GEN's owner revealed that they once made a strong effort to acquire TheShy, but lost out to an LPL team due to insufficient funds.

Greetings to all LPL fans and League of Legends summoners, this is World Game Report.

This year, the transfer periods for the two major regions, China and Korea, have concluded, with most top-tier teams reaching their transfer targets. Notably, GEN, which was eliminated at Worlds, managed to renew contracts with their entire roster.

Recently, GEN’s CEO participated in an interview and shared some previously unknown stories.

GEN focuses on sincerity and retains their original lineup.

In recent years, GEN has consistently dominated their domestic league but underperformed at the World Championship. This year, despite being highly favored and considered the top contender, GEN once again fell short in the Worlds semifinals, ending their season after a defeat by KT.

During the year-end transfer window, Canyon was initially announced as a free agent but soon after re-signed with the team.

GEN decided to keep their original roster intact for the upcoming season. Many fans may not realize that GEN is not the wealthiest team in the LCK region; they don’t have as much money as people assume. Yet, they manage to maintain a top-tier lineup every year, bearing significant financial pressure.

During the interview, when asked how GEN managed to renew player contracts despite limited funds, the CEO explained it was due to their team culture. They pay close attention to the players’ feelings and are honest about what the team can and cannot offer during the transfer period, neither exaggerating nor hiding anything, winning players over with sincerity.

GEN’s owner disclosed that they once pursued The Shy.

Because of the salary cap, GEN’s players might have to accept pay cuts. GEN appeals to players emotionally and rationally to convince them to stay and strive for breakthroughs and good results in the new year. It’s fair to say GEN’s transfer negotiations have their own strengths.

Additionally, the host asked which player GEN most wanted to sign but ultimately failed to acquire—whether it was a player they officially made an offer to or simply someone they desired but couldn’t get.

GEN’s CEO kept it mysterious: he hinted that naming the player might surprise AGA, and although no formal offer was made, The Shy had been on their list a long time ago.

GEN’s owner frankly admitted that The Shy remains an outstanding player. However, at that time, the budget gap between LCK and LPL was huge. Honestly, GEN had no chance competing for The Shy and felt that he was better suited to stay in the LPL. Still, they wondered what it would have been like if The Shy had joined GEN.

This shows GEN’s owner truly wanted to sign The Shy but lost the competition to an LPL team.

Would The Shy’s career have been better if he had gone to LCK?

Many viewers can probably guess that GEN’s attempt to acquire The Shy likely happened after the end of S9. It’s unlikely they tried right after S8 since IG had just won the championship then, making it hard to poach players. The window was probably post-S9, or possibly even later after S10.

Judging by The Shy’s career trajectory, by S10 he had already entered a state of overexertion. Frankly, if The Shy had moved to the LCK region then, it might have corrected his career path, helping him return to form and extend his peak performance period.

Personally, I believe much of The Shy’s prime was wasted. A better scenario might have been for him to return to LCK after winning a championship in LPL and then become a standard LCK-style top laner, still with chances to claim a world title.

The Shy’s issue was that his playstyle was too “joyful” and sometimes reckless, lacking teamwork. His extreme individualistic style sacrificed teammates, and after showcasing his talent, he became overzealous, missing his championship window and then entering an irreversible decline. This is the main reason why opinions about The Shy are so polarized.