What’s Next for Faker? Player Spotlight
There are plenty of arguments describing Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok as the greatest esports player of all time. Moreover, in this featured player spotlight, we’re taking a look at this career and posing a curious question – what’s next for Faker?
Faker – Glazing The Demon King
Entering the scene in 2013, 11 years later Faker has a collection of five World Championship victories (2013, 2015, 2016, 2023 & 2024) and countless MVP awards highlighting his exceptional talent.
Indeed, it was at the recent 2024 World Championship victory, that his incredible legacy shined on the biggest esports stage in the world. Finally, he tapped this off by winning the Finals MVP award as one of the best LoL players.
However, we’d argue that beyond his achievements, his ambition to continue to compete despite having won it all is truly inspiring. You’d think that after 4 World Championship wins, one would consider hanging up the sticks and stopping trying so hard.
As the “most iconic and influential figure in League of Legends”, Faker was an obvious first entry into the Hall of Legends by LoL Esports.
When will Faker Retire?
Accordingly, with so much success and a LoL odds powerhouse, fans are simply desperate to know – when will Faker retire? While it’s known that his contract expires in November 2025, the veteran has ruled out any plans to retire:
“Even if I win this year, this is not my last shot. I will keep on working hard and doing my best” – Faker the day before winning Worlds 2024
Regardless if he won Worlds 2024 or not, it seems that Faker’s priority is to keep his work ethic going and to continue pushing the boundaries.
However, Faker is completely aware that a lack of results could easily see doubters rise to the occasion, such as when T1 finished 3rd at the LCK Summer 2024 tournament.
Please Switch to Twitch
Despite all of the success, Faker’s greatest room for improvement is his social media presence for the Western audience.
Due to T1 signing a streaming exclusivity deal with AfreecaTV in Korea, all T1 players are restricted to this platform. Indeed, while this is fantastic for his local presence, imagine if Faker streamed on an international platform like Twitch?
Specifically, considering his brand deals with giants such as Razer, Nike and Red Bull, his stream would simply be an insane advertising opportunity with huge demand. Instantly, he’d become the number one best LoL streamer.
While we’re sure he’ll continue to compete at the highest level and doesn’t need the added source of income, streaming more frequently for an international audience could offer a back-up career should things get hairy. Especially since T1’s recent roster change, the community started wondering.
Overall, the entire industry is watching Faker – let’s see what he chooses to do.
