Trayton announces a new edition of the SoloQ Challenge in Korea, with a €5,000 prize pool

French streamer and co-caster Jean “Trayton” Medzadourian is taking his SoloQ Challenge to new heights, announcing on Tuesday the fourth edition of the event — this time staged in South Korea, the most competitive solo queue environment in the world.

Set to run from June 9 to June 27, the tournament will bring together 18 French-speaking players who will compete for a minimum prize pool of €5,000. But beyond the prize money, it is the setting that defines this edition. For the first time, the event leaves Europe, placing its participants directly into the intensity of the Korean ladder.

The timing is no coincidence. The 2026 Mid-Season Invitational begins on June 28, with several international teams — including G2 — expected to arrive in Korea earlier in the month to begin their bootcamps. The result is a solo queue environment that will be unusually stacked, as some of the best players in the world begin their preparations on the same server.

That overlap will be felt directly within the competition. G2 Esports players Steven “” Liv and Rudy “” Semaan are set to take part as “jokers,” joining the event shortly after their arrival in Korea between June 12 and 14. Each will contribute to one of the two teams, adding their solo queue performances to the overall standings.

Hans Sama, in particular, returns to a familiar stage. In late 2024, he climbed to Rank 6 on the Korean ladder in just 13 days, a benchmark that still stands as one of the most notable European performances on the server.

The event itself builds on the success of its previous edition, held last September and October, which drew strong viewership on Twitch and was won by Tarek "" Djoghlaf. This time, Trayton has adjusted the format to reflect the logistical demands of hosting the event abroad, while leaning further into a mix of high-level play and entertainment.

With fewer participants, the structure has been simplified. The 18 players will all be based in the same hotel, reinforcing the community-driven atmosphere that has become a hallmark of the event. Trayton himself has described it as a “summer camp” environment, a tone that contrasts with the competitiveness of the Korean ladder they will be climbing.

The rules reflect that balance between structure and freedom. The prize pool will start at €5,000, with an unlimited number of games allowed throughout the competition. Duo queue will be permitted up to Challenger, though its impact is expected to be minimal given its near absence at the top of the Korean ladder.

Rather than appointing captains, teams were formed through a cascading draft system, with players selecting one another in turn. Hans Sama will be assigned to the Blue Team, while Skewmond joins the Red Team.

Trayton is expected to remain in South Korea beyond the event, continuing his stay to co-cast and produce content around MSI 2026, which will take place from June 28 to July 12 at the Daejeon Convention Center II.