On Sunday, the sparkling Chinese city of Chengdu will become a battleground for one of the gaming business’s biggest showdowns to date.
Following a rollicking ride through the semi-finals, T1 and KT Rolster, “League of Legends” teams backed by South Korean telecom giants, are set to face off on the rift for a world finals best-of-five.
The stakes: a championship prize pot, millions of dollars in revenue, and a battle for legacy.
Made by developer “Riot Games,” the game’s most common mode of play involves a team-based five-on-five fight. The primary objective of the game is to destroy another team’s turrets and core nexus on the symmetrical “Summoner’s Rift,” duking it out with other champions standing in the way.
The South Korean telecom battle dates back to the early 2000s, before “League” even existed. The hot game at the time was “Starcraft,” and both telecom giants threw big money into building teams that faced off repeatedly in a decadeslong rivalry.
The “telecom war” escalated when both telecoms formed “League” squads. SK Telecom debuted the then-rookie mid-laner, Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, at a 2013 match in Seoul.
The rest is history. Lee led his team to a record five Worlds title wins in 2013, 2015, 2016, 2023, and 2024. He is now a part-owner of T1.
This will be the fourth consecutive time T1 has appeared at the final since its 2022 try in San Francisco, where it lost 3-2 to DRX, another Korean team.
In comparison, this is Korea Telecom’s first attempt at a Worlds title, despite success against T1 in national-tier championships.
This pivotal battle isn’t just about legacy and bragging rights. There’s a great deal of money in “League,” as teams like T1 are valued in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
Related stories
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
Business Insider tells the innovative stories you want to know
The teams also rake in revenue beyond the million-dollar prize purse. Much like football players — think Kansas City Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce and his growing entertainment empire — players ink yearslong, multimillion-dollar contracts and cut brand deals.
Big wins equal big money, on and off the “League of Legends” rift. Lee reaps rewards from the wins too, as part owner of T1, and from his brand deals and sponsorships.
And it’s been a roller coaster ride to the top for both organizations this year. KT Rolster was South Korea’s third seed, and T1 clinched the country’s fourth seed — barely making it to Worlds.
KT Rolster, on November 1, managed to take down LCK gaming giant Gen.G and its star mid-laner, Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon, to secure its spot in the finals.
It seems T1’s hitting its stride at Worlds again after a rough start at the championship. The team secured a 3-0 sweep over the Chinese team Top Esports on November 2.
The “League” Worlds finals are slated for Sunday, with streams available on Twitch and YouTube.
