Korea is increasingly likely to win the World Championship (Worlds), the top stage of "League of Legends (LoL)" esports, for a fourth straight year. Of the four LCK (Korea league) representatives, Gen.G, Hanwha Life Esports, and kt Rolster have secured quarterfinal berths, with only T1 still playing out the remaining group schedule. This year, as Gen.G continues to dominate in pursuit of a treble across international events, Riot Games, despite box-office success, faces the challenge of regional concentration.
According to overseas betting markets on the 24th, the LCK is widely seen as the favorite to win the 2025 World Championship. As of the day, the LCK's championship odds were 1.333, which is interpreted as a winning probability of more than 75%. By region, China (LPL) was second at 3.750, Europe (LEC) at 19.000, and North America (LTA) at 41.210. In team-level projections, Gen.G posted the lowest odds among all participants at 2.030. Hanwha Life Esports ranked second at 5.300, and T1 placed fourth at 6.860.
On the 23rd, Gen.G swept LPL powerhouse TOP Esports (TES) 2-0 in round 4 of the Swiss stage in Beijing, China, to clinch a quarterfinal spot at 3-1. After a come-from-behind loss to AL earlier, the team proved its strength by beating T1 and TES in succession. In the match, "Kiin" Kim Ki-in's Rek'Sai and "Chovy" Jeong Ji-hun's Taliyah and Yone showed perfect coordination to overwhelm the opponent. Gen.G has already swept the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), the Esports World Cup (EWC), and the LCK final this year, and a Worlds title would complete an unprecedented "quadruple crown."
Hanwha Life Esports is also maintaining steady momentum after winning the First Stand tournament. The team, which was eliminated in the quarterfinals last year after losing to Bilibili Gaming, is approaching this tournament with the determination to "take revenge against a Chinese powerhouse." The LCK's third seed kt Rolster also went 3-0 through the Swiss stage, showing unexpected grit. If T1 also reaches the quarterfinals, all four Korean teams will advance to the knockout stage.
This year's tournament is record-breaking in prize money as well. Riot Games set the total purse at $5 million, more than doubling last year's $2.225 million. Chris Greeley, Riot's global head of LoL Esports, said, "We will support both pro and amateur organizations in building a sustainable ecosystem," adding, "This tournament will be the turning point." Team merchandise sales revenue will also be distributed separately, and the champion's actual take is expected to be more than twice the prize money.
Viewership metrics are also on the rise. Last year's final between T1 and Bilibili Gaming set an esports record with peak concurrent viewership of 6.94 million (excluding China). This year, records have been falling since the play-in stage. The opener between T1 and IG drew more than 2.5 million viewers, and Gen.G's round 3 and 4 matches surpassed 1.8 million concurrent viewers on the LCK official channels. The 2025 tournament is also likely to be the most successful ever.
However, Riot Games is grappling with a deepening "LCK-centric" trend. While the LCK and LPL remain strong, North America (LTA) and Europe (LEC) saw viewership fall by about 50% and 30%, respectively, from a year earlier. Critics say international competitiveness has not improved despite league consolidations (North America–South America and parts of Asia). In contrast, fandom in Korea is rapidly expanding around T1 and Gen.G, and LCK matches account for a significant portion of overall ratings.
In fact, during the LCK 2025 season playoffs, T1 vs. Gen.G drew more than 2 million concurrent viewers, the highest in league history. As viewership concentrates on certain leagues, the gap among global leagues is widening, and the imbalance in regional sponsorship markets is intensifying. An industry official said, "As the LCK and LPL have effectively become the 'first-tier leagues,' the ecosystems in other regions are weakening," adding, "For Riot, the dilemma between popularity and balance is bound to grow."
Korea set a record of five straight Worlds titles from 2013 to 2017. If Gen.G reaches the top this year following DRX in 2022 and T1 in 2023 and 2024, it would mark the beginning of a quest to replicate five straight after eight years. An esports club official said, "Not only Gen.G but other LCK teams are the strongest in existence compared with other leagues," adding, "As the global gap widens, we cannot rule out the possibility of larger adjustments to tournament seed allocations or the pick-ban format."