The League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) is set to undergo significant changes in its 2025 season, with a complete rework of its tournament structure and competitive dynamics.
These changes include the addition of the LCK Cup in early 2025, the adoption of Fearless Draft for select tournaments, and a unified single-season format instead of the traditional split-season model. Here’s a breakdown of what’s coming to the LCK in 2025.
LCK Cup – A New Tournament to Kick Off 2025
One of the biggest additions for the upcoming season is the LCK Cup, a new tournament that will serve as the opener for the 2025 competitive year. Scheduled to run from January to February, the LCK Cup will determine which team will represent the region in the first international tournament of the year, set for March.
This tournament will open with a group stage format, where the top two teams from the previous season will each select a team to join their respective groups. Teams will continue to choose members until there are two groups of five teams, creating an intensely competitive lead-up to the new international event.
Introduction of Fearless Draft
The Fearless Draft format will make its debut in the LCK Cup and will be used in the first international tournament. In this format, champions selected in a series are “locked out” from being chosen again in subsequent games of the same series.
For example, in a best-of-five matchup, a total of 50 champions will be unavailable by the fifth game, forcing teams to diversify their picks and strategies drastically. This format is designed to showcase team adaptability and strategic depth, emphasizing champion mastery across the roster.
Unified LCK Regular Season – Say Goodbye to Spring and Summer Splits
Instead of the familiar split seasons (Spring and Summer), the LCK will now have a single Regular Season spanning most of the year, beginning after the first international tournament and running until just before Worlds.
The new Regular Season format will be divided into five rounds:
- Rounds 1 and 2 will retain the traditional double round-robin style, where teams face off twice.
- After Round 2, the standings will split teams into two groups, Legend and Rise, based on their performance. The top five teams will enter the Legend group, while the remaining five join the Rise group.
- In Rounds 3, 4, and 5, teams will only compete within their assigned groups, leading to distinct group dynamics and rivalries.
Teams in the Legend group that perform well will receive favorable placements in the playoffs, with the top four advancing directly to the later stages and securing various levels of byes. Meanwhile, the bottom-ranked Legend team and the top three Rise teams will go to the play-ins, while the bottom two Rise teams won’t advance further in the season.
Impact of These Changes on LCK’s Competitive Landscape
These adjustments to the LCK’s structure will emphasize adaptability, with the Fearless Draft format encouraging diverse champion pools and the new single-season model fostering longer-term team strategies.
The LCK Cup also presents a valuable opportunity for teams to establish momentum early in the season, aiming to represent Korea on the global stage right from the start.
Conclusion
The LCK’s changes for 2025 bring a bold new direction that promises to intensify competition and showcase the strategic depth of teams throughout the year.
With the addition of the LCK Cup, the innovative Fearless Draft, and a more cohesive season structure, fans can look forward to a refreshed and thrilling year of League of Legends action in Korea.
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