to see my friend LWX compete again. He won’t be playing in the LPL anymore and will be ‘healing’, maybe going a month without livestreaming. He might not even bother to stream anymore and just retire quietly. It’s really unfortunate for him, and I’m not sure what LWX plans to do to make a living,” Doinb shared during the livestream.
In reality, since winning the 2019 World Championship, LWX’s performance and form have steadily declined each season. The 2024 season is being viewed as a “disaster” for LWX as his team, FPX, couldn’t even make it to the top 10 in either the Spring or Summer Split. Moving into the 2024 Spring Split, RNG, with LWX, only managed to secure the 14th position. This led to LWX losing his main spot on RNG to Huanfeng. Since then, he has only participated in “friendly” tournaments like the “Old Man Cup”.
A Stormy Future Awaits the 2019 World Champion
According to Doinb, LWX is someone who is very shy and prefers to focus on gaming rather than engaging with fans. With this personality, LWX is not suited to be a streamer like Doinb, and in reality, he rarely goes live. It’s worth noting that streaming is a popular career choice for many players after retirement, as they can leverage their past fame to earn a living. However, LWX seems ill-suited for this profession, so he may face significant challenges in making a living after retirement.
Fairly speaking, LWX still has a dream career having won both the World Championship and the LPL. However, it’s truly sad that the final phase of LWX’s career has been marked by declining performance and an inability to maintain a position at RNG. This is indeed a disappointing ending for a player who once claimed the World Championship title like LWX.