Heist Complete: 100 Thieves’ League of Legends esports story

100 Thieves shall be stepping away from LTA after the 2025 season, concluding a particular chapter in North American League of Legends esports.

Whereas this isn’t solely shocking, given the organisation sold its permanent franchise slot within the LCS again to Riot in 2024, the announcement has nonetheless shocked its fanbase.

As followers say goodbye to one in every of NA’s most recognisable groups, right here’s a have a look at 100 Thieves’ journey in League of Legends, capturing its highs and lows to construct an unforgettable legacy.

100 Thieves introduced its entry into League of Legends in 2017 and secured an LCS franchise slot to make its debut within the 2018 NA LCS Spring Break up.

To many, it appeared like a questionable choice to enter the extremely aggressive League of Legends scene, particularly given it was a brand new organisation based by former Name of Obligation participant Matthew ‘Nadeshot’ Haag.

Nonetheless, its roster — that includes Kim ‘Ssumday’ Chan-ho, William ‘Meteos’ Hartman, Ryu ‘Ryu’ Sang-wook, Cody ‘Cody Solar’ Solar, and Zaqueri ‘aphromoo’ Black — instantly silenced doubters by reaching a runner-up place in its first match. 

100 Thieves entered the playoffs as first seed, however ultimately fell to Crew Liquid within the Grand Closing. Nonetheless, it was a exceptional achievement for a newly shaped crew. 

A mixture of expertise and hungry expertise put the organisation into the checklist of must-watch groups, and the gamers gathered better reputations worldwide. 

In 2018, 100 Thieves made its first look on the League of Legends World Championship; nevertheless, it uncovered a harsh reality of the skill gap between North America and the remainder of the world.

The crew struggled on the worldwide stage, leading to an early exit, which was a tricky lesson for the gamers and employees. 

After a promising 2018 season, 100 Thieves hit a tough patch in 2019 and 2020. Regardless of investing in new expertise and training employees, the crew failed to attain desired outcomes.

100 Thieves was on the backside of the group leaderboard within the Spring Break up (tenth) and barely improved in Summer season (Eighth).

Whereas the efficiency improved marginally in 2020, it was nonetheless a 12 months filled with irritating outcomes for the organisation. Can ‘Nearer’ Çelik and Victor ‘FBI’ Huang becoming a member of later within the 12 months gave followers a glimpse of potential; nevertheless, the crew couldn’t break into the highest 5, putting Seventh-Eighth within the Summer season common season.

For an organisation that had a triumphant debut, back-to-back disappointing seasons pressured 100 Thieves to re-evaluate its construction and gameplay method.

After two underwhelming seasons and a number of roster shuffles, 100 Thieves lastly reached its final goal in 2021. 

With Ssumday, Nearer, Abbedagge, FBI and huhi within the line-up, the crew dominated the Summer season Break up and took revenge towards Crew Liquid within the Grand Closing to raise its first-ever LCS trophy. From putting in the course of the pack in 2020, the crew turned 2021 right into a 12 months that followers would always remember.

This victory additionally finalised the crew’s participation in Worlds 2021, although as soon as once more it did not match the worldwide requirements of competitors.

Through the years, 100 Thieves represented North America at Worlds a complete of 4 instances, proving to be the most effective organisations for the area within the franchise period. 

Nonetheless, the crew couldn’t crack the key to defeat giants from different leagues, and despite the fact that it shaped a superteam that includes legends Søren ‘Bjergsen’ Bjerg and Yiliang ‘Doublelift’ Peng in 2023, it did not stay as much as expectations.

That stated, nothing might take away from the truth that 100 Thieves, regardless of all odds, was extra constant than most groups within the area and constantly saved hope alive for the North American League of Legends scene. While it failed to achieve the identical worldwide heights because the likes of Crew Liquid and Cloud9, its consistency in qualifying for Worlds ought to be recognised.

As Riot Video games shifted to the LTA model for League of Legends, 100 Thieves offered its slot again to Riot and continued competing as a Provisional Visitor Crew. 

Whereas the organisation believed this is able to be a short lived association, Riot has determined to associate with one other long-term organisation beginning in 2026.

Because of this, 100 Thieves will exit League of Legends esports on the finish of the 2025 LTA season, with everybody on the roster set to change into a free agent.

From its electrifying debut to 4 World Championship runs, 100 Thieves might not have been the very best crew in NA, but it surely definitely constructed one of many greatest fanbases and obtained large consideration from the group.

The organisation kicked off 2025 by successful LTA North Break up 1 league stage in a dominating vogue and completed second within the LTA Cross-Convention, making it one other profitable season for the crew to date.

Its departure from League of Legends is the top of an period and a turning level that can go down within the historical past of esports.