Imagine you’re an elite athlete, but right as you go to make the winning play, your shoelaces magically tie themselves together. For the world’s most famous League of Legends team, T1, a digital version of this nightmare has become their reality, crippling their ability to practice and compete (Riot DDoSsed).
This isn’t a slump; it’s sabotage. The team is being hit by targeted cyberattacks called DDoS, or Distributed Denial of Service, leaving star player Faker and his teammates paralyzed by lag.
Riot DDoSsed: What Is a DDoS Attack? The Digital Traffic Jam That’s Paralyzing Pro Gamers
Think of a player’s internet connection as a single-lane road leading to their house. A DDoS attack is like an attacker sending thousands of phantom cars to create a massive, intentional traffic jam on that road. To do this, they only need one piece of information: the player’s IP address, which acts like a unique home address for their computer on the internet. Once the road is completely clogged with this junk traffic, the player’s real game data—the tiny scooter trying to get through—is stuck.
Crucially, this type of attack isn’t about stealing passwords or hacking into a computer; it’s pure sabotage. The goal is simply to block the road, denying the player access to the game. While stream sniping involves using a player’s broadcasted information against them, a DDoS attack prevents them from sending or receiving any information at all. The player is effectively cut off from the game’s central server, unable to participate.
For a pro gamer, the symptoms are catastrophic. Their character freezes mid-fight, commands are ignored for fatal seconds, or they disconnect entirely. In a game like League of Legends, where matches are won and lost in fractions of a second, this digital gridlock isn’t just an annoyance—it’s a guaranteed loss, making the attack a devastatingly effective weapon.
Why Are Attackers Targeting T1 and Why Can’t Riot Just Fix It?
As the most famous team in League of Legends history, T1 operates under a global spotlight. This fame, unfortunately, makes them a prime target. For malicious actors, disrupting the world’s most recognizable team is a high-profile demonstration of their capabilities. The motivation can range from disrupting betting markets to simply the notoriety of having taken down a titan of esports.
Fixing the problem is far more complex than just getting a new internet plan. While game developer Riot Games can protect its own game servers, these DDoS attacks target the players’ individual internet connections. Attackers are playing a relentless cat-and-mouse game; even when a player changes their IP address, determined attackers often find the new one quickly, restarting the cycle of disruption. This makes a permanent solution incredibly elusive.
The most damaging effect has been on their ability to practice. According to a statement from T1’s CEO, Joe Marsh, the team has been unable to “scrim” — the vital private practice matches against other pro teams — for months. Without the ability to train, the team is forced to compete in official matches without the preparation every other team relies on, effectively fighting with one hand tied behind their back.
Riot DDoSsed: The Bigger Threat: What T1’s Crisis Means for All of Esports
What once seemed like simple ‘lag’ for T1 is now clearly a threat to the fairness of all professional esports. These DDoS attacks aren’t just disruptions; they are serious crimes with real legal consequences for attackers, undermining the integrity of the entire industry.
This situation puts immense pressure on game publishers to deliver better DDoS protection. For fans, understanding the difference between lag and a coordinated attack clarifies why their favorite teams struggle and reinforces the community’s call for a more secure competitive environment.