DPlus players haven’t been paid in a month as upcoming acquisition affects finances
Korean esports organization Dplus Kia has reportedly not paid players for multiple titles it competes in for a period of at least a month as it grapples with financial issues related to an upcoming acquisition.
The news surfaced on July 16 that the organization was struggling to fulfill its commitments to pay players. Just a few hours later, DPlus released a statement admitting the issues, but insisting that players had agreed to and understood the delay.
At the time of writing, DPlus’s League of Legends team is set to compete in the EWC 2026. Could payment issues spell the end of a storied LCK team?
DPlus ducks player salaries as acquisition looms
DPlus, who have also competed under the banners DWG Kia and DAMWON Gaming, are former World Champions in League of Legends, having won Worlds in 2020. The org compete in the Korean LCK, and have a roster of top players, including Heo “ShowMaker” Su, their star player.
But as of mid July it’s emerged that the organization hadn’t paid its players in a month. Reports suggested this had affected not just their flagship League of Legends roster, but their VALORANT, PUBG, EA Sports FC, and Rainbow Six Siege teams.
DPlus lift the Worlds 2020 trophy as DAMWON Gaming. Image credit: Riot Games.
Numerous publications reported on the issues
forcing a statement from DPlus
on July 16 on their official social media. While the post was issued in Korean, initial translations via Google suggested that the organization was struggling with finances during an ongoing acquisition process. They implied that players had been informed of these issues and that the payment was only delayed for this month.
But the situation could turn ugly if either the acquisition falls through, or Riot Games steps in. Earlier this year, Riot intervened when Turkish VALORANT team ULF Esports failed to pay players,
expelling them from the VCT and sanctioning the organization. In their place, Eternal Fire were allowed to purchase the roster and continue in ULF’s place.
DPlus, who currently compete in the LCK are at the time of writing are on the verge of elimination from the Esports World Cup 2026, face a real crisis. Should Riot step in as with ULF, they could find their spot taken ahead of their seemingly crucial acquisition, perhaps sinking that deal as well.
Whatever the case DPlus are in hot water: Former World Champions reduced to delayed wages and potential removal from the LCK.
Featured Image Credit: Riot Games.
Michael Hassall
About Michael Hassall
Michael is a eight-year veteran of the games writing space, but has being playing them for as long as he can remember. With bylines across the internet, he’s used his expertise to cover esports, prediction markets, mainstream gaming, streamers, and more besides.
View full profile
Read Also
Dota 2
Team Spirit wins TI15 to lift a record third Aegis of Champions
Michael Hassall
Team Spirit has defeated TEAM VISION in the grand finals of TI15, The International 2025. In a full five-game series on Aug. 23, Spirit pulled out all the stops and narrowly defeated an incredible VISION team in a back-and-forth series in Shanghai, China. With Spirit’s victory, Illya "Yatoro" Mulyarchuk and Magomed "Collapse" Khalilov become the first ever three-time TI champions, and Team Spirit becomes the first ever organization to lift ...
Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Finals Preview and Predictions
Michael Hassall
The International 2026, TI15, has reached its final day, and just three teams remain in the fight for the Aegis of Champions. With the lower bracket final and Grand Final still to come, everything comes down to one final day of Dota 2 action. The lower bracket finalists will first battle for the right to reach the main event’s final series, while the winner will advance to face the upper-bracket ...
Fortnite
When does the current Fortnite season end?
Zachary Roberts
When does the current Fortnite season end? This is a question that’s always important to know the answer to. For one thing, many elements of the season, such as the items and characters, will go away at that time. That is also when players will no longer be able to earn battle pass rewards. The current Fortnite season, Chapter 7 Season 4, began on August 20. It’s expected to run ...
Dota 2
TI15’s opening ceremony weaves a tapestry of emotion for Valve’s storied title
Michael Hassall
The main stage of The International 2026, TI15, kicked off today with the traditional opening ceremony heralding the start of the biggest celebration of Dota 2 on the calendar. On Aug. 20 fans in Shanghai, China, and at home, were treated to a rousing 11-minute series of performances and video packages, introducing TI15’s main stage show. Here’s how the magic unfolded: The ceremony began with a graphic which quite literally ...
League of Legends
Which Teams Should Be Panicking Ahead of LoL Worlds 2026?
Ben Boland
The 2026 League of Legends World Championship is fast approaching, with the tournament beginning on 15 October. 19 of the best teams that esports has to offer will do battle in North America for a shot at the Summoner's Cup. For teams like Bilibili Gaming and Hanwha Life Esports, their fates are already sealed without stepping foot on the Rift again, but for the rest of the teams, they will ...
Dota 2
The International 2026 (TI15) Playoffs preview and predictions
Michael Hassall
The Group Stage of The International 2026, TI15, is in the books and we’ve whittled down 16 of the world’s best Dota 2 teams to just eight finalists. One of these talented lineups will be the ones lifting the Aegis of Champions come Sunday, Aug. 23, but until then, there’s plenty of playoff shenanigans that could go on. Below we’ve put together a preview of the upcoming Playoff Games, along ...
League of Legends
Predictions For Gen.G vs Dplus KIA: Best Value Odds at GGBET
Ben Boland
Two of the more in-form teams in the LCK go head-to-head as Dplus KIA takes on Gen.G on 22 August. Despite the odds leaning more towards a Gen.G win, there are some solid bets to make across the board, not just simply the result. Dplus KIA have shown impressive form throughout the summer and so shouldn’t be discounted in this series. In this preview, we will highlight the best chances to ...
