Xiaohu and Karsa join The Shy on Weibo Gaming

Just a year after acquiring and rebranding from Sunning to Weibo Gaming, we now have a new contender in the Chinese LPL. The additions of proven veterans like Karsa and Xiaohu naturally bring a lot of expectations. But finally, with enough help to support The Shy’s rampage in the top lane, this team can push out of ‌recent mediocrity. 

Xiaohu leaves RNG for Weibo Gaming

After 8 long years as RNG’s mid-laner, it was time for Xiaohu to switch teams. The five-time LPL champion is finally leaving RNG, to begin a new chapter in his illustrious career. This man’s resume speaks for itself but the results add even more context. All 5 of his LPL Championships were won during the spring split. He led RNG to 3 MSI titles(2018, 2021, 2022), and naturally earned the nickname “spring tiger”. Becoming just the third player in LPL history to amass over 2500 kills, with only Uzi and Rookie being ahead of him. 

The first player in the history of competitive League of Legends to win MSI in two different roles. He won it as a mid laner in 2018 and 2022. But in 2021 he role-swapped to top lane, with his Lucian becoming a myth. 16 straight wins on that champion, made him an MSI champion, and a legend in the League community. Now he is joining another superstar top laner and former teammate of his, hoping to reignite their careers on a new team.

Karsa will be WBG jungler for 2023

But Xiaohu didn’t accomplish all of that by himself. Karsa was his right-hand man during their first MSI win and LPL title with RNG in 2018. Now the duo is reunited on Weibo Gaming, hoping to spark that old flame. And frankly, Karsa’s career needs it. He has spent the last few years bouncing around the league. Despite finding success in the regular split, new hardware was hard to come by. He won an LPL title on Top Esports jungling for Knight, but that roster will always be remembered for failing to meet expectations. The same happened this year with Rookie on Victory5. A string of bad luck has followed Karsa ever since he left RNG and Xiaohu, so a reunion might just be what the doctor ordered. 

The Shy re-signs with Weibo Gaming

We are a long time removed from The Shy being the best top laner in the world. But nobody can deny that his peak as a player is hard to be matched. The young Korean prodigy brought China their first World Championship with Invictus Gaming in 2018. But after 4 inconsistent years with IG, it was time to move on. Rookie had left for Victory5 and so did The Shy. He joined WBG in 2021 after they acquired and rebranded Sunning. His first year with the team, saw him return to form individually. But the team was poorly constructed and barely managed to enter the top half of the league. Now with reinforcements on the way and a new contract, we might finally see the Thy Shy return on the international stage.  

Crisp and Light are WBG’s bot lane

Another former World Champion is joining the 2023 WBG roster. After four years and multiple titles with FPX, Crisp spent the 2022 season with BLG. A revolving roster prevented them from achieving any consistency and any major results. Now he is bringing his championship experience to a team that can utilize it properly. He will be playing support alongside former LNG ADC Light. Light came up through LNG’s developmental ranks and became a starter shortly after DoinB joined. They didn’t win anything notable during those two years, but they did contend with the best LPL teams. This allowed Light to prove himself as a starter in the Chinese LPL, leading to a bigger chance and role with WBG.

Header: Wei