Gen.G topples T1 in longest MSI 2025 series yet

Earlier today, LCK representatives T1 and Gen.G clashed in what many fans are already calling one of the best League of Legends series of the year.

The 2025 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) just keeps on delivering exciting matches and excellent performances, but the Upper Bracket Final takes the cake, for now. 

Peaking at around 2.67m viewers, according to Esports Chart, this match between reigning MSI champions Gen.G and 2024 world champions T1 was the teams’ first best-of-five against each other this year. The organisation’s rivalry has been ongoing for a few years now, and every new entry in the narrative continues to shape League of Legends esports history.

Gen.G entered MSI 2025 as favourites, riding a 21-series win streak that began back in February in the LCK. On the other side of the Rift, T1 walked on the international stage after a shaky domestic performance, but everyone knows best not to underestimate the current world champions.

After a near-scare against CTBC Flying Oyster in its first match of MSI 2025, T1 looked revitalised as it demolished Bilibili Gaming 3-0. 

Yet both teams’ biggest test was for a spot at the MSI 2025 Grand Final, one step from claiming the first ticket to Worlds 2025.

Both T1 and Gen.G threaded carefully in the first game of the series, trying not to give the early advantage to the most important BO5 of MSI 2025 yet.

Both teams traded evenly for 30 minutes until Gen.G broke through after a crucial teamfight. As Park ‘Ruler‘ Jae-hyuk cleaned up T1 in the Baron pit, Gen.G stormed mid to take the first Nexus in 35 minutes. But this was only the beginning of MSI 2025’s longest series yet. 

T1 hit back in game two. Gen.G drew first blood, but Mun ‘Oner‘ Hyeon-jun’s Jarvan IV and Lee ‘Gumayusi‘ Min-hyeong’s Lucian turned every fight in T1’s favour. T1 contested every objective, forced Gen.G into fights that were unlikely to win, and closed out the game in 29 minutes with a dominant 30-14 kill lead.

The third game was the slowest of the series. With the score tied, both teams played cautiously, trading objectives without a single kill for 20 minutes. But Gen.G finally cracked T1’s defences by invading its bottom-side jungle, where Jeong ‘Chovy‘ Ji-hoon claimed first blood on Choi ‘Doran‘ Hyeon-joon’s Sion despite T1’s desperate attempt to save him.

From there, Chovy’s Galio and Ruler’s Senna took over. Both stayed deathless, with Chovy ending the game 4/0/10 and Ruler 4/0/9. Gen.G took game three in 36 minutes with five times as many kills as T1.

Yet the five-time World Champions wouldn’t give up. In game four, Doran’s Gragas was key, setting up Faker’s Orianna and Gumayusi’s Corki in teamfights. Then a late game clean ace let T1 demolish Gen.G’s base in just over 45 minutes to tie the series again—it was Silver Scrapes time. 

However, all the excitement of a five-game series between Gen.G and T1 was almost smothered by yet another slow burner. Both sides traded towers and dragons until T1 overreached mid lane and Gen.G punished instantly. Ruler’s Jinx was untouchable, closing the series with a perfect 7/0/2 KDA as Gen.G took game five in 30 minutes.

Every game lasted at least 29 minutes, with low kills and tense, make-or-break fights that Gen.G’s calm control—and Ruler’s unstoppable late-game carries—turned into victory.

Gen.G now moves straight to the MSI 2025 Grand Final, one step from claiming the first ticket to Worlds 2025. T1 drops to the Lower Bracket Final, where the organisation will face either Anyone’s Legend, the top LPL seed, or Bilibili Gaming, which T1 already swept 3-0.