IG Rookie leaving LPL due to family health issues in Korea

Olivia Richman Published 13/06/2019

Reigning world champion Invictus Gaming star mid laner Song “Rookie” Eul-jin has announced that he’s taking a break from playing League of Legends competitively. 

Rookie is heading to South Korea to rest with his family due to undisclosed health concerns. This was stated on Invictus Gaming’s official Weibo, but the announcement didn’t discuss if Rookie will be returning during this season, or at all. 

Rookie has been playing League of Legends professionally since 2014. He swiftly became a major part of Invictus Gaming after his former team, KT Rolster Arrows, defeated Samsung Blue in the HOT6iX Champions Summer 2014. Since then, Rookie has become known as one of the best mid laners in his region. Because of his large champion pool, Rookie is often nicknamed “Faker Junior.” 

Invictus Gaming recently lost to Team Liquid in the semifinals of the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational. 

The team is also not doing its best in the ongoing LPL Summer Split. They currently sit at a 1-2 score after falling to Victory Five on Monday. And now, Invictus is losing one of its star players. 

It’s a difficult situation for the team, who will have to add a second sub to its starting roster. Virtually unknown Deng “Forge” Jie will be taking Rookie’s place for the remainder of the LPL. When Wang “Baolan” Liu-Yi was benched earlier this month, Invictus had brought support Li-Tan “Lucas” Pan-Ao into the bottom lane. All of these new players may lead to difficulties for the team as they get accustomed to new styles and try to maintain their communication.

The result of Rookie’s abscense will be seen at Invictus Gaming’s match against EDward Gaming this Saturday. 

Olivia Richman

About Olivia Richman

Olivia has worked in media ever since graduating from college, with her coverage ranging from traditional newspaper reporting to digital coverage of all things gaming, online betting, and nerd culture. She has traveled around the world pursuing that coverage, from the far coasts of the United States to the busy downtown core of Tokyo, Japan. Olivia’s favorite games include Overwatch and Super Smash Smash Bros, and she has been published at Esports Illustrated, Inven Global, EsportsInsider, Upcomer, and elsewhere.

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