The LPL "retirement list" sparks heated discussions, with JKL included, IG drawing the most attention, and the league facing challenges.

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The third split of the LPL is approaching the playoff stage, now in a rest phase while everyone prepares for the opening matches. The final standings this year will surely affect the fate of many teams and players.

Lately, viewers have been discussing a fascinating topic about which players might retire after this year’s conclusion.

LPL retirement list, IG draws the most attention

One of the biggest features of the current LPL region is the gap between generations: veteran players’ skills are noticeably declining, while newcomers have yet to reach the same level, leading to an overall drop in league strength. This is why many doubt the LPL can still defeat the LCK. The LPL has indeed been on a downward slope, and a reversal seems unlikely.

Editor’s note

Under these circumstances, the LPL can maintain some popularity mainly thanks to many star players, but these stars are clearly aging and will inevitably retire someday.

Judging by this year’s situation, quite a few veterans might retire, and netizens have compiled a list.

Starting with the IG team, The Shy and Rookie are possible retirees, although neither has expressed such intentions or given any clues. The LPL region definitely hopes IG will continue competing. After the season ends, the league will likely support or even back IG’s roster to maintain next year’s popularity.

Editor’s note

The key lies in The Shy and Rookie’s own thoughts and whether they have any desire to retire.

JKL is also on the list, while Doinb’s situation is precarious.

Whether The Shy and Rookie retire depends heavily on IG’s performance in the third split. Their primary goal is securing a Worlds spot, and then achieving at least a quarterfinal finish. Avoiding a poor performance is crucial, especially for The Shy and Rookie; a shattered morale due to bad results could lead to retirement.

Another member of the Incheon Three Cores is JKL. Honestly, JKL’s chance of retiring might be even higher than The Shy and Rookie’s, since he revealed on stream that he has injuries and isn’t in great physical condition.

TES’s manager Guo Hao previously vowed to resign if the team didn’t perform well. TES’s overall situation remains bleak, and if Guo Hao steps down, TES might disband. In that case, JKL retiring becomes very likely (though the LPL league certainly wants JKL to keep playing).

Besides the three main Incheon stars, Doinb is another popular player, but honestly, his attention dropped significantly after being placed in the lower bracket. From this perspective, Doinb retiring is quite possible. If his future results don’t improve, he might return to streaming full-time. NIP facing TES is also a risky situation.

The LPL faces a huge challenge, fearing a lack of attention.

Besides the four mentioned, JDG’s mid laner Scout, support Missing, WBG’s mid laner Xiaohu, support Crisp, and ADC Light also have retirement possibilities. Analyzing carefully, the chances of these players retiring are quite high. Personally, I believe Scout, Missing, and Light are very likely to retire.

Scout and Missing performed terribly this year. Scout seems to have lost his passion for pro play, possibly affected by off-field issues. In any case, Scout’s current level can no longer support him in top teams. As a former champion mid laner, strong teams won’t pick him, and weaker teams don’t want him, so retirement is a likely outcome.

Missing’s performance is even worse than Scout’s. Light said in an earlier interview that he probably won’t play many more matches, perfectly illustrating the phrase “disheartened.”

In summary, most players facing retirement are struggling mentally and have lost their passion for the profession. Even if their skills remain adequate, the LPL can accommodate these veterans for many years. However, if they no longer want to continue mentally, their performance will decline significantly, leading them to choose retirement.

For the LPL, it is unacceptable to lose many star players to retirement. The league currently lacks strong results, and the biggest fear for the next phase is losing fan attention. Once these popular players retire, the LPL will enter a true winter season.