TL;DR
- FPX unveiled their third logo redesign in under a year featuring simplified typography
- The new design integrates phoenix imagery within the FPX letterforms
- Mixed community reception with notable criticism from esports professionals
- The 2019 champions failed to qualify for Worlds 2020 after eighth-place LPL finish
- Rebranding coincides with roster changes for 2021 competitive season
FunPlus Phoenix embarks on another significant brand transformation, marking their third visual identity update within a remarkably condensed timeframe.
The prominent Chinese League of Legends organization publicly announced this comprehensive logo overhaul through their official social media channels. As the celebrated 2019 World Championship titleholders, FPX characterized this change as a strategic enhancement of their core brand philosophy and competitive identity.
“Our symbolic phoenix ascends from Eastern origins, imprinting its fiery essence dynamically across the FPX lettering. We aim to communicate the fundamental principles of Faith, Passion, and Xpossibility through this visual representation. Fly Phoenix, Fly,” the organization declared in their official statement.
We’ve upgraded our brand vision from now on for all our divisions and franchises. Our totem phoenix soars from oriental, engraved it’s burning mark rapidly on the letters of FPX. The vision we want to share is the spirit of Faith, Passion, and Xpossibility. Fly Phoenix, Fly!#FPX
pic.twitter.com/BqLYRRBhJY— FPX (@FPX_Esports)
December 28, 2020
Visual Identity Transformation
FunPlus Phoenix released an animated promotional video to showcase their redesigned emblem. The visual narrative depicted a mythical phoenix in rapid flight across the display interface. As the creature traverses the screen, the updated FPX branding emerges with avian contours seamlessly incorporated into the typographic treatment. The streamlined design now presents the three-character acronym “FPX” with the phoenix’s dynamic form visually passing through the letter structures.
Cloud9’s social media team promptly expressed approval of the new branding direction. However, while the North American organization received support from enthusiastic fans eager to see the emblem on competitive jerseys, the redesign faced immediate criticism from certain community segments. Multiple observers contended that letter-based designs lack the symbolic depth of pictorial logos, suggesting the need for more intricate visual storytelling.
Why would you ditch such an unique logo with phoenix for billion times seen letters only logo 🙁
It was logo of a world champions, well recognized with fans, we needed more logos like that in esports, not this generic stuff— Vladimir Belopavlovic (@VladaEsports)
December 28, 2020
The intensity of fan reactions appears particularly noteworthy given FPX’s unprecedented frequency of rebranding initiatives within a single competitive cycle. The League of Legends community now observes whether this third emblem iteration will demonstrate greater longevity than its predecessors. The current branding will uniformly apply across all organizational branches and competitive teams, encompassing their Valorant and Counter-Strike: Global Offensive divisions alongside their flagship League of Legends roster.
Worlds 2020 Qualification Status
Despite achieving championship glory in 2019, FPX encountered qualification failure for the 2020 World Championship tournament. During the 2020 Summer Split of China’s League of Legends Pro League (LPL), the organization secured only eighth position in the standings. This competitive downturn likely motivates the comprehensive rebranding initiative heading into the 2021 competitive season, representing a symbolic fresh start alongside anticipated roster modifications.
Competitive Analysis Insights: Organizations frequently employ visual rebranding following competitive setbacks to signal organizational transformation. The timing of FPX’s logo change aligns with established esports industry patterns where struggling teams refresh branding to distance themselves from recent disappointments. This strategic approach often accompanies roster rebuilds and coaching staff adjustments.
Common Rebranding Pitfalls: Teams often underestimate fan attachment to established visual identities, particularly those associated with championship victories. Successful rebrands typically balance modernization with preservation of recognizable elements that maintain fan connection.
The organization’s expanded competitive portfolio across multiple titles necessitates a versatile branding system that maintains consistency while allowing for game-specific adaptations. This multi-title approach represents both a revenue diversification strategy and brand reinforcement mechanism across the broader esports ecosystem.
Action Checklist
- Analyze logo design evolution across multiple iterations for pattern recognition
- Monitor community reception across social platforms for sentiment trends
- Track competitive performance metrics following rebranding initiatives
- Compare multi-team organization branding consistency across different esports titles
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » FunPlus Phoenix announces rebrand with a brand new logo FPX unveils redesigned logo and brand vision while analyzing their competitive performance trajectory