A prominent voice in the esports world, Russian streamer Alexander “Nix” Levin, has weighed in on one of the community`s most debated topics: who truly holds the title of the greatest esports player of all time? According to Nix, the discussion isn`t really a discussion at all.
Speaking during a recent Twitch stream, the content creator stated unequivocally that only one name deserves that honor: Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok, the legendary mid-laner for T1 in League of Legends.
“Faker is a genius? 100%,” Nix declared. “Faker is the best athlete – if you can call him that – the best cyber athlete in esports, in the entire history of esports.”
Nix dismissed the idea that there`s any real competition for the top spot. He referenced the upcoming Esports Awards, which feature a “Player of the Decade” category across all disciplines. “I saw news that they`re choosing the player of the decade from all esports disciplines,” he said. “You don`t even need to choose, you understand? It`s just for show. It`s purely a nomination for the sake of a nomination. There are no competitors there. Faker has no competitors in esports; they don`t exist, they haven`t been born.”
When prompted to compare Faker to other highly acclaimed players, such as the Dota 2 star Miracle-, Nix`s reasoning highlighted Faker`s sustained performance. “Faker, of course,” he asserted. “Look at his stability, look at what kind of stability he had… And he continues, he continues to dominate the tier-0 scene. He sealed the World Championship [for LoL] in 2024. How old is he? 29? How many titles does he have? How many World Championships has he won, five?” (Editor`s note: Faker was born in 1996, making him around 28 in 2024).
Faker has been a fixture in the competitive LoL scene since 2014. In 2024, he secured his fifth World Championship title, a record unmatched by any other player. He is also the only individual to have won Worlds two years in a row, and the first player to achieve 200 wins in international League of Legends tournaments.
The Esports Awards 2025 nominations for “Player of the Decade” include other formidable talents alongside Faker, such as Oleksandr “s1mple” Kostyliev (CS2), Yaroslav “Miposhka” Naidenov (Dota 2), and Johan “N0tail” Sundstein (Dota 2). However, for Nix, the presence of these giants doesn`t diminish Faker`s unique standing. Faker is also notably nominated for “Person of the Decade,” acknowledging his broader impact beyond just gameplay.
Nix`s strong endorsement underscores the singular nature of Faker`s career. His decade-plus at the absolute pinnacle of competitive play, coupled with an unprecedented collection of major titles and sustained peak performance even as he approaches his late twenties, presents a compelling case for his position as the greatest to ever compete in esports. The debate may rage on for some, but for Nix, the answer is already settled.
