Impact (gamer) explained
Jeong Eon-yeong (Korean: 정언영), better known as Impact, is a South Korean League of Legends player for Team Liquid of the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS). Impact won the Season 3 League of Legends World Championship as a member of SK Telecom T1 K. He played for both Team Impulse and NRG Esports in the LCS, before transferring to Cloud9 in May 2016. Impact left Cloud9 after the 2017 season and joined Team Liquid, where he won four LCS titles before departing the team for Evil Geniuses after the end of the 2020 season.
Career
Xenics Storm
Impact began his career as a support player for Xenics Storm in 2012, and the team managed to place third in spring.[1]
SK Telecom
In 2013, Impact joined SK Telecom T1 K along with Bengi, Faker, Piglet and PoohManDo.[2] The team went on to finished third in the spring split, and win the summer finals against KT Rolster Bullets.[3] The team qualified for the 2013 World Championship as Korea's third seed,[4] and subsequently tore through the tournament, dropping only 3 matches in the entire event, capped with a 3–0 sweep of China's Royal Club.[5] [6] [7] [8]
Following their World Championship victory, Impact and SK Telecom T1 K, won the winter split in the LCK, as well as All-Start Paris, before struggling in spring and summer, failing to place top 4 in either split, and missing out on the 2014 World Championship, where Impact was unable to defend his title internationally.[9] At the end of the season, SKT parted ways with Impact.[10] [11] [12]
Team Impulse
Impact joined Team Impulse ahead of the 2015 season, moving to the LCS in North America.[13] Impact, having no formal education in speaking English, is said to have mastered the language in only a week using Rosetta Stone. The team had moderate regular season success, placing fourth and third in spring and summer, respectively. Impact was also voted to the First Team All–Pro in Summer, the first time the LCS gave out such awards.[14] However, in playoffs, the team lost both times in the semifinals,[15] [16] then missed Worlds after falling to Cloud9 in the regional gauntlet.[17]
NRG Esports
After the conclusion of the 2015 season, Impact left Team Impulse for NRG Esports.[18] The team made playoffs in spring with a 9–9 record, but were swept 0–3 in the quarterfinals by Team Liquid.[19]
Cloud9
After NRG's mediocre finish in spring, Cloud9 acquired Impact from NRG, and started him as their top laner for the summer split after a temporary bootcamp in Korea.[20] [21] In the summer split, Cloud9 placed third in the regular season with a 12–6 record, while Impact saw his former team NRG regulated out of the LCS.[22] [23] Impact was voted to the All Pro Third Team,[24] and Cloud9 advanced all the way to the finals,[25] before falling to Team SoloMid.[26] Cloud9 qualified for the Regional Gauntlet at the end of the season, and defeated both Team Envy and Immortals to earn a spot at the 2016 World Championship.[27] [28] At Worlds, Cloud9 made it out of their group, Group B, and advanced to the knockout stage with a 3–3 record.[29] [30] Additionally, SK Telecom T1 were the first seed from Group B with a 5–1 record, and were the eventual winners of the tournament,[31] but their only loss in the group stage came at the hands of Cloud9, against their former top laner, Impact.[32] In the quarterfinals, Cloud9 were defeated 3–0 by Samsung Galaxy, who later reached the finals before losing to SKT.[33]
Impact remained on Cloud9 for the 2017 season, although substitute top laner Ray also joined the team, and played several games throughout the year in place of Impact.[34] The team started the season strong, with 8 consecutive wins,[35] and eventually finished the season with a 14–4 record.[36] Impact was voted to the All Pro Second Team, and the team enjoyed a bye in the first round of the playoffs.[37] [38] In the semifinals, Cloud9 swept Phoenix 1 3–0, which set up a rematch from the previous year against Team SoloMid in the finals.[39] Cloud9 once again lost the match, after a full five games, and finished the split in second place.[40] In summer, Cloud9 finished in fourth place in the regular season, but in the quarterfinals of the playoffs, Cloud9 were defeated by Dignitas in what was described as a "massive upset", and knocked out early.[41] [42] The team qualified for the Regional Gauntlet once again, and defeated Counter Logic Gaming 3–1 to qualify for Worlds.[43] [44] At the 2017 World Championship, Cloud9 went undefeated in the Play–In stage, winning all 7 games to advance to the group stage, where they were placed into Group A, which once again had Impact's former squad, SK Telecom T1.[45] [46] Once again they achieved a 3–3 result, placing second in their group, and advanced to the quarterfinals.[47] Cloud9 was matched against Team WE in the quarterfinals, and lost a five-game series 2–3.[48]
Team Liquid
At the end of the 2017 season, Impact once again changed teams, reportedly turning down an offer to return to SK Telecom T1,[49] opting instead to remain in North America and join Team Liquid.[50] [51] In spring, Team Liquid made playoff with a 11–7 record, and won matches against Cloud9 and Echo Fox to make the finals,[52] where they defeated 100 Thieves 3–0, setting a record for fastest finals victory, and giving Impact his first LCS Title.[53] The win earned Team Liquid a spot at the 2018 Mid–Season Invitational,[54] where they went 4–6, losing a tiebreaker to Fnatic and placing fifth in the group stage, failing to advance.[55] In summer, Team Liquid took first place in the regular season, securing a bye to the semifinals. Impact was also elected Third Team All Pro.[56] Once again, they advanced, defeating 100 Thieves to face Impact's former team Cloud9 in the finals.[57] Team Liquid swept the match, with a clean 3–0 victory over Cloud9 and Impact hoisted his second consecutive trophy.[58] Due to their victories, Team Liquid qualified for the 2018 League of Legends World Championship as North America's first seed.[59] At the tournament, they were drawn into Group D,[60] and finished in third with a 3–3 record, failing to qualify for the knockout stage, and finishing in 9th–11th.[61]
In 2019, Impact and Team Liquid once again placed first in the regular season, finishing with a 14–4 record. Impact was named to the All–Pro Second Team,[62] and Team Liquid won the split 3–2 over Team SoloMid, giving Impact his third straight title.[63] The team once again was invited to the Mid–Season Invitational, and placed fourth in the group stage with a 4–6 record, qualifying for the knockout stage as the lowest seed,[64] and would face the reigning World Champions Invictus Gaming in the semifinals.[65] Despite being heavy underdogs,[66] Team Liquid upset Invictus Gaming 3–1, and became to first North American team to make the finals at a major international event.[67] [68] In the finals, the team faced Europe's G2, and were swept 0–3 in the finals.[69] For the third straight split, Team Liquid finished the regular season in first place, with a 14–4 record in summer.[70] Impact was also named First Team All-Pro.[71] In playoffs, Team Liquid defeated Clutch Gaming to make the finals,[72] which they won for the fourth time, this time over Cloud9.[73] After winning his fourth title, Impact qualified for his fifth World Championship.[74] At Worlds 2019, Team Liquid finished third in Group D with a 3–3 record once again, failing to advance past the group stage, and ending their season.[75]
Impact entered 2020 in the last year of his three-year contract, after winning all four of his splits with Team Liquid.[76] But in spring, Team Liquid struggled, going 7–11 and missing playoffs entirely, placing in the penultimate spot.[77] [78] In summer, the team returned to the playoffs, and once again took first place, going 13–5 and earning a bye in the first round.[79] Impact was voted an All Pro after missing the award in spring, as he was named to the Second Team.[80] In playoffs, Impact lost his first domestic playoffs match since 2017, 2–3 against FlyQuest in the upper bracket finals, then fell 2–3 to Team SoloMid in the lower bracket finals to place third on the season, and earn the third and final seed at the 2020 Worlds Championship.
Evil Geniuses
Impact left Team Liquid and joined Evil Geniuses in late 2020, ahead of the Spring 2021 split.[81] In Spring 2022, the team qualified for playoffs with a 10–9 record. Evil Geniuses would go on to win the split, with Impact breaking his previous record of fastest LCS finals series, beating 100 Thieves in only an hour and 18 minutes.[82] Impact left Evil Geniuses in November 2022.[83]
FlyQuest
Impact joined FlyQuest[84] for the 2023 season. The team consisted of known former LCK players like Prince and Vicla. FlyQuest managed a 14-4 record in the Spring split, yet fell short in playoffs to Golden Guardians, missing out on MSI 2023. In the Summer 2023 split, expectations were again high for FlyQuest with the addition of support Vulcan. FlyQuest would go on to shock with a ninth place finish in the Summer split, and the team would announce Impact's departure on November 22.[85]
Team Liquid
Impact rejoined Team Liquid for the 2024 season.[86] In returning to playing top lane for the team, he slotted into a roster including North American prospects Yeon and APA, as well as fellow Korean veterans CoreJJ and Umti. Impact and his team went on to win the 2024 LCS Spring Split,[87] and earned a spot as the year's Mid-Season Invitational.
Tournament results
SK Telecom T1
- 1st – HOT6iX Champions Summer 2013 (SK Telecom T1)
- 1st – Season 3 World Championship (SK Telecom T1)
- 1st – PANDORA.TV Champions Winter 2013–2014 (SK Telecom T1 K)
- 1st – All-Star Paris 2014 Invitational (SK Telecom T1 K)
- 1st – ITENJOY NLB Summer 2014 (SK Telecom T1 K)
Cloud 9
- 2nd – 2016 NA LCS Summer (Cloud 9)
- 2nd – 2017 NA LCS Spring (Cloud 9)
- 1st – 2017 Rift Rivals Blue Rift (NA LCS)
Team Liquid
- 1st – 2018 NA LCS Spring (Team Liquid)
- 2nd – 2018 Rift Rivals Blue Rift (NA LCS)
- 1st – 2018 NA LCS Summer (Team Liquid)
- 1st – 2019 LCS Spring (Team Liquid)
- 2nd – 2019 Mid-Season Invitational (Team Liquid)
- 2nd – 2019 Rift Rivals Blue Rift (LCS)
- 1st – 2019 LCS Summer (Team Liquid)
- 1st - 2024 LCS Spring (Team Liquid)
Evil Geniuses
- 2nd – 2022 LCS Lock In (Evil Geniuses)
- 1st – 2022 LCS Spring (Evil Geniuses)
Notes and References
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- Web site: 2016-02-01 . Top 5 Blind Pick games in LCK history . 2022-03-24 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: Funk . John . 2013-09-13 . League of Legends World Championship viewers guide: the teams, the players, the stories . 2022-03-24 . Polygon . en-US.
- Web site: Clouther . Andrew . 2013-10-05 . League of Legends Season 3 Worlds Championship Analysis . 2022-03-24 . GameZone . en-US.
- Web site: League Of Legends' Best Team Streamrolls Yet Another Challenger . 2022-03-24 . Kotaku . 16 October 2015 . en-us.
- Web site: SKT become first two-time LoL Worlds champions as KOO fall valiantly . 2022-03-24 . PCGamesN . 31 October 2015 . en-GB.
- Web site: Watch Faker's strange LoL Worlds celebration . 2022-03-24 . Red Bull . 10 December 2016 . en.
- Web site: SK Telecom T1 History . 2022-03-23 . 2021-06-20 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210620152356/https://www.invitetogame.com/team/sk-telecom-t1/ . dead .
- Web site: Lingle . Samuel . 2014-12-19 . Another big name leaves SK Telecom . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Impact leaves SK Telecom . 2022-03-24 . GameSpot . en-US.
- Web site: Li . Xing . 2019-03-24 . Where they've gone: A look at former SKT players and how they're doing . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Impact joins Team Impulse . 2022-03-24 . GameSpot . en-US.
- Web site: LCS 2015 Summer Split awards presented on PTL and LCS Finals . 2022-03-24 . nexus.leagueoflegends.com . 26 August 2015 . en-US.
- Web site: Isoapy . 2015-08-28 . A Quick Overview of the NA Regional Qualifier . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: tang . Ryan . 2015-08-28 . Rising Above: Fixing Weaknesses is the key to winning the NA LCS Gauntlet . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: The Hai Difference . 2022-03-24 . Red Bull . 21 February 2017 . en.
- Web site: Yaya . 2015-11-19 . A New Challenger Appears? An Asessment of NRG eSports . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2016-03-25 . Recalling the highlights of the 2016 NA LCS Spring Split . 2022-03-24 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: 2016-04-17 . Cloud9 makes offer to NRG for Impact, Impact interested sources say . 2022-03-24 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: 2016-04-24 . Sources: Cloud9 finalizes deal with Impact, plans to boot camp in Korea with new roster . 2022-03-24 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: Sen . Dylan . 2016-08-30 . Dardoch Set To Join Echo Fox . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Newell . Adam . 2016-12-12 . NRG Sells Challenger Spot . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: And the winners of the 2016 LCS Summer Split Awards are… . 2022-03-24 . nexus.leagueoflegends.com . 10 August 2016 . en-US.
- Web site: Berkman . Fran . 2016-08-21 . Cloud9 upsets Immortals to reach NA LCS finals . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Berkman . Fran . 2016-08-29 . TSM outduels Cloud9 to win 4th NA LCS championship . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2016-09-04 . LCS Gauntlet Day 2 - Hardcore Gamer . 2022-03-24 . hardcoregamer.com . en-US.
- Web site: Nordmark . Sam . 2016-09-06 . Cloud9 secure spot at Worlds with win over Immortals . 2022-03-24 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2016-10-02 . Worlds: C9 perseveres against Flash Wolves . 2022-03-24 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: C9 Smoothie: We'll Have Our Issues Fixed Next Week . 2022-03-24 . Red Bull . en.
- News: 2016-10-31 . SKT crowned 2016 League of Legends world champions . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-03-25.
- Web site: 2016-10-10 . Worlds Day 8 recap: SKT sails above Group B . 2022-03-25 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: North America's hopes are dead as Samsung Galaxy 3-0's Cloud9 at the 2016 League of Legends World Championships . 2022-03-25 . esports.yahoo.com . 14 October 2016 . en-US.
- Web site: 2016-12-09 . Confirmed: Cloud9 promotes Contractz, signs Ray as sub . 2022-03-25 . ESPN.com . en.
- News: Waltzer . Noah . February 18, 2017 . Team SoloMid breaks Cloud9's winning streak . ESPN . March 22, 2021.
- Web site: The 2017 NA LCS Spring Split regular season is over, TSM takes first . 2022-03-25 . sports.yahoo.com . 27 March 2017 . en-US.
- Web site: 2017 NA LCS Spring Split Award Winners . 2022-03-25 . nexus.leagueoflegends.com . 7 April 2017 . en-US.
- News: Geracie . Nick . April 23, 2019 . On this day in LoL Esports History: 2017 NA LCS Spring Finals . Inven Global . March 22, 2021.
- Web site: Li . Xing . 2017-04-16 . Cloud9 sweeps Phoenix1 to make the NA LCS final . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Goslin . Austen . 2017-04-23 . TSM are the Spring Split champions . 2022-03-25 . The Rift Herald . en-US.
- Web site: Mickunas . Aaron . 2017-08-19 . Dignitas knock Cloud9 out of the NA LCS Playoffs in a massive upset . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2017-08-19 . LoL: Dignitas survives potential C9 reverse sweep . 2022-03-25 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: Goslin . Austen . 2017-09-10 . Watch Cloud9 vs Counter Logic Gaming in the NA Worlds Play-in Gauntlet right here . 2022-03-25 . The Rift Herald . en-US.
- Web site: Li . Xing . 2017-09-11 . Cloud9 stamp their ticket to Worlds by eliminating CLG in a breathtaking game 4 . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Goslin . Austen . 2017-09-27 . Watch Cloud9 vs Lyon Gaming in the Worlds Play-in Knockout stage right here . 2022-03-25 . The Rift Herald . en-US.
- News: Mickunas . Aaron . September 29, 2017 . The groups for the Worlds group stage have been finalized . Dot Esports . March 23, 2021.
- News: October 15, 2017 . SKT, Cloud9 round out Worlds quarterfinalists . ESPN . March 23, 2021.
- Web site: Mickunas . Aaron . 2017-10-22 . Team WE rally to eliminate Cloud9 and advance to the Worlds semifinals . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2017-11-20 . [Source] Impact Said to Have Rejected SKT T1's Offer ]. 2022-03-25 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: Perez . Shai Anne . 2017-11-24 . Impact denying SKT T1 offer has several meanings . 2022-03-25 . The Game Haus . en-US.
- Web site: 2017-11-20 . Impact to sign with Team Liquid, sources say . 2022-03-25 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: 2018-04-04 . For the Finals, Sketches about Team Liquid & 100 Thieves . 2022-03-25 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: Everything you need to know about the NA LCS Finals. . 2022-03-25 . Red Bull . en.
- Web site: Lee . Julia . 2018-04-18 . Here are the teams participating in the 2018 Mid-Season Invitational . 2022-03-25 . The Rift Herald . en-US.
- Web site: Li . Xing . 2018-05-14 . Which LCS team will survive and advance at MSI? . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2018 NA LCS Summer Split Award Winners . 2022-03-25 . nexus.leagueoflegends.com . 24 August 2018 . en-US.
- Web site: Mickunas . Aaron . 2018-09-06 . How to Watch the 2018 NA LCS Summer Split Finals . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2018-09-14 . Sights from the 2018 NA LCS Summer Split Finals Weekend Day 1 . 2022-03-25 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: 2018-09-04 . TL Doublelift: "After we won, Steve came up to me and said, "You promised me Worlds, and we got it." I'm happy to make that promise a reality." . 2022-03-25 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: Mickunas . Aaron . 2018-09-23 . The results of the 2018 Worlds group draw are in . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Mickunas . Aaron . 2018-10-17 . Worlds 2018 Group Stage Results and Standings: League of Legends . 2022-03-25 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2019 Spring Split LCS Awards Winners . 2022-03-28 . nexus.leagueoflegends.com . 29 March 2019 . en-US.
- Web site: Esguerra . Tyler . 2019-04-14 . Team Liquid reverse sweep TSM to win 2019 LCS Spring Split finals . 2022-03-28 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Nazarian . Brayden . 2019-05-14 . League of Legends: TL are on the Brink of Elimination at MSI 2019 . 2022-03-28 . The Game Haus . en-US.
- Web site: Esguerra . Tyler . 2019-05-14 . Invictus Gaming chooses Team Liquid as semifinals opponents at MSI 2019 . 2022-03-28 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2019-05-17 . Team Liquid Upset Invictus Gaming at MSI 2019 . 2022-03-28 . Hotspawn . en-US.
- Web site: Li . Xing . 2019-05-17 . IG beat TL in game three to stay alive . 2022-03-28 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Esguerra . Tyler . 2019-05-17 . What Team Liquid's victory over Invictus Gaming at MSI 2019 means for them and North America . 2022-03-28 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: Stubbs . Mike . G2 Esports Win 'League of Legends' MSI 2019 Tournament . 2022-03-28 . Forbes . en.
- Web site: 2019-08-05 . 2019 LCS Summer Split Regular Season Comes to an End - Team Liquid Again on Top . 2022-03-28 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: 2019 LCS Summer Split Awards . 2022-03-28 . nexus.leagueoflegends.com . 9 August 2019 . en-US.
- Web site: Nazarian . Brayden . 2019-08-20 . How Team Liquid's Jensen Took Down Clutch Gaming . 2022-03-28 . The Game Haus . en-US.
- Web site: Geddes . George . 2019-08-26 . Team Liquid defeat Cloud9 to win 2019 LCS Summer Split finals . 2022-03-28 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2019-08-19 . Team Liquid and Cloud9 qualify for 2019 League of Legends World Championship . 2022-03-28 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: Heath . Jerome . 2019-10-20 . League Worlds 2019: Group stage scores, standings, and results . 2022-03-28 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2020-10-25 . Sources: Team Liquid close to multi-year deal with Alphari . 2022-03-29 . ESPN.com . en.
- Web site: 2020-03-22 . After 8 weeks of 2020 LCS Spring Split play, only Cloud9 has qualified for the Spring Playoffs . 2022-03-29 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: Esguerra . Tyler . 2020-03-29 . Team Liquid eliminated from LCS Spring playoff contention after losing to Cloud9 . 2022-03-29 . Dot Esports . en-US.
- Web site: 2020-09-04 . LCS Summer 2020 Playoff Preview: Team Liquid vs TSM . 2022-03-29 . Blog of Legends . en-US.
- Web site: LoL Esports . 2022-03-29 . lolesports.com.
- 1334210728157343745. EvilGeniuses. The plan is coming together. We've added @Impact to our EVIL plan. Join us in welcoming him to the team.#LIVEEVIL…. 2 December 2020.
- Web site: Evil Geniuses break record for fastest finals in LCS history . 24 April 2022 .
- Web site: Kilinç . Rohat . 2022-11-20 . Evil Geniuses Part Ways With the World Champion Top Laner Impact . 2022-11-21 . estnn.com . en-US.
- Web site: 2022-12-12 . FlyQuest signs Impact . 2024-01-07 . Blix . en.
- Web site: November 22, 2023 . Thank you, Winsome, Impact, Sharkz, and Vulcan. . February 19, 2024 . X.
- Web site: 2023-11-28 . Impact returns to Team Liquid . 2024-02-20 . InvenGlobal . en.
- Web site: Lyons . Ben . 2024-04-02 . Team Liquid are the LCS Spring Split victors . 2024-04-04 . Gamereactor UK . en.