The year 2025 was slated to be a celebration—the 15th anniversary of League of Legends esports. Instead of merely honoring the past, Riot Games aggressively engineered the future. The implementation of a new three-split global calendar and the highly anticipated **Fearless Draft** rule fundamentally reshaped competitive strategy. This was a season defined by perpetual pressure, technical adaptation, and a strategic depth unseen in previous decades. Yet, despite monumental structural shifts, the ultimate truth remained: the path to the Summoner`s Cup still led straight through the familiar titans of the East.
The Tactical Crucible: How Fearless Draft Redefined Consistency
If 2025 had a central theme, it was the elevation of coaching and strategic breadth over raw individual firepower. The three-split calendar, incorporating three major international events, demanded an unrelenting pace. Teams could no longer afford to “peak” for a single tournament; they needed to maintain world-class form for ten months straight, making the competitive environment a continuous stress test.
The core catalyst for change was the **Fearless Draft**, primarily used in international best-of series. This mechanism, preventing the repeat use of previously played champions within a series, immediately eliminated the reliance on “one-trick” specialists or narrow meta compositions. Suddenly, the functional champion pool of every roster member mattered immensely, pushing coaching staff into the tactical spotlight. Teams with clean synergy and the ability to execute diverse drafts—often utilizing unconventional picks deep into a five-game series—were the ones that thrived. For spectators, the forced diversity added layers of strategic intrigue that minimized the predictability often criticized in previous years.
Gen.G`s Unwavering Control vs. Anyone’s Legend`s Perpetual Near Miss
For the vast majority of the 2025 season, the answer to the global power ranking was indisputable: **Gen.G**. The Korean squad demonstrated a level of clinical consistency that was unmatched, culminating in their back-to-back MSI title victory in Vancouver. Their ability to master the high-pressure Fearless Draft environment solidified their status as the year’s most stable and dominant force, a testament to enduring roster quality and high-level execution.
The foil to Gen.G`s triumph was the unexpected LPL powerhouse, **Anyone`s Legend (AL)**. Lacking the recognized global superstars of their Chinese counterparts, AL instead leveraged impeccable team coordination and strategic depth to challenge the absolute elite. They consistently pushed Korean squads to the brink, reaching the highest tier of competition at every major event. Unfortunately for AL fans, their legacy in 2025 became defined by heartbreaking proximity. They lost five-game thrillers to Gen.G at both MSI and the Esports World Cup, and were eliminated in the quarterfinals of Worlds by T1 in the same agonizing fashion. Despite falling short, AL`s repeated challenges proved they were the only LPL team truly equipped to deal with the demands of the new format, setting the stage for an important 2026 attempt.
The Western Ecosystem: Closing the Gap, Reversing the Rebrand
The 2025 season provided a bittersweet report card for Western teams. While the sentiment that the strategic gap is shrinking persists, the consistent ability to challenge Eastern powerhouses remains elusive. Fearless Draft aided the West by requiring less optimization of singular “power picks” and rewarding flexible preparation, allowing teams like Europe’s **G2 Esports** (securing a Top 8 Worlds finish) and North America’s **FlyQuest** and **MKOI** to add competitive depth to the international pool.
However, the ecosystem`s internal structure saw significant volatility. The ambitious rebrand that consolidated North and South America into the **LTA (League of the Americas)** proved a failure in terms of internal fan engagement and competitive stability. Despite international overperformance by teams like Vivo Keyd Stars and 100 Thieves, regional viewership plummeted. The attempt at geographical consolidation was reversed with almost comical speed—the LCS and CBLOL were immediately announced to return in 2026. This swift reversal underscores that while Western talent may be inching closer strategically, the regional foundation and operational models require stabilization before a true global resurgence can begin.
Gumayusi’s Ultimate Redemption and Immediate Departure
After a year of strategic turbulence, format upheaval, and relentless competition, the season concluded in the most predictable yet profound way: **T1** lifted the Summoner’s Cup in Chengdu, China. Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok once again proved his enduring legacy by guiding T1 through an arduous path—starting from the Play-In stage—to overcome Gen.G, Anyone`s Legend, and KT Rolster.
The emotional core of T1’s three-peat, however, belonged to their AD Carry, Gumayusi. His journey was the ultimate redemption arc: benched at the start of the year amid roster turmoil, he fought his way back to not only reclaim his starting position but to carry the team when it mattered most, culminating in an undeniable Finals MVP performance. It was the perfect professional climax.
But in esports, perfect endings rarely last long. Almost immediately after lifting the Cup, Gumayusi announced his high-profile transfer to rival organization **Hanwha Life Esports (HLE)**, reuniting him with former T1 teammate Choi “Zeus” Woo-je. After cementing his place in the greatest dynasty in LoL history, Gumayusi chose to leave the established legacy, signaling a powerful intent: the challenge of 2026 will not be repeating the past, but forging an entirely new future—this time, against the team he helped define.
