EDG Championship Sparks Vaping Buzz: Coach Seen Using an E-Cigarette on the Finals Stage

On November 7, we congratulate the Chinese team EDG for winning the S11 season League of Legends World Championship by defeating the Korean team DK with a score of 3 to 2.

In this highly anticipated showdown, EDG first experienced the joy of leading 1 to 0, only to fall behind 1 to 2 as DK won two consecutive games, ultimately staging a remarkable comeback to win 3 to 2.

As a veteran powerhouse in the LPL, EDG's victory in the S11 finals seems to be a fulfillment of expectations, but seasoned viewers of the LPL should know the ups and downs that EDG faced on their path to victory.

Having defeated multiple world champions, EDG's win is hailed as the strongest in history.

From yesterday's predictions to early this morning, if you look at the social media posts of those who are not middle-aged, they are likely filled with phrases like "EDG is amazing" and "EDG will definitely win."

For the middle-aged crowd:

A bunch of bewildered middle-aged people just learning what EDG is.

This is not meant to be sarcastic; after all, many middle-aged people did not play games when they were younger, so it is normal not to know. However, seeing their social media flooded with posts, their professional sensitivity will surely prompt them to pay attention and learn more.

After all, with esports becoming an official event at the 2022 Hangzhou Asian Games, and League of Legends being one of the eight games competing for gold, shouldn't the previous prejudices against gaming be corrected?

This is worth pondering.

When a game captures the attention of young people worldwide, everyone must pay attention and study it.

In my social media circle, there are many middle-aged internet and media professionals, along with a small number of people working in the e-cigarette industry. This latter group is significant, as they have found their youth again. Many middle-aged men did not have a youth filled with League of Legends, so for them, EDG is like an alien. However, those engaged in the e-cigarette business are undoubtedly young people who grew up playing games.

Opening e-cigarette shops and playing League of Legends or Honor of Kings are things that only young people can do. If you calculate their ages, those in their 30s were right in the middle of their youth when League of Legends was released. When the mobile version of League of Legends launched, this group suddenly abandoned Honor of Kings and flocked to the mobile version of League of Legends.

Thus, when EDG is trending in the e-cigarette community, we seem to discover many commonalities.

Commonality 1: The same group of players and sellers.

This group of gamers is likely also the same group of e-cigarette sellers, aged in their 20s, not exceeding 30, quick to accept new things, fast with their hands, and having enough time to play games to kill time while selling e-cigarettes as a livelihood.

Commonality 2: Both gaming and e-cigarettes are highly controversial.

Since the inception of gaming, it has faced controversy, such as addiction among youth and obsession with gaming. E-cigarettes have also been accompanied by controversy since their inception, especially in recent years with issues of youth addiction. Those in the e-cigarette industry must surely empathize.

Both are industries under scrutiny and related to youth, but while gaming has implemented measures to prevent addiction, how should the youth issue surrounding e-cigarettes be addressed?

Before relevant regulations are introduced, it seems that e-cigarette players need to self-regulate and resolutely avoid selling e-cigarettes to minors; as the saying goes, "Heaven helps those who help themselves."

Of course, gaming has long been legitimized; when will e-cigarettes receive some positive news and eliminate prejudice? Perhaps those in the e-cigarette industry who are frantically promoting EDG are dreaming of waking up to a smile.

What actually ignited the e-cigarette buzz was the EDG coaching staff, each with an e-cigarette in hand.

This image has been shared widely.

The reasons are twofold: first, e-cigarette enthusiasts feel proud that these top professionals are using e-cigarettes, giving them a sense of validation. Second, after being suppressed for a long time, seeing e-cigarettes appear on a highly visible live stage triggers a rush of dopamine. Third, there’s really nothing else to do, so they just join in the excitement.

Let’s take a look at what these people are posting on social media.

EDG wins, giving away e-cigarettes, offering discounts.

Half-price e-cigarettes to celebrate EDG's victory.

The images of the EDG uniformed team using e-cigarettes are the most shared; although everyone claims their own brand, at this moment, any e-cigarette is enough.

Once again, congratulations to EDG! And congratulations to these interesting players in the e-cigarette industry!

Team members and coaching staff celebrate.

EDG's head coach, Maokai, celebrates the victory while taking a puff.
The road ahead is indeed as tough as iron, but now we step forward anew.