Foreword: The S16 season has officially begun, and most players are undoubtedly keeping a close eye on the recent matches. The LPL playoffs are fiercely contested. We are now at the crucial stage where every point matters. It came as a surprise that within one day, two teams that were strong contenders for the World Championship were eliminated. Among the top laners on the All-Pro teams, only Theshy, who is on the third team, remains. According to insider information, it seems that TES might disband next year. Although the source is just an ordinary player, a level 73 account does carry some weight. Of course, none of this has been confirmed, and we must wait for an official response from the organization.

Only Theshy remains among top laners, TES disbanding rumors

I believe that the vast majority of players are very focused on IG. As a traditional powerhouse in the LPL, they have maintained a stable overall performance in recent matches. Since they came from the loser's bracket, they have no resurrection armor. To secure a spot at Worlds, they must keep winning. Moreover, IG currently has only three possibilities: winning the championship, entering the winner's bracket in the regional qualifiers, or being eliminated. The match against TES was quite intense. In the first game, TES seemed to have a decent early advantage, but their AD carry, JackeyLove, gave away too many opportunities—truly a gift from an old friend. Thanks to Lucian's repeated deaths, IG was able to take the first game relatively easily.

In the second game, TES held a huge lead from the start. The perfect synergy between their top laner and jungler left IG's frontline with no room to survive, resulting in a relatively one-sided stomp.

In the third game, TES still had a slight lead in the early game. At four minutes, JackeyLove's Corki got first blood, but TES did not press their advantage steadily. Instead, they gave IG room to scale. At the crucial 27-minute mark, IG won a decisive teamfight with a clean ace and secured the Baron. After that, JackeyLove's Corki had no impact, often getting deleted before teamfights even started. Of course, Theshy's Gragas also played the role of a background character.

The fourth game was probably the most regrettable one for IG. They gained a huge early advantage, with their mid lane snowballing out of control, and even their Mundo seemed almost unkillable in teamfights. However, during the mid-game, IG had severe coordination issues in several skirmishes, and ultimately TES staged a perfect comeback.

In the deciding game, IG gave TES no chance at all. They relentlessly pursued and attacked, and their bot lane Aphelios easily achieved a "Godlike" score. Meiko's Thresh was landing hooks left and right. The game lasted only 25 minutes, and IG secured a decisive victory, advancing to the next round. At the same time, in the second match, NIP swept JDG 3-0. The race for the regional qualifier spots remains among three teams: IG, NIP, and LGD.

After this match, a rumor online sparked heated discussions among players across the entire server. A level 73 "whale" account stated during a live stream: "TES is going to disband next year. Look, I know the owner; the owner has lost interest." It's hard to believe that such an account belongs to an ordinary person, since reaching that level requires spending at least tens of millions. However, whether the team will actually disband still requires an official response. After a day of matches, the only top laner from the All-Pro teams left is Theshy. The first-team and second-team top laners have all been eliminated, showing how ridiculous the selection process is.

ZaiJian believes

TES's performance over the past two years has indeed been mediocre. If they fail to secure a Worlds spot this year, there might be significant roster changes next season, or even a sale of the LPL slot. As for IG, the team everyone is most concerned about, although they have a chance, it is quite difficult. They not only have to defeat WE but also need to beat the winner of LGD vs NIP.

What do you, the audience, think about this matter?