DPlus has not paid players for the past month, cites acquisition related financial issues

Dplus Kia has reportedly delayed salary payments across several of its esports teams as the South Korean organization navigates financial challenges tied to a pending acquisition.

Reports emerged yesterday (July 16) that players had not received pay for at least a month, affecting competitors across multiple titles, potentially including League of Legends, VALORANT, PUBG, EA Sports FC, and Rainbow Six Siege.

The reports prompted a public response from the organization, which acknowledged the delayed payments while stating that players had been informed of the situation.

DPlus Kia in financial turmoil as acquisition looms. ##

In a post from July 16, the organization said the issue with non-payment is connected to an ongoing acquisition process and stated that the missed payments were a temporary disruption.

The situation comes at a critical time for one of South Korea’s most recognizable esports organizations, who won the League of Legends World Championship in 2020 and remain a fixture in the League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK).

DPlus’ League of Legends roster, led by veteran mid laner Heo “ShowMaker” Su, is the organization’s flagship team. At the time the reports surfaced, Dplus Kia was starting its campaign at the Esports World Cup 2026.

While the organization has characterized the issue as a temporary delay, questions remain about the potential consequences if the acquisition is not completed or if league officials determine further action is necessary.

At the time of writing, no sanctions by Riot Games had been announced regarding Dplus Kia. However, any prolonged failure to meet player payment obligations could place additional scrutiny on the organization and its future within Riot-operated esports leagues.

Meanwhile, Dplus has enjoyed continued success at the on-going Esports World Cup 2026 League of Legends event. DPlus won two out of three of its games in the group stage, advancing to the finals bracket. The Korean org will face Chinese team Bilibili Gaming later today (July 17), hoping to advance in the tournament.

For now, Dplus Kia faces mounting pressure as it works to resolve the payment delays and complete its anticipated acquisition. On the line are Dplus’ competitive future and organizational stability as the org faces more scrutiny than ever before.