Esports entered the professional game years ago! Today, tournaments fill arenas, attract major sponsors, and League of Legends remains one of the strongest drivers of growth.
Professional gaming has also shaped the betting industry. Leading betting sites now include League of Legends and other esports, often with welcome offers and promotions. According to Altenar, LoL betting made up nearly 26% of all esports betting revenue.
Players are the reason behind this rise. They provide the action that makes people stay engaged. Kim "Canyon" Geon-bu is one of the very best names in the game. He has just extended his contract with Gen.G for the 2026 LCK season, ensuring that one of the best teams will remain there for one more year.
Canyon’s Track Record Speaks for Itself
Canyon's list of wins is long and serious. He's taken five LCK titles and held up the World Championship trophy with DAMWON Gaming. Plenty of fans and analysts continue to refer to him as the best jungler the League has seen. What is different about him is how sharp he is, how well he reads the map, how he sees opportunities before others do, and how he sets up plays that change games.
Even with offers from teams such as Hanwha Life Esports, he decided to stay. That says a lot about how locked in this team is.
One of the Greatest Seasons for Gen.G
2025 was one of Gen.G's greatest seasons to date. They ran through the LCK with full control and won the championship without dropping pace. Along the way, they broke the record for the most wins in a regular season.
On the international scene, they reached the semifinals at Worlds but lost to KT Rolster in a hard-fought series.
The Same Five Are Ready to Go Again
Gen.G isn't altering what is already working. Their 2026 list is the same one that dominated last year. There's chemistry in every lane; they know each other's play styles and don't need time to figure things out.
The most significant change will be the coaching staff. Ryu Sang-wook has become the head coach. While the rest of the coaching team is still being finalised, Ryu's arrival gives Gen.G something new without shaking the core.
Path to World's Glory in 2026
Gen.G isn't making changes because they don't need to. The roster works, the results are there, and the goal is the same: to win Worlds. They've come close before, although in this instance, the setup looks right. Everyone knows their role. No experiments, no rebuilds. Just one job left to finish.
With Ryu now in charge of drafts, they've been able to add something new without breaking what's already working. He brings a different voice, and that could be what tips the balance. The team's played in high-pressure matches before, so nerves won't be the problem! It's a matter of timing and execution.
Keeping Canyon was a big move. It means this team still has faith in what they've built. And if things clicked early, they'll be hard to stop.