Picture Credit score: Group WE Weibo
If there may be any workforce try to be rooting for proper now in League of Legends esports, it ought to be Group WE. This mid-pack workforce pulled off not one, however two of the best upsets of the season and are actually one sequence away from qualifying for the Mid-Season Invitational.
Whereas everybody loves an underdog story, Group WE’s success feels totally different. As soon as thought-about one of many faces of Chinese language esports, the workforce is way from its superb days. May this be the beginning of a brand new chapter? And are they probably the most harmful groups to face on this planet, proper now?
A Powerful Begin to the 2026 Season
Firstly of the season, Group WE had shaped a roster that didn’t actually stand out from the pack. It saved its prime aspect trio of Dai “Dice” Yi, Wang “Monki” Meng-Qi, and Kim “Karis” Hong-jo and introduced in a brand new bot lane with Korean ADC Moon “About” Hyeong-seok and Chen “yaoyao” Si-Yuan, following the departure of Kim “Taeyoon” Tae-yoon and Zhao “Vampire” Zhe-can.
The primary break up of the 2026 season glided by with out many surprises, with Group WE continuously within the mid-pack. Their top-eight end, nonetheless, allowed them to be positioned with the massive boys in Group Ascend for the second break up.
Whereas taking part in with sturdy groups can assist weaker groups enhance, Group WE struggled to seek out its footing within the LPL Break up 2 common season, profitable just one of 14 matches.
Picture Credit score: LPL Weibo
Despite the fact that the addition of assist Shi “Erha” Xu-Ye didn’t yield a lot in outcomes initially, Group WE was slowly enhancing and constructing all the mandatory components little by little, simply in time for when it mattered probably the most.
That is confirmed by the workforce’s recreation file: after shedding the primary 8 sequence with 0-2 data, Group WE started profitable video games and taking maps from most groups, together with JD Gaming.
Regardless of a number of wins, the workforce nonetheless completed final in Group Ascend, forcing them to play LNG Esports within the play-ins stage.
The Play-Ins Survival Sequence and the Upsets in Playoffs
Group WE’s rise in type got here precisely throughout this sequence. After being pushed to 5 video games, Group WE got here again from a 5,000-gold deficit by means of their teamfighting and saved their playoff hopes alive. The problem was that BLG picked WE of their first spherical: the most effective workforce within the league was dealing with the underside workforce of Group Ascend.
In opposition to all odds, Group WE took BLG down with a 3-1 file. The sequence wasn’t clear, however the victory wasn’t simply all the way down to pure luck or BLG having a nasty day: Group WE fought again from shedding positions and outplayed what was thought-about the most effective workforce on this planet by means of stronger coordination and cohesion.
Group WE proved to everybody that the victory was not a fluke, continuing to dismantle the #4 seed Anybody’s Legend with one other clear 3-0.
What Makes Group WE So Sturdy?
The scariest a part of Group WE proper now’s their cohesion as a five-man unit. They’ve confirmed to be extra coordinated than every other workforce within the league, with all 5 gamers making the identical resolution.
And on the coronary heart of that cohesive decision-making is jungler Monki.
The man has established himself as the primary voice and shotcaller of the squad whereas additionally matching the most effective junglers when it comes to particular person efficiency. When Monki requires a play, everybody on the workforce will comply with his directives, even when they may not be good.
Picture Credit score: Group WE Weibo
Dplus Kia head coach Kim “cvMax” Dae-ho had defined this idea previously: “If all 5 members come all the way down to make the identical resolution in any given circumstance, they’ll flip a mistaken reply proper.”
By eradicating the necessity to query whether or not a play is right within the second, Group WE can all the time be the primary to maneuver, placing strain on opponents to struggle again. That is what occurred within the sequence towards each BiliBili Gaming (BLG) and Anybody’s Legend (AL). Specifically, BLG was usually caught off guard in teamfight situations regardless of having the gold lead.
High laner Dice himself shared in an interview that he’s now extra vulnerable to listening to Monki’s performs: “I simply do no matter he tells me to do.”
In line with Chinese language esports analyst Lan Bao Shi (蓝宝石), Monki additionally has one other sturdy tendency in his gameplay that has labored out within the latest victories: his willingness to vary tempo. In a meta the place most junglers are inclined to full clear earlier than making performs, Monki usually tries to disrupt the orthodox jungle clears by means of surprising gank timers and pathings.
Whereas it’s a high-risk technique that may trigger him to fall behind in gold and expertise, Monki gained out on a lot of these performs and constructed substantial leads for his workforce.
That doesn’t imply WE is flawless. The workforce nonetheless has some clear weaknesses; it’s simply that the meta helps conceal a few of them.
For instance, prime laner Dice has been thriving in latest weeks now that the meta has shifted in direction of a extra weakside surroundings. Firstly of the break up, when it was nonetheless about lane dominance, he struggled to maintain up with the most effective prime laners.
Now, he’s capable of soak up that strain and persistently present up within the fights with sufficient sources.
Bot laner About additionally had preliminary struggles in adapting earlier this season. It’s not a coincidence that Group WE’s rise additionally aligned with About’s improved efficiency. All esports groups have to depend on their ADC within the late-game teamfights, so the Korean marksman should preserve his type transferring ahead.
Moreover, Monki is also focused by different groups transferring ahead, realizing how very important his pathings are for the squad.
And Group WE Can Truly Make it to MSI
May Group WE make it to the Mid-Season Invitational? To place it merely, the probabilities are actual. Not solely did Group WE show they’ll take down the highest groups, however their gameplay is stable as properly.
Picture Credit score: Group WE Weibo
The higher bracket closing sequence towards High Esports is not going to solely be essential for figuring out which LPL workforce would be the first locked for MSI, however may even make clear whether or not Group WE might be exploited for its weaknesses.
If High Esports (TES) manages to win, it is going to grow to be golden materials for Group WE’s future opponents to evaluation and examine. If they’ll’t, then this Group WE roster generally is a horrifying opponent for MSI.
No matter the way it goes, Monki and his teammates can have the momentum on their aspect. Caedrel stated it greatest: “This workforce simply appears like they’re on a run. They’ve obtained one thing behind them. They’ve obtained momentum. They’ve obtained perception. All of the gamers are purchased into this concept, this fashion they’ve adopted… It’s like lightning in a bottle.”
The query is: Will Group WE proceed to evolve, or will the opposite LPL groups catch up first? The reply will straight dictate whether or not they’ll be a prime canine for the remainder of the season.
