According to a recent Sheep Esports article Royal Never Give Up (RNG), once a dominant force in Chinese League of Legends, has withdrawn both its main and academy rosters from the LPL and LDL in 2025. This alarming move follows a season of crushing defeats. RNG finished last in the LPL Summer Split relegating them to the LDL, and their academy team, Royal Club, recorded a winless 0–11 in the LDL before pulling out entirely.
The decision stems from an inability to sustain basic operations, including paying player salaries and venue expenses. According to SheepEsports, the organizations debts exceed 1 billion yuan (approximately $140 million) with the organization also entangled in more than a dozen lawsuits, the future is looking bleak.
Once backed by over a dozen high-profile sponsors such as Mercedes‑Benz and KFC, by 2025 RNG was left with just one: Huya Live. In recent admissions, the club’s CEO Li Jieming conceded that the organization had never turned a profit and had been kept afloat only through “blood transfusions” better known as external funding and sponsorships.
RNG’s exit has already sparked fallout across the LDL: viewership has dropped by 23%, and sponsor renewals have plunged below 50%.
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