The UK League of Legends scene not only features local talent, but some rising stars from across Europe.
One such player is Swedish 19-year-old Elias “Kakan” Edlund, mid-laner for NerdRage in the UK Masters and ESL Premiership, and sub for Wind and Rain in the EU Challenger Series. We ask him about his background in League of Legends and get to know him in this player profile piece.
Please tell us a bit about your background and where you’re from.
I live in Umeå, a town in Northern Sweden. I have been playing games for as long long as I can remember and it’s something that’s been a big part of my childhood.
I did a lot of sports when I was younger and I really enjoy competing. So for me it’s really cool being able to combine my competitive drive and my love for games.
How did you get into League of Legends and which teams have you played with?
I used to play World of Warcraft with my friends and one of them made me try League of Legends. Both me and my friends quit World of Warcraft soon thereafter and I have been playing League of Legends since then.
Back in the day I played in a lot of Swedish mix teams but none of really them lasted. I later played in PAM in the Spanish second league and after that I won Ragnarök with four of five members from the PAM roster – we called the team Polite and Mature which later came to be known as Wind and Rain.
What is your current elo and peak elo?
I am currently around low master tier and my peak is 950 lp in challenger.
How long have you been with NerdRage and why did you decide to join them?
After I got benched from the Wind and Rain roster for CSQ I was looking to play in any national league for the upcoming split.
I didn’t really have any specific reason for joining NerdRage but I liked the organisation and the players. I was one of the last players to join NerdRage so I’ve only been with the team since the start of UK Masters.
How well do you think NerdRage compare to other orgs in the UK Masters and ESL Premiership?
I do not have the best knowledge of other UK organisations but my experience playing for NerdRage has been great so far.
From what I can tell the more inexperienced organisations have had a hard time keeping rosters together and staying in the scene for a while.
“Right now my aim is to win UK Masters and show everyone how good NerdRage can be as a team. I have always been motivated to improve as a player and see how far I can go.”
What are your thoughts on the current state of UK league of legends?
I think the competition between the top teams has been pretty good in this UK Masters split. But to me the biggest difference between the UK scene and the top national leagues is the quality of the bottom-tier teams, and the fact that some teams have dropped out of the leagues certainly doesn’t help.
Hopefully UK League of Legends gets more support in the future because I do think there is talent out there, and it’s mainly a lack of resources and professional attitude from both players and organisations that’s keeping the scene back.
Which other mid-laners in UK League of Legends do you admire the most, and why?
I’m not sure if there is anyone I admire but i think the quality of the mid-laners in this UK Masters split has been pretty good and I really respect MnM’s mid-laner Energy.
He’s a really good player with a lot of experience and I look forward to be playing against him in the UK Masters playoffs.
Who are your favourite pro players and orgs in League? Who inspires you?
I really enjoy watching H2k and especially their mid-laner Febiven who I really look up to as a player.
I’m also a big fan of the Korean mid-laners Crown, Faker and Kuro and I always learn a lot by watching them play.
What are your aims and long-term ambitions as a player?
Right now my aim is to win UK Masters and show everyone how good NerdRage can be as a team.
I have always been motivated to improve as a player and see how far I can go. I love the competitive aspect of League of Legends and esports, so I can definitely see myself playing for a long time going forward.
“To me the biggest difference between the UK scene and the top national leagues is the quality of the bottom-tier teams, and the fact that some teams have dropped out of the leagues certainly doesn’t help.”
What are your thoughts on the current LoL meta and the state of the game at the moment?
I’d say the metagame is in quite a good state as of right now, aside from some a few picks who outclass the others in certain positions. The mid-lane meta is extremely diverse with a lot of champions having the same level of strength, which makes it both fun to play and healthy for the game.
My biggest worry is the competitive win rates for blue and red side. Blue side is really favoured at the moment and I’m not sure how Riot will fix this.
Is there anything else you’d like to add?
I wanna thank all the supporters of NerdRage, and hopefully everyone will keep cheering for us in the upcoming UK Masters playoffs and the ESL Premiership.
Follow Kakan on Twitter, and NerdRage and Wind and Rain on Twitter here.
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Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
