After SK Gaming’s 0–2 loss to G2, we at LOLNOW sat down with German ADC Tim “Keduii” Willers to discuss the LEC format, the team’s current state, and the G2 series.
When this interview took place, it was not yet clear whether SK Gaming would qualify for playoffs. After the final Group B series between Heretics and BDS, it became certain that SK would not be playing in the postseason.
Watch the full interview with Keduii on our YouTube just below, where he also talks more about the meta in the LEC and the matchup against G2:
The LEC format
Format was front of mind for Keduii. He sees upsides in longer series, yet points to structural issues that shape the split for teams like SK. All three LEC splits in 2025 have faced criticism, though winter and spring far less than the current summer format. The biggest concerns are the low game count and that top teams first meet in playoffs.
For Keduii, the new format also changed his perspective, since he is not used to fighting at the bottom of the table.
“Back then [In the LFL] I did not worry about last place, because I was usually first in ERL. Now I know how it feels when your season can be over very fast if you finish last.”
As mentioned earlier, Keduii did not yet know SK’s fate during the interview, but you can feel how much making playoffs would mean to him.
“You probably get very hype playoffs, and you see less of last-place teams, which is good for viewership. I just hope you do not see less of SK Gaming because of it.”
Although he played more total games in the LFL, those were best-of-ones, which the LEC moved away from this split. That change has been a rare positive for many fans, and Keduii agrees that longer series help.
“I like best of threes, because if you are a bottom tier team in best of ones, you might never reach playoffs, so you would never play best of fives or best of threes. That would be boring.”
While the last split of the year leads into Worlds for many regions, for teams that do not qualify it can feel deflating.
Inside SK
SK has not looked good this split, but the mood is better than last split, when there was widespread speculation about internal issues.
“Last split, before we changed three players, it felt depressing, people were very negative.”
The on-stage progress from spring to summer might not have been obvious recently, but for Keduii the split was more comfortable.
“Last split was my first time in the LEC, and I had to learn a lot. Now I feel comfortable with myself, but there is a lot going wrong in the team.”
SK Gaming also did not have much time to improve on stage. Their summer split ended after just four best-of-threes, nine games in total.
Only last year, Keduii was in the LFL with BDS Academy. That summer format featured a single 10-team group, best-of-one, double round robin, which meant 18 games in the split compared to the nine total they’ve ended up playing this LEC split.
“I usually like a long regular season, because you need time to work as a team and to practice.”
Playing against the best
Competing in the LEC is many aspiring European players’ dream, but it can feel demoralizing when you face G2. Game 1 was close for the first 10 minutes, then it spiraled, which Keduii also noticed:
“They [G2] are a really good team, so any small thing you give them, they punish very hard. We are not such a good team right now, so our mistakes get punished more, because we do not adapt well to our own mistakes.”
Game 2 was closer, and SK found some good plays, but it never really felt like they were in control. Keduii and the team felt the same way.
“In game two we did some things well, but a lot of the time we were not doing anything. It felt really hard to win. There was a very low chance we would win either game.”
After losing to G2, SK’s playoff fate lay in BDS’s hands. If BDS had won their series against Team Heretics, SK would have qualified, but it was not meant to be. Heretics won 2–1, sending SK on an early vacation.
Keduii was blunt about the team’s current form, even in a best-of-five scenario.
“If we get into playoffs, we will play a best of five against a team from the other group, and if we play like we are playing now, we will lose for sure.”
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