Recently, the second round of the group stage of MSI 2024 took place, and many surprising results occurred. For instance, Gen.G almost got knocked down to the lower bracket by Top Esports, or Bilibili Gaming had an overwhelming result against T1. While Gen.G and BLG are both considered slightly superior, the results truly sparked discussions among fans. Especially, the match between T1 and BLG recently attracted all the attention and was rated as the highlight match of round 2, which ended extremely quickly with a complete domination by the reigning LPL champions.
However, in the VCS community, there is a heated debate surrounding the comments made by commentator Van Tung during a stream after the Gen.G – TES match. Specifically, the famous VCS commentator stated: “I know this might upset Peanut fans, but Gen.G really needs Canyon. They need Canyon’s DNA.” The reason for Van Tung’s remark stems from the fact that since Canyon joined, this is the first time Gen.G has been able to beat a team from the LPL since 2022.
The commentator’s remarks naturally sparked controversy. In reality, Van Tung did choose his words carefully, and Canyon has indeed shown that he integrates well with Gen.G, especially in synergy with Chovy. However, for many “Peanut” fans, Van Tung’s comments seemed to dismiss the contributions of Peanut. This is because Peanut represents the new generation of Gen.G, having helped dethrone T1 and secure three consecutive LCK championships – a feat previously achieved only by SKT T1. It was during Peanut’s time that Gen.G ended their title drought, allowing Chovy to reach the pinnacle of competition for the first time.
Moreover, there is a fact that many have forgotten: Canyon, at his peak, had good synergy with his close friend ShowMaker, who was also at his prime, alongside star players like Khan and BeryL in the roster, yet could not clinch the MSI title after a heartbreaking loss to Royal Never Give Up. On the other hand, in the history of League of Legends in Korea, only two LCK junglers have ever won the title, both of whom belong to SKT T1: one is Blank, and the other is Peanut.
The commentator has also issued an apology to Peanut and his fans in Vietnam. However, this may serve as a profound lesson for Van Tung. Currently, he is one of the most influential figures in VCS, and thus, every statement he makes can become a topic of discussion for the community.
Not to mention, League of Legends is a team game, and that is an undeniable truth. A team’s victory comes from all five members playing together and the coaching staff behind them. Therefore, Canyon may fit Gen.G better than Peanut, but the true answer will only be revealed if Gen.G can win the championship in Chengdu this year. After all, winning the MSI is something Peanut has accomplished with SKT T1, while Canyon and Chovy have yet to taste this title.