Who is the Face of League of Legends?

As a long-time League of Legends player and content creator, this is a question I get asked constantly within the passionate LoL community. With over 150 champions and countless pro players that have left their mark, there‘s no consensus pick. However, a few figures stand out from the rest for their overwhelming popularity, cultural impact, and ability to define what LoL is for legions of fans.

Faker

No conversation about the identity of League of Legends can happen without mention of Lee "Faker" Sang-hyeok. Since bursting onto the scene as a 17-year-old phenom in 2013, the South Korean legend has built a resume unmatched in LoL history:

• 3 World Championship titles
• Over $1 million in career prize money
• Peak live viewership of over 200 million fans

Raw skill and success established Faker‘s clout. His highlight-reel outplays on signature champions like LeBlanc and Zed make him a global superstar. Yet his longevity at the top for nearly a decade in such a rapidly shifting esport is even more remarkable. Faker remains an elite mid-laner capable of carrying his team against the best rising talents.

Beyond his play, Faker has become the stoic, universally respected face of competitive LoL due to his mental tenacity and work ethic. A quick poll among pros would likely crown him the unanimous GOAT. So in many ways, Faker defines the pinnacle that all professional players, as well as solo queue grinders, aspire to reach.

However, he‘s also an anomaly from another era held up on a pedestal. As newer generations join League ranked and fandom, fewer connect directly to Faker‘s narrative even if they respect his legacy. So who is the modern embodiment of LoL community charming new waves of players?

Tyler1

For younger gamers getting into League esports entertainment, Tyler "Tyler1" Steinkamp has become today‘s LoL icon. After receiving an indefinite ban for toxicity in 2016, he returned in 2018 as a reformed though still loud, hypercompetitive streamer.

Through over-the-top spectacles of rage, excitement, despair and triumph on broadcast, Tyler1 enraptures viewers whether carrying teams 1v9 on Draven or running headfirst down mid-lane. He makes LoL dramatic, emotional and hilarious rather than a one-note showcase of elite playmaking.

And Riot Games has taken notice by partnering directly with Tyler1 for events and even jokingly declaring him the new official face of League. This acceptance and promotion align with the developer‘s shift toward personalities that resonate more with their players and community.

No one better understands or voices frustration with the lows of solo queue hell. Yet Tyler1 always comes back the next day with unhinged passion for the game he loves, mirroring why 11+ million monthly players endure the hardships. For that connection to the souls of ranked grinders worldwide, Tyler1 makes a strong case as today‘s LoL embodiment.

S = Superior, A = Average, B = Below Average

So while no one matches Faker‘s shine as an unmatched winner and prodigy performer, Tyler1 excels as LoL‘s zeitgeist for the streaming generation. Let me know if you agree or have another candidate in mind as the ultimate face of League!