League of Legends: What is L9 in Lol and Who they are

L9, short for Low Nine, was a notorious group of high-elo League of Legends players known primarily for their exceptional mechanical skill and, unfortunately, their toxic behavior. At one point, they were the most popular player group in the world. In the following lines, we will dive deeper into what L9 is and how the club became famous. 

What is L9?

While the ‘roster’ of the club fluctuated throughout the years, four players stand out as the original members. It all started when two League of Legends players - 0bsess and RatIRL, decided to create a group and gain popularity on social media, mainly focusing on Twitter. 

The pair were soon joined by another two high-ranked SoloQ players known as Selfmademan and Ap0calypse. Neither of them expected to gain such recognition in no time and the members themselves claim that it was mostly due to the influence of others who created the bad image of the club. 

The group played a significant role in shaping the perception of toxicity in League of Legends. Their actions highlighted the negative impact such behavior can have on the gaming community. Sometimes, they would be toxic during their games while in other cases, they would start trolling as early as the champion select. Their toxicity even extended beyond the game, often leading to feuds on Twitter and even real-life threats to people. 

While they gained a substantial following due to their skill, their reputation as toxic players ultimately overshadowed their achievements. But of course, many people also loved them for their toxicity to the extent that they paid considerable money for memberships in the club. 

At one point, L9 was selling club spots with the right to use the L9 tag in the game for as high as $50 per membership. 

Nowadays, L9 remains a simple memory from the past. The community remembers and jokes about them but their activity has shifted to more serious individual endeavors. Some of the members reached new heights by becoming professional League players while others simply resorted to streaming. Let’s take a closer look at the individuals that made this group unique. 

The Original L9 Members

0bsess

Possibly the least toxic member of the club, 0bsess turned his life around and has been competing in professional League of Legends since 2017. Known for his exceptional skills in the jungle, he gained recognition by dominating the EUW Challenger tier and his social media popularity helped him sign with Movistar Riders in August 2017.

Despite never leaving a mark in the LEC, 0bsess is one of the most influential players in Germany. He has spent most of his career in local teams like Schalke Evolution, Eintracht Spandau, and VfB eSports since May 2024. 

RatIRL

RatIRL’s career had a turbulent start due to the allegations that he was scripting while playing League of Legends. Known as one of the best Twitch players ever, he gained recognition as an elo-booster. 

Back in the day, he used to team up with Ap0calypse and play long series of games, often streaming. In the days when LoL streamers were attracting the greatest viewership, RatIRL provided some of the most chaotic entertainment on the platform. 

Unlike others from the club, Rat decided to focus on Twitch and has built a massive following. As of August 2024, his channel has over 830,000 followers. 

Nothing remains from his old toxic nature. He was once the main man behind all the Twitter feuds and drama but has since transformed his personality. 

He is also the most private out of the L9 group and never uses a face cam while streaming. In fact, he even has a rule that anyone who asks for a face reveal gets banned from his stream.  

Selfmademan

Once known as Selfmademan, he dropped the last part when he transitioned to professional League of Legends. Nowadays recognized as simply Selfmade, he has been dominating the European scene as part of some of the best esports organizations. 

His career began around 2016 but he gained recognition after becoming the jungler for MAD Lions. After several tournament triumphs including the Iberian Cup 2018 and LVP SLO 2018 Summer Playoffs, he was signed by SK Gaming. 

Later on, Selfmade joined Fnatic and even performed at Worlds 2020, reaching the quarterfinals. Between May 2021 and May 2024, he was the jungler for Team Vitality and Vitality.Bee, cementing his status as one of the best junglers in Europe. 

Ap0calypse

Despite his turbulent past, Ap0calypse is the only one keeping a low profile these days. If you had asked us 'What is L9' a decade ago, we would have shown his antics as he was the most toxic member of the group. He was prepared to go to extremes and his threats were often alarming. 

Ap0 was at the center of numerous controversies on Twitter and he definitely wasn't one of Riot's favorite players. He collected countless permanent bans and was forced to level up new accounts every month. 

But at the same time, he was one of the most talented players in L9, proven by the fact that he was the #1 Challenger in EU West on multiple occasions, most recently in Season 10. 

Ap0calypse's personal life remains a mystery but there have been troubling moments when he was streaming intoxicated, sometimes ending his streams prematurely because he felt ill. Nowadays, he is mostly inactive, and his current well-being remains shrouded in mystery. 

What is L9 in 2024?

As each member has gone on a different path, L9 no longer exists in the same form. It appears that not even the original members communicate with each other; rather, they focus on their respective careers. But the legacy of the infamous club remains and you may even stumble on a League player with the L9 tag in their name while queuing up on EU West.