Season 1 League of Legends star Cyanide dies, age 31

Former Fnatic jungler, League of Legends World Champion, and retired pro player Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen has died, as per reports released by Finnish news outlet Ilta-Sanomat.

Happonen reportedly died on July 31st, with the information only being released to the public by Finland’s Digital and Population Data Services Agency a few months later. His cause of death is unknown at this time.

Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen has died at the age of 31

Happonen, better known by his handle Cyanide to most League of Legends fans, was one of the very first World Champions in the game, winning the event then known as the Riot Championship with Fnatic. The European team defeated against All authority in the grand finals in 2011.

Cyanide and his teammates became the first players honored with commemorative Champion skins, with Fnatic Jarvan IV being his signature skin.

Cyanide continued competing until 2014. He competed irregularly since then, with Happonen taking on the mantle of streamer, frequently sharing his gameplay via his Twitch streams.

His most recent, and most high-profile match was a League of Legends Classic showmatch played alongside nine other EU LCS legends played on July 25. Just a few days before his death. His team, Dynasty, won that match.

Alvar "Araneae" Martín Aleñar, a former pro and manager, and opponent for Cyanide in his final match, shared his feelings on social media.

“I can't find words to express how I feel. We lived together for many years and shared so much more than just League. He was one of my closest friends, and reading this breaks my heart.”

In the wake of his passing, an outpouring of support and grief has emerged from the LoL community, with fans, former teammates and opponents alike sharing their memories of the legendary jungler.

Cyanide, one of the first top-tier stars in the Jungle role, was an inspiration for many and the news of his passing has come as a huge shock.