Regardless of having received Rookie of the Yr within the LTA (now LCS) 2025 Season, Cloud9 mid laner Lee “Loki” Sang-min has determined to depart the LCS after only one yr with the staff.
The LCS is heading into one of the turbulent off-seasons ever. FlyQuest is nearly actually making roster modifications, Workforce Liquid is already rebuilding their roster, 100 Thieves has left solely regardless of a incredible Worlds 2025 run, nothing’s recognized about Sentinels’ roster but, and there are positive to be modifications on different groups.
Nevertheless, if one factor was sure, it was doubtless that Cloud9 would attempt to maintain on to Loki. He managed to get Rookie of the Yr regardless of C9 having a subpar yr general.
Although it’s been made clear he’s leaving for private causes and that it was his selection to depart the staff, this choice throws an enormous wrench in an already chaotic low season.
Loki Leaving Cloud9 Regardless of Spectacular Rookie Yr
Importing gamers from South Korea is usually a hit-or-miss endeavor. Some gamers like Jo ‘CoreJJ’ Yong-in and Jeong ‘Impression’ Eon-young have had lengthy and profitable careers in North America, with them adapting properly to life in LA and selecting up English as time went on.
Nevertheless, many different import gamers solely final a break up or two. Generally issues simply don’t work out, whether or not it’s a difficulty with communication or the participant not having the ability to adapt to dwelling in a brand new nation.
In Loki’s case, it was the latter.
“Loki has made the required and deeply private choice to stay in Seoul to be near his household,” Cloud9 stated in a press release. “We respect his selection fully and are absolutely supporting him as he makes this transition. Household comes first.”
Who Will Change Loki on Cloud9?
Loki performed properly in North America, however that doesn’t precisely assure him a spot on an LCK staff. It’s onerous to say the place his profession goes from right here. In the meantime, on C9, the mid lane is a difficult function to fill in the mean time. Lim ‘Quid’ Hyeon-seung is already all however locked for Workforce Liquid, leaving scorching prospects within the function fairly slim.
They might decide to seize somebody like Eain ‘APA’ Stearns in the event that they wished an NA mid laner to attempt to use the import slot in a distinct function. Or maybe they dig into the LCK CL expertise pool once more and attempt to discover the subsequent massive mid laner.
Both manner, this transfer places Cloud9 again in the marketplace and searching for one of the sought-after roles on the Rift in the mean time. They don’t have lengthy to determine who they’ll be placing in his place.
