T1 Faces Criticism Following Roster Change at LCK Cup 2025
As previously reported, during the match between T1 and KT Rolster, it marked a milestone of 1000 victories for Faker, the legendary mid-laner, after their stunning victory at the World Championship 2024. T1 managed to secure a decisive victory, but despite this achievement, they still faced significant “backlash”.
According to reports, many fans expressed their dissatisfaction when T1 unexpectedly rotated their roster without prior warning. One reason speculated is that Gumayusi has often been seen as a player who has to “sacrifice” for the team, leading to discussions about T1’s direction.
The situation became more critical as T1 faced substantial defeats leading up to this roster rotation. Faker, who previously only focused on leading the team, had to confront the reality of T1’s first-time “switching roles” in this lineup.
“Idolizing” Players Contributes to T1’s Current Backlash
In fact, T1 has always integrated fan meetings with the competition schedule of their players, allowing for interactions with fans after matches. This has resulted in fans feeling a significant loss when they cannot interact with their favorite players. Therefore, the lack of communication following the changes has added more fuel to the fire.
However, the “idolizing” aspect of the players has also become a double-edged sword. In other sports, it is common for stars to sit out to allow coaches to experiment with strategies. Faker himself used to swap with EasyHoon to assist Coach KkOma in testing strategies.
However, the current state of League of Legends in Korea has significantly changed compared to the past. The dynamics of any SKT T1/T1 player can greatly influence the team’s standing. There will undoubtedly be many fans coming to support just one or two players in the roster. This is partly why meeting fans after matches has become easier for fans to purchase tickets.
When T1 wanted to transform their players into “idols,” the pressure from fans could also complicate the process.
Despite this, T1 did not adequately address fan concerns regarding the sudden absence of Gumayusi. Fans have shown understanding towards the roster changes, but the lack of communication from T1 on this matter has been disappointing.
The LCK Cup 2025 currently does not hold too much significance compared to major tournaments like MSI or Worlds. The LCK organizers have also pointed out that this tournament serves as a platform for the Fearless Draft experiment. T1’s approach to professional gaming is indeed a learning experience, but if there is a lack of early communication, it may lead to controversies later on. Gumayusi and Smash are among the players feeling the most pressure during this transition.
