Yagao Returns To JD Gaming

By Tit Krajnik

08 Dec 2023

Tit Krajnik 08 Dec 2023

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On Friday, December 8, 2023 JD Gaming announced the signing of mid laner Zeng "Yagao" Qi
The 25-year-old mid laner re-joins JD Gaming after spending the last year with BIlibili Gaming
Yagao replaces Zhuo "knight" Ding, who is reportedly joining Yagao's former team, Bilibili Gaming

JD Gaming Yagao (Getty Images)

On Friday, December 8, 2023, JD Gaming announced the signing of mid laner Zeng "Yagao" Qi. Yagao was a player for JD Gaming for nearly five years and now returns to his old League of Legends team after spending the last year competing with BIlibili Gaming.

Yagao joining JD Gaming is hardly a shocking move, as it has been rumoured over the last month that the 25-year-old is on the brink of re-joining his old team. The same reports also stated that JD Gaming's former mid laner Zhuo "knight" Ding is set to join Bilibili Gaming, with the two mid laners essentially swapping places.

Yagao started his esports career in November 2016 with Team CC. He later spent eight months with Moss Seven Club, and in December 2017 joined JD Gaming in the League of Legends Pro League (LPL).

The Chinese mid laner has stayed with JD Gaming for nearly five years, helping JDG establish themselves as one of the top esports organisations in the region. However, despite the success Yagao has achieved with JD Gaming in 2022 - when he helped the team win the LPL 2023 Summer Playoffs and reached the semifinals of the LoL World Championship - he left JD Gaming to join BIlibili Gaming.

With Bilibili Gaming, Yagao accomplished a lot; however, the team consistently finished behind JD Gaming, who proved to be BLG's kryptonite, beating Bilibili Gaming in the finals of the LPL 2023 Spring Playoffs and Mid-Season Invitational. Despite failing to win a single trophy, Yagao again made the semifinals of the LoL World Championship, where his team lost against Weibo Gaming.

JD Gaming Are Ready For The 2024 Season

Along with the announcement of Yagao's arrival to the team, JD Gaming also unveiled the signing of ex-EDward Gaming top laner Li "Flandre" Xuan-Jun and Xu "sheer" Wen-Jie.

The news comes just days after JD Gaming extended contracts with jungler Seo "Kanavi" Jin-hyeok and ADC Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk. Meanwhile, support Lou "MISSING" Yun-Feng still has a contract with the team until November 2024.

Unless JD Gaming decide on more changes, the reigning Chinese champions will field the same core as in 2023, with a new top laner and mid laner.