Bilibili Gaming Take the Same and Try Again in 2025

After a successful year, Bilibili Gaming will keep on the same track for 2025. The Chinese organization has officially extended the contracts of Bin, Wei, and Elk until 2026, in addition to knight and ON’s until 2025. Only XUN has been released from his obligations to the team.

Following a year that busy, BLG had no reason to change their roster. They won both LPL splits and particularly dominated the Summer, dropping only a single game during playoffs. Even though for this second split of 2024, BLG decided to replace their jungler Peng “Xun” Li-Xun by bringing Yan “Wei” Yang-Wei, the team was still on a whole other planet than the other LPL powerhouses. 

A strange ending between XUN and BLG

At international tournaments, Bilibili Gaming also responded present by reaching both the MSI and Worlds grand finals. But they’ve never been able to lift a trophy on that stage, just like last year when they lost against JDG at the MSI final, and Weibo Gaming during Worlds semi-final.

This time, they didn’t lose to their compatriots, but to the LCK. First to Gen.G at the MSI (1-3) and then to T1 at Worlds (2-3). BLG are still seeking an international trophy and they got so close this year that it would’ve left a bitter taste not to try again…

Still, after a rough start to Worlds 2024 with Wei on the team, they decided to put XUN back under the spotlight in the middle of the competition. And it worked out pretty well but now they are letting him go to try their luck with Wei next year, which comes as a surprise for me.

Even though the former RNG jungler had a very good Summer Split, XUN was a reliable force within the team and led them through Worlds final despite his team’s early stepbacks. It was already a surprise for me when they announced Wei during Summer. But now, I am even more confident that something must’ve happened behind the scenes for BLG to make this choice.

Aiming for Worlds

Still, Wei will again be surrounded by the best solo laners in China: Chen “Bin” Ze-Bin and Zhuo “knight” Ding. Those two might even be contesting the best player in the world spot this year. While their AD Carry Zhao “Elk” Jia-Hao has been outstanding at Worlds, the best at his role – if not the very best – during the competition with his countless highlights and hero plays.

ON has also been a reliable force overall in 2024, but he will have to get back on track after a back-and-forth competition where only Ryu “Keria” Min-seok really stood out from every other support in the competition anyway. The organization also announced its coaching staff: Lee “Easyhoon” Ji-hoon, Zuo “LvMao” Ming-Hao and Yang “Maokai” Jisong as head coach.

T1 stayed together after losing in game 5 of Worlds’ final in 2022, and it led to back-to-back wins these past two years. BLG will aim for the same road, as MSI won’t be enough for Bin, Wei and knight who already lifted it. They now have to win the most prestigious trophy in esports, and write their name into the legend once and for all by restoring glory to the LPL – who hasn’t won it since EDG coronation in 2021.