Former Royal Never Give Up mid laner Yuan “Cryin” Cheng-Wei is joining Ultra Prime for the 2022 LPL Spring Split, the organization announced today. The 21-year-old will depart RNG after only one year on the League of Legends team’s starting roster.
Cryin joined the RNG starting lineup in December 2020, being moved up from a substitute role. Following RNG’s disappointing 2020 year, Cryin took up the mid lane and Li “Xiaohu” Yuan-Hao role swapped to the top lane.
While on the roster, Cryin contributed to RNG’s first-place finish in the 2021 LPL Spring Split playoffs that earned them a spot at MSI 2021. There, RNG won its first international title since 2018 by defeating the former world champions DWG KIA in Iceland. Despite a slow start domestically in the LPL Summer Split, RNG qualified for Worlds 2021, where they were eliminated by eventual world champions and domestic rivals EDward Gaming.
Cryin is returning to his old organization but under a different banner. Formerly eStar, Cryin briefly played for the team in the 2020 LPL Spring Split. Now as Ultra Prime, the LPL organization is hoping for a better 2022 season with an MSI champion in the mid lane.
Ultra Prime has already extended jungler Yang “H4cker” Zhi-Hao’s contract and acquired ADC Zhao “Elk” Jia-Hao from Team WE. While Ultra Prime is still building out its complete roster, the org is looking to craft a lineup capable of being a contender in the LPL.
Since dropping Cryin, RNG has moved Xiaohu back to the mid lane and acquired Bin from Suning Gaming to fill the top lane void. Cryin will eventually face his old team in what’s sure to be a rivalry game during the 2022 LPL Spring Split.
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