The competitive League of Legends scene witnessed an unprecedented event this past weekend in the LCK, leaving behind historic images and a sense of dangerous vulnerability for the future.
Background
When discussing pauses or eternal matches in League of Legends, one often recalls the CLG EU vs World Elite match from season 2, where audiences watched players wait for over 7 hours with looped music playing in the background (hence the Silver Scrapes meme).
광희야 화이팅 ㅜㅜ pic.twitter.com/QzRXbbBaPs
— 쨈 (@tul1ee) February 25, 2024
LCK’s Unexpected Incident
A similar scenario unfolded in the LCK, the world’s most prestigious league, and a competition that seemed secure against cyber-attacks, given the fortified nature of the LoL Park.
DDoS Attack Causes Chaos
A DDoS attack caused constant pauses during the DK vs DRX match’s final map, a game that began at 3:00 PM in South Korea and extended beyond 9:00 PM. The organization took many hours to resolve the issue, keeping players seated and waiting throughout, prompting desperate reactions from the players.
ShowMaker is tired 😴😴
DK vs DRX, what was supposed to be a simple bo3, has lasted six hours so far with no end at sight due to "Network Issues" at LoL Park pic.twitter.com/vRhIhDW3Eq
— Ashley Kang (@AshleyKang) February 25, 2024
Delayed Victory
After the seemingly endless pause, DK managed to secure victory against DRX. However, the next scheduled match between Bro and KDF will be postponed due to the technical issues experienced during the session.
Conclusion
This surreal incident highlights how technical problems or hacking can disrupt an entire competition like the LCK, and how players are ill-prepared to handle such a situation.
G2 Esports’ Overwhelming Scrims Data: No Match for Them in LoL