Top League of Legends organization T1 is still one of the game’s most popular and iconic brands, but continued DDOS attacks prove the organization isn’t universally beloved.
Denial of service attacks are an effective means of trolling people through the internet. People use bots to slow down servers, disrupting normal use of the internet. This is unfortunately common in gaming and streaming. Games like Diablo 4 have been taken down as individuals look to frustrate players by preventing it from functioning properly.
Esports is no different, as players across multiple games have stated they’ve been hit with DDOS attacks while playing official matches. This isn’t just standard trolling in some cases, as some actively attempt to influence the outcome of matches for betting purposes. The organization and its players have been a regular victim of this. Fans got an update regarding this on X.
T1 stated that its players were unable to host planned livestreams due to DDOS attacks.
“Since December 2024 and the beginning of the new year, fans were able to enjoy the livestreams of our players. However, the unresolved DDOS attacks have once again affected the players’ livestream, and the team will not stream until further notice. We will update our fans with the streaming schedule once conditions are stabilized,” T1 said in a statement on X.
This is far from T1’s first time dealing with these issues.
In 2024, T1’s star mid laner Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok blamed DDOS attacks for a loss to Hanwha Life Esports. During the 2024 LCK Spring Playoffs, T1 suffered a surprise 3-0 defeat that prematurely ended its run. Speaking in the post-match press conference, Faker stated that the team was unable to play in solo queue due to targeted cyberattacks. He also criticized Riot Games and labeled the situation as “not fair.”
The reason for the latest alleged DDOS attacks against T1 is unknown. Bad actors have been known to try and externally affect the outcome of matches for betting purposes. This may have been the case with individuals interfering with T1’s practice.
However, T1 has also dealt with some uniquely toxic League of Legends fans.
For years, T1 fans have lambasted the organization over roster decisions and ownership changes. Meanwhile, haters have threatened violence on many occasions. This includes both harassing the professional players and even terrorizing fans of the teams at live events.
By comparison, shutting down players’ livestreams is relatively minor. However, there’s no end in sight to this harassment.
Part of the reason that DDOS attacks are so effective is that they’re difficult to combat or punish. Though individuals have been prosecuted for using DDOS attacks, in most cases they go unchallenged. Because of that, T1 and its players will likely have to simply continue dealing with these issues.
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