LGD Gaming

Chinese esports organization

LGD Gaming

Nickname| 老干爹 ("Old Godfather")
乐观家族 ("Optimistic Family")
Short name| LGD
Divisions| Dota 2
Honor of Kings
League of Legends
Overwatch
PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds
Founded| 2009 (2009)
Based in| Hangzhou, Zhejiang
Location| China
CEO| Pan Fei
Vice President| Hu "Bigbiao" Biao

LGD Gaming is a Chinese professional esports organization based in Hangzhou. It is one of the oldest esports organizations in China and currently has players competing in Dota 2, Honor of Kings, League of Legends, Overwatch, and PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.

LGD's Dota 2 team was notably in a partnership with PSG Esports,[1] and is known for making it to the grand finals of The International 2018 and The International 2021.[2] The partnership expired in September 2023.[3][4] Its League of Legends team competes in the League of Legends Pro League (LPL), the top level of professional League of Legends in China.[5][6]

LGD are also members of the Esports World Cup Foundation Club Support Program, funded by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which gives teams monetary rewards for painting the Esports World Cup tournament series in a positive light and driving engagement to the tournament, which is seen to some as a sportswashing tool that Saudi Arabia is using to distract the public from their poor human rights record.[7]

## Dota 2

[edit]

Main article: PSG.LGD

### 2018–2019

[edit]

LGD Gaming's original Dota 2 division was founded along with the organization in 2009. In April 2018, French football club Paris Saint-Germain F.C. partnered with LGD, sponsoring and rebranding the Dota 2 team to PSG.LGD.[1][8] After winning two Dota Pro Circuit majors in 2017 and 2018, the team secured a directive invite to The International 2018,[9][10] where they advanced to the grand finals but lost to OG 2–3.[2][11][12]

Following that, the roster remained together for the next season, where they received a direct invite to The International 2019 after securing a top 12 finish in that year's Dota Pro Circuit rankings. The team was placed in Group A, finishing with a 13–3 record which guaranteed a place in the upper bracket. There, the team defeated Virtus.pro and Vici Gaming before losing once again to OG in the upper bracket grand final.[13] The team was placed in the lower bracket final against Team Liquid, losing the series 2–1 to earn them 3rd place and therefore a total of $3,089,706.[14]

### 2020–2022

[edit]

The team continued with their strong form during The International 2021, going 15–1 in the group stage to advance to the upper bracket.[15] There, the team won every series to advance to the grand finals by defeating T1, Virtus.pro and Team Secret but ultimately falling to Team Spirit in the best-of-five series 3–2, after nearly staging a reverse-sweep.[16]

With the organization electing to not make any roster changes, the team continued their strong form into the 2022 season after facing off against in a series of rematches against Team Spirit. The first of two rematches led to a second-place finish at the PGL Arlington Major after losing the final 3–1, while the team won the inaugural Riyadh Masters with a 2–0 score.[17][18]

The team secured an invite to The International 2022, where despite being touted as favorites to win the event, the team placed 5th–6th at the event after losing to Team Aster.[19][20]

### 2023

[edit]

Before the start of The International 2023, the partnership between the two teams expired in September 2023. With this change, the roster will revert back to playing under the LGD Gaming banner.[3][4]

### 2024

[edit]

LGD Gaming failed to qualify for The International 2024, ending an 11-year streak of appearances. In the TI 2024 China Qualifier, they were defeated by Azure Ray and then by Team Turtle. This marks LGD Gaming’s first absence from The International since their debut in 2012.[21][22]

### Roster

[edit]

LGD Gaming Dota 2 roster

Players | Coaches
| Role  | Handle  | Name  | Nationality

|
|
|

Carry  | shiro  | Guo Xuanang  | China
Midlane  | Emo  | Zhou Yi  | China
Offlane  | niu  | Li Kongbo  | China
Support  | Pyw  | Xiong Jiahan  | China
Support  | y`  | Zhang Yiping  | China
Support  | planet (I) | Lin Hao  | China
Offlane  | Xiangyu (I) | Li Longwu  | China

Head coach

* Zhang "xiao8" Ning

* * *

Legend:

* (I) Inactive
* (S) Suspended
*   *   *   * Substitute
* Injury / Illness

Latest roster transaction: 11 December 2023.

## League of Legends

[edit]

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Find sources: "LGD Gaming" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (May 2019) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

LGD GamingGame| League of Legends

|

Founded| 20 February 2012
League| LPL
Stadium| LGD Allied Esports Stadium
Championships| 1× LPL (Summer 2015)

### History

[edit]

LGD Gaming created their League of Legends division on 20 February 2012, with Zhou "Bug" Qilin leading the team. After the TGA Grand Prix 2012, LGD qualified for the Season 2 China Regional Finals, but fell short after losing to Invictus Gaming. In 2013 Tencent created China's first championship series, the League of Legends Pro League (LPL). LGD failed to join the league through the qualifiers in both the spring and summer seasons of 2013, but was successful the next year, qualifying for the 2014 LPL Spring Split. The team placed fifth in the regular season of the 2014 LPL Spring Split, failing to qualify for playoffs. In the regular season of the 2014 LPL Summer Split however, LGD placed fourth and qualified for playoffs, where they lost to EDward Gaming 0–3 in the first round and Star Horn Royal Club 1–3 in the loser's bracket, remaining in 4th. LGD was unable to qualify for the 2014 World Championship after losing the final qualifying round in the 2014 China Regional Finals to OMG.

After failing to qualify for the 2014 World Championship, LGD decided to sign Korean players in hopes of qualifying the next year. Bot laner Gu "imp" Seung-bin[23] and top laners Choi "Acorn" Cheon-ju and Lee "Flame" Ho-jong were acquired from Samsung White, Samsung Blue, and CJ Entus Blaze respectively. LGD placed sixth in the regular season of the 2015 LPL Spring Split with a 7–5–10 record, qualifying for playoffs. In playoffs the team surprised expectations by beating both OMG and Snake Esports, who were 3rd and 2nd respectively in the regular season, in two 3–0 sweeps. This qualified LGD for the finals,[24] where they lost 2–3 to EDward Gaming in a close series.

### Roster

[edit]

Hangzhou LGD Gaming League of Legends roster

Players | Coaches
| Role  | Handle  | Name  | Nationality

|
|
|

Top  | Burdol  | Noh Tae-yoon  | South Korea
Jungle  | Meteor  | Zeng Guo-Hao  | China
Mid  | haichao  | Zhang Hai-Chao  | China
Mid  | Kepler  | Zou Jia-Le  | China
Bot  | Shaoye  | Qiu Guo-bin  | China
Support  | Jinjiao  | Xie Jinshan  | China
|  |
|  |

Head coach

Chen "1874" Li-Xin

Assistant coach(es)

Xian "Chelizi" Han-Xi

* * *

Legend:

* (I) Inactive
* (S) Suspended
*   *   *   * Substitute
* Injury / Illness

Roster updated 9 January 2024.

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "LGD Gaming: A Partner of Choice for PSG Esports". PSG Esports. 19 April 2018. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
2. ^ a b "OG beats PSG.LGD in winners bracket thriller; Evil Geniuses advances". ESPN. Rotoworld. 24 August 2018. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
3. ^ a b Gökhan Çakır (2023-09-04). "Iconic Chinese Dota 2 team will compete under new name for TI12". Dot Esports. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
4. ^ a b Kurt Lozano (2023-09-04). "Dota 2: PSG.LGD no more as LGD Gaming cease partnership with PSG Esports". Yahoo News. Retrieved 2023-09-15.
5. ^ "The Road to Worlds: an in-depth look at LGD Gaming". theScore esports. 14 September 2015. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
6. ^ LeJacq, Yannick (30 October 2015). "Everything You Need To Know About The League of Legends World Championships". Kotaku. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
7. ^ Fudge, James (6 May 2024). "30 Teams Selected for the Esports World Cup Club Support Program". The Esports Advocate. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
8. ^ Rose, Victoria (19 April 2018). "Soccer organization Paris Saint-Germain directly partners with LGD Gaming". The Flying Courier. Polygon. Retrieved 14 May 2018.
9. ^ "PSG.LGD clean sweep VGJ.Storm to become MDL Changsha Major champions". www.cybersport.com. Archived from the original on 13 June 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
10. ^ "PSG.LGD Wins Its First Dota Major And Also An Infinity Gauntlet". Kotaku Australia. 7 May 2018. Archived from the original on June 13, 2018. Retrieved 13 June 2018.
11. ^ "OG wins five-game thriller to take The International 8 title and $11 million". ESPN. Rotowire. 25 August 2018.
12. ^ Strom, Steven (26 August 2018). "Dota 2 championship ends in a pulse-pounding, curse-breaking Cinderella story". PC Gamer. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
13. ^ Hao, Dexter Tan Guan (24 August 2019). "History repeats itself as OG beats PSG.LGD at The International 2019". DotEsports. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
14. ^ "Dota 2 - The International". dota2.com. Archived from the original on May 5, 2018. Retrieved August 18, 2019.
15. ^ Lozano, Kurt (10 October 2021). "Dota 2 TI10 Day 4 recap: Wild Group Stage comes to a close". Yahoo News. Retrieved 12 October 2021.
16. ^ Utama, Kenneth. "Team Spirit's International 10 win: Dota's ultimate underdog run". Upcomer. Retrieved 20 June 2022.
17. ^ Lozano, Kurt (15 August 2022). "Team Spirit defeat PSG.LGD 3-1 to win the Dota 2 PGL Arlington Major". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
18. ^ Jambi, Rahaf (25 July 2022). "PSG.LGD claim Dota 2 Riyadh Masters crown with Gamers8 final triumph to earn $1.5m prize". Arab News. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
19. ^ Tsiaoussidis, Alex (20 October 2022). "China still on top: Dota 2 fans weigh in on early TI11 favorites and EG isn't number one". Dot Esports. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
20. ^ Michael, Cale (23 October 2022). "PSG.LGD record worst placement in years at TI11 as Faith_bian retires from Dota 2". Dot Esports. Retrieved 20 June 2023.
21. ^ "No LGD at TI 2024: An end to a glorious 11-year streak". esports.gg. 2024-09-04. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
22. ^ "LGD Fall Short In TI13 Regional Qualifiers | GosuGamers". www.gosugamers.net. Retrieved 2024-09-17.
23. ^ Moser, Kelsey (25 November 2014). "Imp to join LGD Gaming". GameSpot. Retrieved 26 May 2019.
24. ^ Moser, Kelsey (25 April 2015). "LGD vs EDG: the best shot at MSI". theScore esports. Archived from the original on 26 May 2019. Retrieved 26 May 2019.

## External links

[edit]

* LGD Gaming on Facebook

* v
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League of Legends Pro League

Teams|

* Anyone's Legend
* Bilibili Gaming
* Edward Gaming
* FunPlus Phoenix
* Invictus Gaming
* JD Gaming
* LGD Gaming
* LNG Esports
* Ninjas in Pyjamas
* Oh My God
* Royal Never Give Up
* Team WE
* Top Esports
* ThunderTalk Gaming
* Ultra Prime
* Weibo Gaming

Seasons|

* 2020
* 2021
* 2022
* 2023
* 2024
* 2025

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