With less than a month until the new season kicks off, the start of the next LEC campaign should bring with it answers to a number of pressing questions. At the top of the table, G2’s stranglehold has as good a chance as ever of loosening after a number of risky roster changes, while movements at the other end may see some 2024 strugglers turn their fortunes around.
1. Who will be best at the Fearless draft?
A key change for the new season is the introduction of Fearless Draft in the Winter split, designed to force players to utilise a wider variety of picks and add an extra dimension to Winter.
The change should benefit players who are already more comfortable with a broad range of champions and playstyles compared to those who prefer honing in on and perfecting specific picks and/or compositions.
Given that the Winter split’s format will also be slightly condensed, chances for outsiders to claim an unexpected LEC title have greatly increased. G2 will likely remain favourites, with coach Dylan Falco having previously told Esports.net that he expects Fearless to be “great” for his team. But the new dimension to best-of series, in Falco’s words, “changes what skills you’re testing”, and could easily see sides better at those skills benefitting.
2. What will we see from Rogue?
Long gone are the days of Rogue challenging for and winning LEC championships. Their steady decline saw the 2022 Summer-winning roster dismantled piece-by-piece, culminating in a dreadful 2024 season that saw ninth, ninth, and tenth-place finishes. After star mid laner Larseen committed to a three-year contract at the start of the year, his stock has plummeted after being unable to drag the team to a respectable position in the league.
Then, the team’s odd roster-building decisions saw them seemingly enter the current off season with a do-nothing-and-wait approach, letting other organisations finalise rosters before picking up the best leftovers.
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This bizarrely might have worked out well with a rumoured roster of Adam, Malrang, Larssen, Patrik, and Execute looking much more exciting than their previous lineup. The argument could even be made that they’ve upgraded in every position. However, at the very least, the playstyles of Adam, Malrang, and Execute should ensure that, win or lose, fans no longer die of boredom while watching Rogue matches.
3. Will G2’s gambles see their dominance slip?
Four successive LEC titles in 2024 saw G2 prove once again that they are the kings of EU, but they’ve continued to be unable to recreate the magic that won MSI in 2019. Domestic dominance over the last two years is not enough for the organisation and changes have now been made.
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Rookie jungler SkewMond replaces Yike, and, more shockingly, support Labrov joins to replace Mikyx – the latter generally considered Europe’s greatest ever in his role. It’s clear that G2 feel that the newcomers will raise the team’s ceiling as the organisation continues to strive for an ever-elusive World Championship title.
But while the changes may well see the team increase its potential, there’s no guarantee that they will definitely lead to improvement. Parting ways with a veteran player like Mikyx will undoubtedly leave a void in the side that Labrov will have to fill if G2 are to avoid going backwards, let alone rising to international contenders. As other teams like Fnatic and GIANTX put together exciting rosters, they’ll surely feel like now is their best chance at snatching a title from G2.
In a few days, we will see G2 face off against T1 with their new roster at Red Bull League of its Own and make our assessment.
4. How will the first-ever NA import settle?
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The arrival of former Cloud9 mid laner Jojopyun to Ibai’s Movistar KOI during the LEC Free Agency, sees the Canadian become the first-ever North American import in the LEC. Previously hailed as a generational talent for his region, a disappointing 2024 saw him eventually released by C9 after alleged breaches of contract – namely persistent punctuality issues that reportedly saw him arrive late to team activities on dozens of occasions.
While scores of Europeans have gone in the other direction throughout the history of LoLEsports, many have failed to integrate with their NA teammates on a cultural level. There’s a consensus that EU players’ preference for direct, sometimes harsh, feedback doesn’t blend with NA players’ supposed sensitivity to criticism.
Jojo himself has shown to be more than willing to make bold statements, offering up spicy quote after spicy quote over the years. His bluntness may well see him gel well with his new Spanish teammates, on a KOI team that seemed to be very much on the same page mentality-wise before his arrival. However, the alleged tardiness issues would be his biggest obstacle and is something he must get under control for 2025.
5. Will Vitality’s project turn around?
Despite having been willing to spend big for a number of years, Team Vitality has never managed to mount a serious title challenge during their many years in the LEC. The arrival of coaching duo Mac and Pad saw them head in a new direction, employing a project-focused coaching staff renowned for finding and developing talent rather than leading superstars.
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Their debut season unfortunately brought more disappointment for Vitality, failing to breach the top three in any 2024 split. The summer arrival of Lyncas, thought to be a long-term target for the coaching duo, failed to make an impact as they whimpered to a ninth-place finish to cap off the year way back in June.
Now the rumoured arrivals of top laner Naak Nako and mid laner Czajek, both rookies promoted from their academy, see the team double-down on the development project. Mac and Pad appear unwavering in their approach to team building, a confidence to be admired, but serious questions will begin to be asked if results don’t follow soon.
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