Lauri 'Cyanide' Happonen, who won the first League of Legends World Championship with Fnatic, has died, the organisation announced on October 26th.
Fnatic shared the news on X (formerly Twitter), saying it was "deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lauri 'Cyanide' Happonen earlier this year." The organisation did not say when or how he died. "During his four-year spell at Fnatic, Cyanide made history as the youngest ever player to win Worlds at just 16. He leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten," the statement read.
The European organisation sent its condolences to "his family, friends, and everyone whose lives he touched." It signed off with "Rest in peace, Cyanide. 🧡🖤" By the evening of October 26th (PT), the post had passed 1.27 million views and 41,000 likes.
Riot Games' official LoL Esports account posted its own tribute a few hours later, calling him "Forever a legend." "We are devastated to hear about Lauri 'Cyanide' Happonen's passing. Cyanide won Season 1 Worlds with Fnatic and remains the youngest player to ever lift the Summoner's Cup," it wrote, adding: "Thank you for everything, Lauri."
Fnatic's Season 1 win
The Season One Championship was Riot's first world championship, played over three days at DreamHack in Sweden in June 2011. According to Riot's wrap-up at the time, FnaticMSI, as the team was then branded, took the $50,000 first prize after beating fellow European team Against All Authority (aAa) in the final. North America's Team SoloMid finished third.
Riot wrote back then that it had crowned "the League of Legends Season One Champions," describing FnaticMSI as a team that "exceeded expectations time and time again." The developer called the event "the closing of a historic chapter in League of Legends." The tournament has since grown into the yearly World Championship, and Riot's tribute noted that no younger player has lifted the trophy since Cyanide.
