Doublelift responds to criticism he sabotaged LCS walkout negotiations

League of Legends veteran Doublelift has responded to claims that he put the LCS walkout talks at risk by saying he doesn’t want to give up playing the Summer split.

The eight-time LCS winner has come under criticism after stating over the weekend that he’d have no issue “letting go” of the current impasse between the LCS Players Association (LCSPA), Riot Games and the teams if that means that the Summer split — and NA’s participation at Worlds — is saved.

Doublelift also called the LCSPA’s list of demands “unrealistic” and argued against the expansion of the LCS with Challengers teams, stating that the league should have fewer teams, not more.

With Doublelift being one of the LCS’ most popular players, many believe that his comments have taken the wind out of the LCSPA’s sails and eroded any leverage that the association still held in these negotiations.

“Just completely ruined the LCSPA negotiations on his personal stream,” former pro and League community figure Christian ‘IWDominate’ Rivera wrote on Twitter.

Doublelift responds to criticism

In a June 4 livestream, Doublelift addressed the criticism he has faced for his previous comments. He called the notion that he ruined negotiations “a braindead take” and revealed that LCSPA Executive Director Phillip Aram even thanked him for the video that he posted.

“I have no idea why people think that I’m harming the negotiations,” Doublelift said.

The 29-year-old bot laner acknowledged that what he said “doesn’t help” the LCSPA but he stressed that he thinks it doesn’t hurt negotiations, either. He went on to reiterate that Riot canceling the Summer Split is an outcome that no one wants.

“It benefits nobody,” Doublelift said. “I don’t even want that to be entertained. I don’t think anyone wants that to be entertained. I don’t think Philip does, because he generally cares about the players. I think he is going to do a great job.

“It’s like a nuclear button. Why even have that as part of the equation? Everyone will just suffer. If LCS Summer is canceled, all players will lose their job for half the year. We’re not getting paid for sitting on our asses, playing solo queue and turning the stream on.

“People saying I sabotaged the negotiations are a little bit delusional about that. I just don’t want that to happen. No one wants the LCS being canceled.”

Doublelift then said that if he knew there was a chance the Summer Split could be canceled because of this stand-off between the association, Riot and the teams, he “wouldn’t even want there to be negotiations”.

“That’s so crazy,” he said. “Fifty people will not have a job. All the LCS orgs are going to be super devalued. We will not have a job. That’s crazy. I don’t think anyone wants that to be the leverage.

“I didn’t think anyone was thinking that because we would refuse to play, the LCS would be canceled indefinitely.”

Riot Games has postponed the start of the LCS Summer split to June 15 to give all parties involved more time to find common ground. For the time being, Riot and the LCSPA are refraining from making public comments on this matter so as not to disrupt the ongoing talks.