LoL: One of the biggest players in Europe moves to the 2nd division – “Doesn’t want to be that guy anymore”

In League of Legends, Martin “Rekkles” Larsson is without a doubt one of the greatest players Europe has ever produced. The Swede has been voted Europe’s most valuable player four times, most recently only six months ago. Now the botlaner is voluntarily changing to the 2nd division of LoL. Many wonder why? The Swede now gives the answer to these questions.

Who is Rekkles?

Rekkles says: Without KCorp, he would not have played a professional LoL in 2022

This is what Rekkles says about his move: Rekkles’ move from the LEC’s top team to Karmine Corp, a French LFL team, caused a stir.

An exhibition match between Karmine Corp and a Spanish esports team KOI reached more viewers than most of the games in the LEC playoffs. During this training game, Rekkles gave an interview.

About the change, he says what he likes so much at KCorp, be it that there is a clear boss of the team in Top-Laner Cabochard. So Rekkles, although he is so experienced, does not have to assume the leadership role that is expected of him everywhere else:

“It’s really nice not to have to be that guy anymore. That takes a lot of burden off me. “

Rekkles

Without being solely responsible for leading the team, he can concentrate more on his personal development.

Rekkles says he just needed a fresh start

In general, Rekkles just needed a gap and a fresh start. He says he’s been playing in the LEC for 9 years and missed out on the World Cup in 2021. Obviously, that put such a damper on him that he even considered giving up professional games in LoL in 2022.

But playing at KCorp in a new league and under different circumstances now seems to give him the variety he just needed after 9 years in the LEC.

The move to France also brings a change for the Swede: He now wants to learn French properly because he plans to stay with the team. He even has 2025 as the time frame.

New LoL teams are on the rise right now – esports are becoming more lucrative

This is behind it: Especially during the Corona period, some longtime LoL professionals seemed to have fallen on their heads. Because the highlight of the week, playing LoL “in front of an audience”, suddenly disappeared and matches just felt like another day of LoL training.

Especially the professionals, for whom their life has consisted only of LoL for years, were apparently looking for a change after the pandemic year 2020: Doublelift became a streamer, Bjergsen became a coach, Perkz went to the USA, many others ended their careers and retired . And Rekkles just switched to the eternal rival, G2.

But after things didn’t go well for Rekkles at G2, he is now taking the step and moving to the 2nd division. Certainly he could have gone to the USA for a lot of money, but apparently he is attracted by the prospects he is offered in France. One can assume that he does not earn badly in France either.

KCorp was founded in 2020 by Twitch streamers. This is a new trend in LoL teams: some new teams that were founded by influencers seem to be warming up in the 2nd division in order to buy a spot in the LEC in the medium term and get started there.

In addition to Karmine Corp, there is also a large new esports team in Spain supported by influencer Ibai and soccer star Pique. In Germany, too, an exciting second division team is developing with great ambitions, behind which there is a gaming influencer:

German YouTuber founds e-sports team – joins the highest German LoL league