League of Legends World Champion Cyanide, 31, Passes Away
Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen, a legendary League of Legends professional player, has passed away at the age of 31. The Finnish jungler won the League of Legends World Championship in 2011 while playing for Fnatic, becoming the youngest player ever to claim the title at just 16 years old.
His death was first reported by Finnish publication Ilta-Sanomat. While no cause of death has been disclosed, the news has prompted an outpouring of tributes from his former teammates and the esports community. Cyanide is the second member of Fnatic’s 2011 Worlds-winning roster to pass away—Maciej “Shushei” Ratuszniak died in April 2025 following a battle with cancer.
Former teammate and support player Bora “YellOwStaR” Kim shared memories of Cyanide on social media, describing him as more than just a teammate and emphasizing his character and impact on those around him.
Cyanide’s legacy extends beyond his championship win; he was instrumental in establishing Fnatic as one of esports’ dominant organizations during the early competitive League of Legends era and remains remembered as one of the game’s pioneering professional players.