After finally announcing its long-awaited entrance into the LEC, one of the fastest-rising esports organizations in Europe might be making some big splashes this offseason.
Karmine Corp is reportedly signing a plethora of high-profile League of Legends stars to its starting lineup for 2024, including rising jungle prospect Zhou “Bo” Yang-Bo, veteran AD carry Elias “Upset” Lipp, and popular head coach and content creator Jakob “YamatoCannon” Mebdi, according to Sheep Esports’ Alejandro Gomis and Brieuc Seeger.
Bo has been a highly rated League prospect since his days on FunPlus Phoenix’s Academy roster. Team Vitality acquired him in 2022, but he never got much of a chance to show off his skills since the team struggled to break into the upper echelon of the LEC during its new format. This past summer, for example, they ended in 10th place with a horrendous 1-8 record, causing them to miss the playoffs entirely.
In a similar vein, Upset was also on Vitality’s failed 2023 roster as they stumbled their way to yet another disappointing season. He is still one of the most experienced players in the league and has great mechanics and game sense to provide for any high-octane lineup looking for a reliable backline threat.
Lastly, YamatoCannon is one of the most well-known personalities in the European League scene, boasting head coaching stints with Splyce, Team Vitality, Sandbox Gaming, and Fnatic. The 27-year-old is also a popular streamer and has spent some time on the LEC analyst desk. He even recently coached Karmine Corp’s LFL team in the 2023 Coupe de France, which means he would be extending his stay for the 2024 season.
The French behemoth, on the other hand, has been one of the biggest names in the League scene since it entered the competition back in 2020, founded by content creator Kamel “Kameto” Kebir. Although his dream was to own an organization in the LEC, he had to work hard, build strong rosters, and prove himself before making it to the big leagues.
Since then, the team has picked up steam with a ton of regional support from fans and analysts as they went on to win two LFL championships and four EMEA Masters trophies. After plenty of back-and-forth with Riot Games, the team finally acquired Astralis’ franchised slot this year and became the newest team in the region ahead of the 2024 season.
