Team 8

Formation and Early Success

Team 8 was formed in December 2013 with its original roster of RicheRich, Guess8, chu8, Slooshi, and Dodo8. The team found immediate success at its first event, the Razer League of Legends Holiday Bash, finishing second out of 256 teams. This early performance caught the attention of sponsors, with esports news site ALTGG offering sponsorship shortly after.

By the end of 2013, Team 8 had secured a top 20 finish in the North American Challenger Tier, earning an invitation to the sponsored North American Challenger Series, also known as the Coke League. However, their first run in this tournament ended abruptly when top laner RicheRich left the team without warning just before a semifinal match, forcing a forfeit.

Rebuilding and Challenger Series Run

After a month of searching, Team 8 rebuilt its roster by adding former LCS AD carry frommaplestreet and challenger player CaliforniaTrlolz. This shift moved Slooshi to the mid lane and made chu8 a substitute. The new lineup competed in the second season of the North American Challenger League.

Team 8 opened the NACL season with a strong 12-4 record, which included a notable victory over the former LPL team LMQ. They finished first in their conference and tied for second overall with a 14-8 record. In the playoffs, they beat Team LoLPro 2-0 before falling to LMQ 1-3 in the finals, securing a second-place finish and a $5000 prize.

LCS Qualification and Playstyle

Team 8's performance in the challenger circuit eventually led them to qualify for the North American League of Legends Championship Series, the top tier of competition in the region. The team was notable for developing a distinct playstyle that focused heavily on carrying games through the top lane, a strategy that set them apart from many contemporaries.

In the 2015 Summer LCS season, Team 8 finished in 8th place, which was not enough to qualify for the postseason playoffs. Despite this, their time in the LCS confirmed their reputation as a team with a clear and identifiable strategic identity.

The Immortals Acquisition

The story of Team 8 reached its conclusion in October 2015. On October 7, it was announced that a new organization named Immortals would be acquiring Team 8's spot in the LCS, beginning competition under the new name in the 2016 Spring split. This marked the end of Team 8 as an active competitor.

A week later, longtime member Dodo8 announced his retirement from professional play and transitioned into a management role within the new Immortals organization. The investor group behind Immortals included notable figures from entertainment and sports, such as Peter Levin of Lionsgate, Allen Debevoise of Machinima, and Steve Kaplan, a co-owner of the NBA's Memphis Grizzlies.

Legacy and Distinction

Team 8's legacy is twofold. Primarily, they are remembered as the direct precursor to Immortals, a major organization that would go on to have significant success and investment in esports. Their slot provided the foundation for a new entity backed by high-profile investors.

Secondly, within the League of Legends scene, Team 8 is recalled for its specific top-lane-centric strategy and its credible rise from the amateur challenger series to the LCS stage. Their story is a classic example of a grassroots team achieving the top level of regional competition before the business of esports evolved into the franchise era.

It is important to distinguish this Team 8 from other entities using similar names, such as Lotus 8 Esports, a separate organization focused on Rocket League and mental health initiatives based in Canada. The League of Legends Team 8 was a distinct North American entity that ceased operations in 2015.