Doublelift

Early Life and Entry into Esports

Doublelift, born Yiliang Peng, grew up in California and began his gaming journey on consoles before discovering PC titles like DotA, World of Warcraft, and Heroes of Newerth. His eventual move to League of Legends set the stage for his career. His dream of becoming a professional player created a major rift with his parents, who believed gaming was a waste of time and insisted he attend college. Arguments over his gaming were constant, straining their relationship for years.

His professional break came when Counter Logic Gaming founder George 'HotshotGG' Georgallidis noticed him and recruited him as a substitute support player. Doublelift soon left CLG to become the starting support for Epik Gamer, a team he credited for giving him his crucial first opportunity. He later joined UnRestricted as their starting AD Carry, a role that would define his career, and that team was acquired by Team Curse later in the year.

Homelessness and the First Major Tournament

Doublelift's first major tournament was DreamHack Summer 2011, also known as the Riot Season 1 Championship in Sweden. He needed his parents' permission to travel, and they initially refused, fearing for his safety. His older brother helped convince them, allowing Doublelift to attend. At the event, he was extremely introverted, barely speaking to his teammates, a stark contrast to his later confident persona.

Upon returning home, his parents were not proud of his accomplishment and continued to pressure him about college. The conflict escalated until 2011, when his parents told him to leave the family home. He did, taking his computer and his prize money from DreamHack. He documented becoming homeless in a Reddit post, writing that with no degree and no family to return to, he was going all-in on his gaming career. To support himself, he began writing educational League of Legends guides for Team Curse, which allowed him to pay his rent.

Building a Legacy with Counter Logic Gaming

Doublelift's time with CLG, beginning in 2012, established him as a North American star. Early tournament results were mixed, such as a fourth-place finish at the 2012 MLG Fall Championship where the team won $2,500. The 2014 season saw CLG finish third and fifth in the spring and summer playoffs, missing international events. In early 2015, CLG and Doublelift were fined for poaching player ZionSpartan, with Doublelift personally fined $2,500.

The 2015 Spring Split regular season was strong, with CLG never falling below tied for second place for eight weeks, though they ultimately finished third. They lost in the quarterfinals to Team Liquid. Doublelift was later benched during the summer split due to an injury from playing basketball. He returned in time for playoffs, where he helped CLG achieve a historic first-ever LCS playoff title in August 2015, qualifying them for the World Championship. After CLG's group stage exit at Worlds, finishing 12th/13th, the team informed Doublelift on October 31 that they would not re-sign him.

Championship Pursuit and Hiatus with TSM

Joining Team SoloMid in 2016, Doublelift replaced longtime AD Carry WildTurtle. He immediately reached the spring finals but lost 3-2 to his former team, CLG. For the summer split, TSM added support Biofrost to partner with Doublelift. The team improved dramatically, posting a 17-1 regular season record after a previous 9-9 showing. Doublelift earned First Team All-Pro honors and won his second LCS title by defeating Cloud9 3-1.

Before the 2017 season, Doublelift announced a hiatus for the spring split, citing a need for a break from the relentless schedule, a feeling of burnout he had expressed as early as 2013. TSM owner Andy Dinh stated Doublelift would have to compete for his starting spot upon return. Teammate Bjergsen echoed this, expressing disappointment in Doublelift's commitment. TSM signed WildTurtle as his replacement. Midway through that spring split, Doublelift was loaned to a struggling Team Liquid, a controversial move approved by Riot Games after the team demonstrated no other suitable player was available.

Tragedy and Historic Dominance with Team Liquid

Doublelift joined Team Liquid permanently for 2018, reuniting with ex-CLG teammates. The team finished fourth in the spring regular season but advanced through the playoffs. A week before the finals, Doublelift learned his mother had been killed and his father seriously injured in a domestic incident allegedly involving his older brother. Despite the tragedy, Team Liquid owner Steve Arhancet announced Doublelift was determined to play. Team Liquid won its first LCS championship, sweeping 100 Thieves 3-0.

In the 2018 summer split, Doublelift won his first NA LCS MVP award. Team Liquid secured the top seed by a single game and won another title, defeating Cloud9 3-0 in the finals. For 2019, Liquid signed Jensen and world champion CoreJJ. They reverse-swept TSM to win the spring title, giving Doublelift his sixth championship. At the 2019 Mid-Season Invitational, Liquid upset defending world champions Invictus Gaming 3-1 in the semifinals before losing in the finals.

Liquid won the 2019 Summer Split as well, defeating Cloud9 3-2. This was Doublelift's seventh title, passing Xmithie for the most in LCS history. At the 2019 World Championship, Liquid finished third in their group with a 3-3 record and was eliminated.

Final Chapters and Retirement

The 2020 season began poorly for Team Liquid. New jungler Broxah had visa issues, and the team struggled. Doublelift was benched in favor of academy player Tactical, a decision he attributed to his own lack of motivation. He publicly apologized to his teammates, returned the next week, but Liquid finished the spring split in 9th place, missing the playoffs entirely.

Doublelift moved back to TSM for the 2020 summer split and won his record-extending eighth LCS championship. However, at the 2020 World Championship, TSM failed to win a single game. For the 2021 season, Doublelift joined 100 Thieves, but the team did not achieve major success. He announced his retirement from professional play in November 2021, concluding a decade-long career at the top level. He has since focused on content creation and streaming, and in 2024 began playing semi-professionally for his own team, Near Airport.

Persona and Lasting Impact

Doublelift's legacy is built on unprecedented success, with eight LCS championships, a Split MVP, and five All-Pro First Team selections. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest North American players of all time. His career was a story of resilience, from being released by CLG to leading other organizations to dynastic runs.

His persona was equally defining. Known for his sharp, confident trash talk, his most famous line came at the 2013 All-Star tournament when he declared, 'Everyone else is trash.' This bold, competitive image, combined with his proven skill in the AD Carry role and his longevity at the highest level, confirmed his status in the esports world.