Despite high expectations following last season, T1 finished the first round of the LCK 2025 Season in only 3rd place, significantly trailing behind Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports, who confidently dominated the regular season. The season for the multiple world champions began with numerous questions, many of which remain unanswered.

The Loss of Zeus and the New Top Laner

After Worlds 2024, the team suffered a significant loss — Zeus, recognized as one of the best top laners of the present day, left the team. He was replaced by Doran, a former HLE player. It was expected that he would be a worthy replacement, but his inconsistent play and frequent mistakes turned T1's top lane from a point of strength into a weakness. Doran was unable to compete with his peers from Gen.G or HLE, losing even in the lane.

Gumayusi or Smash?

Another painful topic was the unstable start of the season due to rotations in the ADC position. Smash would appear in the starting lineup, only to leave the spot for Gumayusi again. This uncertainty in the roster prevented them from building a cohesive game on the bot lane. Moreover, Gumayusi showed a decline in form, and Keria, long considered the best support in the world, also couldn't find his optimal game.

As a result, the team's foundational roles were "sagging," and only Faker and Oner regularly kept T1 "afloat." In many series, it was these two who carried the matches through individual skill, creative roams by Oner, and Faker's unyielding leadership.

A Rough Start to the Year

The first tournament of the season — LCK Cup 2025 was another blow to the fans' ambitions. T1 finished in 6th place, losing in the first playoff match. This was just the first sign that the team would need to find balance in their game, or results would not come. Following the failure, the team spent two months without official matches, yet still couldn't find their game.

Prospects for LCK Road to MSI 2025

Ahead lies the Road to MSI, and T1 still has a chance to qualify for the second international tournament of the year. However, the main problem is that the team cannot outperform their direct competitors — Gen.G and Hanwha Life Esports. Both these teams not only defeat T1 but do so confidently and systematically.

According to the playoff bracket, T1 is almost guaranteed to face one of these two teams in the match for the second spot at the MSI 2025. And if Faker and the team want to step onto the international stage once more, they will need to find a new strategy, stability, and restore the form of the entire bottom lane.

Conclusion

Despite all the problems, T1 remains among the top 3 teams in Korea. However, if they don't resolve the instability issues with Doran and find synergy on the bot lane, the road to MSI might remain just a dream. And if anyone can turn the scenario around, it's only a team with Faker in the lineup. But time is running out. T1's first playoff match is scheduled for June 14th, and you can follow the tournament's progress via this link.