Riot Games is allegedly investigating Evil Geniuses’ treatment of Kyle “Danny” Sakamaki.
In February of 2023, Richard Lewis reported the behind-the-scenes issues at EG that led Danny to leave pro League of Legends. Danny had seemingly left abruptly in the middle of the LCS playoffs, but Lewis wrote that Danny was not given the support he needed during his time on the team. Another journalist, Arsh Goyal, then outlined more details that had him
accusing EG of incompetence.
Danny is on the autism spectrum and was overwhelmed when he was moved to South Korea. EG reportedly didn’t receive support from staff to help him adjust to the change. His mental health started to take a turn for the worse as EG went into the Summer Split. Despite not being in a state where he should play, he was still on stage competing against Team Liquid at the playoffs. At one point, Goyal claimed that members of EG’s staff even blamed Danny for “ruining everything.”
Despite the multiple reports, Danny took to Twitter to claim that EG “supported me all the way.”
Even though Danny had no ill will towards EG in public, an LCS spokesperson recently confirmed that Riot Games is investigating the esports organization’s alleged mistreatment of their former player.
According to a
report by Dexerto, Riot games is “aware of the allegations surrounding the treatment of Evil Geniuses player Danny.” In response to these allegations, the LCS enlisted a third-party law firm to investigate the situation. This is still ongoing.
Unfortunately, there’s no further information at this time. For now, Riot Games is focusing on the “health, safety, and privacy” of Danny and other potentially affected players.
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.