15 years of esports are celebrated through the many players who defined each era
Every year, Riot Games releases a brand-new Worlds anthem. This Monday, October 13, saw the debut of “Sacrifice,” performed by Chinese superstar G.E.M., following “Heavy Is The Crown” by Linkin Park in 2024. As always, the song was accompanied by one of the most ambitious animated music video created by Riot’s in-house team.
Featuring legendary stories, teams, and players, this year’s video paid tribute to many iconic figures from the past 15 years of competition that have shaped League of Legends’ professional ecosystem. Sheep Esports tried to identify all the active and retired players featured in the 2025 clip, from the most obvious ones to the most hidden.
The players featured in “Sacrifice”
- Rasmus “Caps” Winther (G2 Esports) – Recreates his 2020 Worlds quarterfinals against Gen.G, where his Sylas famously turned an Ashe arrow into one of Worlds’ most memorable highlights.
- Đỗ “Levi” Duy Khánh (GAM Esports) – Appears using Karthus in his 2022 Worlds Group Stage duel versus TES, symbolizing his underdog brilliance.
- Kang “TheShy” Seung-lok (Invictus Gaming) – Portrayed mid-battle in the 2018 semifinals versus G2 Esports, diving 1v5 on Aatrox alongside Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-Bo (Kai’Sa) and Wang “Baolan” Liu-Yi (Braum).
- Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (T1) – Faces off against Ruler’s Varus in a scene inspired by the 2023 semifinals clash between T1 and JDG, and the iconic Emperor’s Divide Faker landed on Varus, turning the series around in game 3.
The one and only unkillable demon king, celebrated once more as he enters Worlds 2025, not as an emperor but as a God. Credit: Riot Games.
- Park “Ruler” Jae-hyuk (Gen.G / JDG) – Appears in multiple sequences representing both eras of his career.
- Luka “Perkz” Perković (G2 Esports) – Shows up as Lissandra within the 2018 G2 vs IG crossover sequence.
- Choi “Zeus” Woo-je (T1) and Seo “Kanavi” Jin-hyeok (JDG) – Symbolize their 2023 semifinal duel: Aatrox versus Wukong, one of the defining moments of that tournament.
- Jian “Uzi” Zihao – Second player to be inducted in the Hall of Fame in 2025, he is without a doubt the most legendary LPL player ever and appear as a major figure who has built the first Chinese narratives at Worlds.
Uzi, with six Worlds appearances and two Finals without ever claiming the title, stands as the first true mechanical prodigy to emerge from the LPL. Credit: Riot Games.
- Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu (DRX) – His emotional 2022 Worlds triumph makes a touching cameo.
- Chen “Bin” Ze-Bin (Bilibili Gaming) – Celebrates his 2024 quarterfinals victory, tossing his jacket to the crowd in trademark fashion.
- Maciej “Shushei” Ratuszniak (Fnatic) – The closing frame revisits history, showing the first-ever world champion lifting the Summoner’s Cup.
Hidden References and Cameos
Beyond the central figures, the video hides dozens of subtle nods and emotional callbacks to the game’s history:
- Đặng “Kati” Thanh Phê, Hong “Pyosik” Chang-hyeon, Cho “BeryL” Geon-hee, and Shunsuke “Evi” Murase all make quick appearances.
- A short shot revisits Marcus “Dyrus” Hill during his retirement announcement.
- The viral “Broccoli Faker” sequence makes a humorous cameo.
- A nostalgic 2019 G2 moment reappears: Marcin “Jankos” Jankowski, Martin “Wunder” Hansen, Mihael “Mikyx” Mehle, and Perkz lifting Caps after their Worlds run.
- Li “Flandre” Xuanjun’s locker shows the number “2480”, marking the number of days it took him to reach a Worlds final.
- Anthony “TK Nguyen” Nguyễn is also featured as a nod to the Vietnamese esports scene.
Faker’s tears from 2017 Worlds Finals are mirrored by Keria’s in 2022. Credit: Riot Games.
- Emotional parallels are drawn between Faker’s tears after the 2017 Finals and Ryu “Keria” Min-seok’s breakdown after the 2022 loss, mirrored in the animation.
- Martin “Rekkles” Larsson’s screaming celebration when Fnatic advanced from Groups after their 0–4 start at Worlds 2017 makes a heartfelt return.
- The iconic Albus Nox Luna celebration versus ROX Tigers (Worlds 2016) is spotlighted for a split second.
- The AR Elder Dragon from the 2017 Opening Ceremony soars again, bridging the real and virtual spectacles Riot has crafted over the years.
Credit: Riot Games.
Header Photo Credit: Riot Games
– Clément Chocat –
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