The newest class of South Korean pro players has among them a few people who weren’t even born yet when League of Legends originally came out, marking the definitive next generation of pro players.
There are a ton of game series out there that predate the age of players who compete in them. For example, the vast majority of people competing in Street Fighter 6 professionally likely weren’t alive when the original Street Fighter game came out. Though there are a few.
But League of Legends has never had a direct sequel. Through years and years of evolution on the gameplay formula, it’s still the same game at its core. There is no old League of Legends to go back to.
Meanwhile, the LCK’s Academy series already has a few players who weren’t even alive when LoL came out in October 2009.
LoL now has pro players younger than the game itself
League of Legends essentially pioneered the modern free-to-play formula, building a skin economy that kept the game’s competitive integrity intact while being able to remain free for all and profitable.
Granted, the price of those skins has drastically increased over the years (looking at you $430 Uzi skin), but many modern gaming conventions started with LoL. It should come as no surprise that the multiplayer title is still going strong.
But this is especially true of South Korea, a place where LoL is a central part of their culture and the country where the very best pro players come from. Many players start practicing young there in order to achieve their dreams and represent South Korea on the international stage.
After all, Faker was a rookie once.
And, while there are age limits on big tier 1 leagues like the LCK, that isn’t true of the LCK Academy Series, a tier 3 esports circuit all about developing talent and giving young Korean players a place to cut their teeth.
Due to a combination of how old League of Legends is and how young some of these players are, there are now a select few pros that weren’t even alive when LoL originally came out.
According to currently available statistics, there are three signed pro players who are younger than League of Legends: DRX Academy’s XeRone (born August 11, 2010), Nongshim Academy’s Sappang (born November 15, 2009), and DN Freecs Academy’s Solid (born November 19, 2009). There may be more than this considering data on tier 3 leagues is hard to come by, but this confirms at least three pros.
So, while League of Legends may be aging as a game, it’s still managing to pull in new players who have a fresh perspective on the game and potential to change its pro scene forever. There are next to no live service games that have lasted as long as LoL, and the fact that the game can be older than some of the pros playing it is a testament to the MOBA’s longevity.
