LoL: LNG Esports and Oh My God played the first Game 5 blind pick in over ten years

For the first time in over ten years, a Game 5 was played in blind pick on League of Legends. It happened in the Demacia Cup quarterfinals between LNG Esports and Oh My God, a series won by LNG. The previous Game 5 in blind pick dated back to the 2015 Champions Summer between KT Rolster and the KOO Tigers, at a time when teams were only allowed three bans.

As a reminder, Blind Pick means that teams draft without seeing their opponents’ champions and without any bans. Since 2025 and the introduction of Fearless Draft, which prevents teams from picking champions that have already been played in the series, Game 5s have often taken a chaotic turn, with players forced onto champions they are less comfortable on. Blind Pick removes all bans, allowing players to fall back on safer, more familiar picks.

Naturally, Blind Pick often leads to mirror matchups, and preseason tournaments are usually an opportunity for Riot to test certain ideas. At this Demacia Cup, the Game 3s of BO3s were also played in Blind Pick, which resulted in many mirror matchups — most notably Jayce in the jungle, but also Yunara as an AD carry, Orianna in the midlane, Rumble in the toplane, and even Neeko as a support.

In the series between the KOO Tigers and KT, Game 5 did not feature any mirror matchups. KT came out on top, qualifying for the final, which they eventually lost 3–0 to SKT T1. Beyond the Blind Pick in the final game of a series, the Demacia Cup is also introducing another new feature: coach communications starting from the semifinals, which will be played offline at the Xi’an Qujiang Esports Center.

These Game 5 Blind Picks add an extra layer of fun to both the draft and the game itself. Coaches and players can’t adapt to their opponents’ picks, nor can they ban champions from the other team. Teams can only optimize their draft as much as possible and play to their strengths. This rule will likely not be maintained in 2026 for the major leagues, as it goes against the spirit of the Fearless Draft, but it does add a fun element to the Demacia Cup.