The conclusion of the League of Legends Worlds 2023 this weekend witnessed Korea's T1 clinching a historic fourth title, earning $445,000 along with the coveted gold. Amid the celebration, Keria, whose real name is Ryu Min-seok, found himself unable to fulfill a personal desire – obtaining a skin for his beloved character, Lux.
Although Lux already had one of the most plentiful skins in the game, totaling 17, Keria had a specific vision to have a cosmetic designed for her once he won the tournament.
According to League of Legends tradition, annual world championship winners get to inspire a collection of in-game cosmetics, with the condition that it must be for a character they played during the tournament. Players will also receive a share of the revenue generated from the sales of their designated skin.
T1 successfully defeated China's Weibo Gaming in the finals. However, Lux wasn't part of Keria's picks during the championship due to the game's drafting system. High-level tournaments often mean players cannot always wield their preferred champions.
Despite a potential meta-relevant strategy suggested by lane partner Lee Min-hyeong, known as Gumayusi, Lux was never a high-priority pick for the team.
Keria's disappointment became evident hours after the victory. Struggling to sleep, he took to a live stream, where esports journalist Ashley Kang translated his sentiments about the potential skin.
"I only thought about making a Lux skin. I never thought about any other skin," he said.
During discussions with Riot about players' preferences for their skins, Keria also emphasized that he had "spent most of my time talking about Lux."
Adding to Keria's frustration was the realization that his vision for a dream Lux skin didn't seamlessly translate to other characters. Keria conveyed to his audience that he requested Riot to make his cosmetic "pretty," a characteristic that suits Lux's persona known for multiple anime-girl makeovers.
However, it poses a considerable challenge for other potential champions in Keria's pool. Notably, his most successful champions during the tournament were Tahm Kench, Bard and Renata Glasc.
Tahm Kench embodies the characteristics of a catfish-like humanoid, featuring a sizable, round physique, compact limbs and a tail. Bard, on the other hand, resembles a wandering celestial being with a huge beard. Meanwhile, Renata Glasc has the persona of a middle-aged drug lord, donning a formidable face mask.
LoL World Championship's final match
This year, the League of Legends World Championship concluded in South Korea at the Gocheok Sky Dome baseball stadium. Breaking records, the event peaked at 6,402,760 viewers during Game 3, excluding the Chinese audience.
T1 and Weibo Gaming showcased an intense battle in the first game until Keria initiated the Hostile Takeover and gave T1 the upper hand. Lee Sang-hyeok, renowned as Faker, and Choi Woo-je, also known as Zeus, capitalized on the opportunity to secure crucial kills. With the Baron in their possession, T1 established a commanding lead, solidifying their advantage at the 28-minute mark with the acquisition of the second Baron.
Game 2 witnessed T1's dominance reaching new heights, featuring unconventional picks like Draven, Nocturne and Gwen that caught WBG off guard. The South Korean team displayed unparalleled efficiency, surgically eliminating each of WBG's players. As T1 scaled to an unstoppable point, victory seemed inevitable, bringing them one step closer to claiming the coveted trophy.
In the final showdown, WBG altered their draft, introducing Azir, Bard and Kennen. This fresh lineup initially kept them on par with T1 in terms of kills during the early game. However, they proved to be no match for the formidable Faker. Commanding the champion Akali, Faker secured a triple kill, enabling T1 to snowball and decisively conclude the game in just 25 minutes.