Someone tries to sell SKT T1 Faker’s name, Riot won’t let them

Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok’s legendary status continues to generate unprecedented interest, as evidenced by a recent attempt to monetize his former professional summoner identity.

An anonymous seller demanded $39,000 for Faker’s previous in-game handle, SKT T1 Faker. This identifier was used by the mid lane prodigy on Korean servers before his organization underwent rebranding to T1. Following the transition, the name became available and was claimed by another individual who recognized its market potential. Riot Games swiftly intervened upon discovering the illicit transaction attempt, enforcing their strict policy against summoner name sales.

As League of Legends’ most celebrated competitor, Faker’s name carries immense prestige that attracts various types of interest. Some enthusiasts seek the name purely for fandom purposes, while others might attempt impersonation for deceptive advantages. Regardless of intent, the current holder clearly identified a profitable venture in capitalizing on Faker’s reputation.

For several competitive seasons, Faker has competed under the alias Hide on Bush. Professional athletes receive dedicated Riot-sponsored accounts featuring their team branding and competitive identifiers. The SK Telecom T1 organizational transformation created naming vulnerabilities that weren’t adequately secured. Community members have questioned why preventive measures weren’t implemented by both T1 and Riot to safeguard these valuable digital assets.

This incident may prompt Riot to enhance their monitoring of secondary markets where popular player identities are commodified.

Selling names in League of Legends is nothing new

While this marks the first publicized case involving a top-tier professional, trading account identifiers of competitive players has occurred previously. Faker’s situation represents an extreme manifestation due to his iconic standing. Pricing his name at 44 million Korean Won seems extraordinary, yet wealthy collectors might have completed the purchase without Riot’s interference. The developer has faced persistent challenges regulating account resellers throughout League’s history, with this being another illustration of the ongoing struggle.

Since the game’s inception, LoL accounts have been regularly traded on platforms like eBay and specialized gaming marketplaces. These typically include freshly leveled level 30 profiles specifically cultivated for resale purposes. Despite Riot’s efforts to identify and suspend these accounts, the secondary market for League of Legends remains robust. Players frequently sell inactive accounts for substantial sums, with competitive rankings, accomplishment milestones, and cosmetic collections all contributing to account valuation.

What rank is Faker?

Faker currently competes in the Challenger tier on Korea’s League of Legends server.Having played more than 700 matches in the current competitive season, Faker has accumulated over 600 League Points through diverse champion selections. He holds position 305 on the Korean competitive ladder, with potential for higher placement if he focused exclusively on ranking advancement. Currently, Faker streams extensively while showcasing varied champion pools to engage his Twitch audience. Recently, he has frequently selected Sett and Lee Sin in his competitive matches.

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