Gen.G Defeat Hanwha Life Esports 3-1 and Advance to the Worlds 2025 Semifinals

An incredible Best-of-Five series awaited us today - and it was arguably the most competitive match of the entire tournament: Gen.G vs Hanwha Life Esports. Both teams played exceptionally well, even breaking the record for the longest single game of the event.

Game 1 Picks:

• Gen.G: Aatrox, Wukong, Ryze, Ezreal, Neeko
• Hanwha Life Esports: Rak`Sai,Sejuani, Taliyah, Corki, Pantheon

Game 2 Picks:

• Gen.G: Gwen, Jarvan IV, Orianna, Varus, Nautilus
• Hanwha Life Esports: Ambessa, Xin Zhao, Azir, Ziggs, Poppy

Game 3 Picks:

• Gen.G: Sion, Skarner, Viktor, Kai`Sa, Bard
• Hanwha Life Esports: Rumble, Trundle, Yone, Sivir, Rakan

Game 4 Picks:

• Gen.G: K`Sante, Nidalee, Hwei, Yunara, Alistar
• Hanwha Life Esports: Camille, Nocturne, Aurora, Smolder, Leona

An absolutely incredible and highly competitive series - which is no surprise when the top two LCK teams face off. The most memorable moment came in Game 2, which set a new record at Worlds 2025 for the longest match of the tournament so far. It was a grueling game for both sides, but Gen.G ultimately came out on top, taking a 2-0 lead. Honestly, many fans, analysts, and casters believed that after such a defeat, HLE wouldn’t be able to bounce back.

However, in Game 3, HLE struck back with a dominant performance. They played faster and more aggressively than usual right from the start, and their draft looked much more confident compared to Gen.G’s.

Game 4 turned out to be the final map of this Bo5 series, and Gen.G looked absolutely flawless. Both sides drafted interesting compositions, but the way Gen.G executed, their map movements, and their decision-making clearly showed why they’re considered the best team in the world. A convincing win closed the series 3-1 in Gen.G’s favor.

With this victory, Gen.G advance to the semifinals. Unfortunately for HLE and their fans, their Worlds 2025 journey ends here, finishing in 5th–8th place.

In a bittersweet moment for all League of Legends fans - and especially for HLE supporters - Peanut announced his retirement following Worlds 2025.

Reminder: The Worlds 2025 Knockout Stage runs from October 28 to November 2, with the Grand Final taking place on November 9. All matches are played in a Best-of-Five format using the Fearless Draft system. The bracket follows a Single Elimination format — meaning teams that lose are immediately eliminated from the tournament.