The departure of Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk from Gen.G has created shock waves in the League of Legends esports scene. Senior AD Carry instantly joined the top echelon of free agency talent and reportedly received offers from both the LCK and LPL. However, a surprising new competitor has reportedly emerged for Ruler’s services: the LCS.
Could Ruler reunite with a legendary ex-teammate in the LCS? – Riot Games
According to LCK rumor reporter JH YooHoo, “multi-million-dollar offers are on the table” for Ruler’s services, implying that multiple LCS teams are investigating AD Carry. The news is making a big change out of a relatively quiet season for the LCS and its European counterpart is getting all the attention.
However, a few key moves point to signs of life for this bombshell rumor. First up, Steven “Hans sama” Liv is reportedly returning to the LEC after a year with Team Liquid. Second, Evil Geniuses apparently has an open position on AD Carry after it was reported that Kyle “Danny” Sakamaki will not be returning in 2023 and his replacement, Mohammed “Kaori” Şentürk, is planning to move to Europe. This leaves two LCS powerhouses with a vacant position in Ruler’s position. It will be a particularly interesting target for Ruler as Team Liquid will reunite him with the support of Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in. Ruler and CoreJJ won a World Championship title together on the Samsung Galaxy in 2017.
LCS possibly longtime suitor for Ruler
However, LCS fans shouldn’t get too excited just yet. With the reported bidding war for Ruler’s services, the LCS is likely an outside contender for his signature. The league does not carry the pedigree or competitiveness of the LCK or LPL. Also, a previous leak from LPL mid laner Kim “Doinb” Tae-sang suggested that LCK and LPL players have been cautious about signing LCS teams. This is primarily due to the number of Chinese and Korean imports shipped home after a single LCS split in 2022.
League of League’s free agency period begins on November 21. But Ruler’s 2023 goal may be for fans to wait a little longer.
