The League of Legends 2025 World Championship will be played on patch 25.20. Recently, Riot’s official designers revealed the list of champion changes: Anivia, Fizz, Katarina, Malphite, Pantheon, and Veigar all received various buffs (exact numbers not yet disclosed), while Bel'Veth, Orianna, Volibear, Warwick, and Wukong were nerfed. Overall, the champion adjustments are relatively moderate.

Azar, Camille, and Graves are not listed among buffs or nerfs, but the designers have made individual tweaks. Riot believes Azar has been too dominant in the pro scene; however, further nerfs would negatively impact casual players. Therefore, the designers are trying to shift Azar’s strengths more toward his skill set in competitive play, while simultaneously giving casual players a slight power boost during this adjustment.

Peanut retires and enlists after finishing Season 15

With just over ten days remaining until Worlds begins, HLE’s jungler Peanut recently announced that he will retire and enlist after competing in the Season 15 World Championship. This upcoming global tournament will be Peanut’s final performance. From a young rookie to a seasoned veteran, many fans have followed his career closely. Though he never won a world title, he is still considered a legend.

Over more than a decade, Peanut has maintained strong form. Although his performance slightly declined this year, he remains a top-tier jungler in the LCK. Choosing to retire now feels somewhat premature, especially since he mentioned he could have postponed enlistment. Had he achieved his dream of winning a championship this year, Peanut might have continued playing another split like Deft. However, HLE’s chances of winning seem slim.

Zhu Kai: IG can break into top 8 if they beat T1 in the play-in stage

The upcoming BO5 between T1 and IG has already sparked intense discussion before the match even starts. During a recent livestream, Zhu Kai analyzed the series, stating that T1’s biggest edge lies in their top lane. If they can pressure Doran early, they have a chance to win. However, these two teams will likely feed off each other’s energy. If T1 manages to contain themselves, the Swiss format could favor them, leading to a smooth path. Otherwise, IG will gain momentum, and Gala could advance to the quarterfinals.

Doran and Keria are known for their temperamental playstyles, which can lead to mistakes. Even if IG’s top lane steps up, beating T1 remains difficult unless T1’s top and support both lose composure. Currently, Oner and Faker are in good form, so if IG can’t match mid-jungle pressure, victory will be tough. Thus, Rookie’s performance in this BO5 will be crucial for IG’s chances; if he underperforms, IG’s hopes fade.

Riot updates power rankings; IG misses out on top ten

Recently, Riot updated their global team power rankings. LCK’s GEN, HLE, and T1 occupy the top three spots, while LPL’s AL, BLG, and TES hold fourth through sixth. The seventh to tenth places are taken by FLY, CFO, KT, and G2 respectively. Our region’s fourth seed, IG, didn’t even make the top ten. However, this ranking is mostly for fun, as Riot calculates it automatically based on wins and losses.

Overall, Riot’s power rankings hold limited reference value. GEN’s top spot is well-deserved, but based on playoff and play-in performances, BLG should arguably be ranked second globally. T1’s placement in the top three seems questionable; judging by current form, they should be ranked no higher than fifth. Still, all teams in the top ten are strong contenders, and FLY and CFO look like potential dark horses at Worlds this year.

Conclusion:

After Peanut retires post-Worlds, the entire peak-era ROX runner-up lineup will have left the competitive scene. Looking back at that year’s finals, it’s truly a pity ROX didn’t claim the championship. Among T1’s five world titles, ROX was the only team to consistently challenge them head-on. Although BLG also went the distance last year, Faker has become a veteran mechanical prodigy in his twenties.

So, what do you think? If IG beats T1, can they break into the quarterfinals?

Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments!