One of the most important names in early competitive League of Legends has announced its exit from the game as Gambit Esports disbands. The news was revealed on the afternoon of April 22nd across social media.
The iconic team has disbanded. (Image courtesy Riot Games)
With the announcement, Gambit Esports ends an eight-year tenure in League of Legends. It leaves behind a legacy of multiple Intel Extreme Masters titles and a pair of LCL championships.
Gambit’s foray into LoL began with the signing of Moscow 5 in 2013, at the time one of the very best teams in the world. The squad of Alexey “Alex Ich” Ichetovkin, Evgeny “Genja” Andryushin, Evgeny “Darien” Mazaev, Edward “Edward” Abgaryan, and Danil “Diamondprox” Reshetnikov would represent Gambit, then known as Gambit Gaming, during the inaugural season of the EU LCS.
During this time, the team competed at IEM Season VII in Katowice, taking home the gold in dramatic fashion. The squad entered the Spring Split of the first LCS season as one of the strongest teams in the world. After going 21-7 in the regular season, they fell to Fnatic in the playoffs. After disappointing trips to the IEM World Championships and MLG Winter, the cracks started to appear.
End of the Classic Roster
Just before the EU LCS Summer Split 2013, Edward would leave the team, citing communication issues with Genja. In May 2014, after just two three splits of the EU LCS, Alex Ich left Gambit. The formerly dominant roster became substitutes, eventually falling out of the lineup completely.
In 2016, the team’s LCS spot was purchased by Vitality, and the organization left the EU, resurfacing in the CIS’s LCL. There, Gambit forged a new legacy of excellence, taking home LCL Championships in 2017 and 2018, making Worlds appearances in each of those years. Diamondprox, the only original member of M5 still with the team, remained on the roster until 2021.
As Gambit Esports disbands, League of Legends is left without one of the most storied organizations in its history. A top team both internationally and regionally, it’s a sad thing to see them leave.
