Golden Guardians
A former LCS organization owned by the Golden State Warriors, active from 2018 to 2023.
The Golden Guardians (GG) were an American esports organization owned by the Golden State Warriors. The organization was one of four that joined the League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) in 2018 after the league began franchising, the others being 100 Thieves, Clutch Gaming and OpTic Gaming. In November 2023, Golden Guardians announced their departure from the LCS as the league shifted from a ten-team to an eight-team format. That same month, Melee player and streamer Kevin "PPMD" Nanney, who had signed to Golden Guardians in 2021, announced the disbanding of Golden Guardians as an organization.
- Organization Type
- Esports Team
- League Affiliation
- LCS (North America)
- Era of Entry
- 2020 Season
- Status
- Active Competitor
- Primary Game
- League of Legends
Lore & Background
The Golden Guardians finalized their roster for the 2018 NA LCS Spring Split on December 13, 2017. On February 4, 2018, head coach Locodoco was fired after making inappropriate remarks towards a female member of Riot Games' esports staff. The team finished the regular season of the 2018 NA LCS Spring Split in tenth place with a 4–14 record. They ended the 2018 NA LCS Summer Split in tenth place with a 5–13 record, becoming the first team in the league's history to finish last two splits in a row. In 2019, they made their first playoff appearance, narrowly losing 2–3 to FlyQuest in the quarterfinals. On July 21, 2023, the Golden Guardians defeated 100 Thieves to end the summer split regular season with 13 wins, the most in the organization's history. In Super Smash Bros. Melee, the organization signed Zain in February 2020, and later signed n0ne, PPMD, and Toph in April 2021. Zain was ranked the number one player in the world in 2022. In March 2023, Zain departed, and the organization signed aMSa and HomeMadeWaffles.
In Their Own Story
The arena lights dimmed over the LCS stage, casting long shadows across the mechanical keyboards. On one side, the black-and-gold aesthetic of the Golden Guardians glowed from their monitors; on the other, the stark white branding of 100 Thieves stood ready. The crowd hummed with anticipation, sensing another pivotal clash between two organizations that had risen together in the modern era. A single click echoed through the silence before the first minion wave advanced.
Reader's Guide
The Golden Guardians were an American esports organization owned by the Golden State Warriors. They competed in the LCS from 2018 until November 2023, when they departed the league. The organization also fielded teams in Apex Legends, Teamfight Tactics, World of Warcraft, and Super Smash Bros. Melee. The organization disbanded in November 2023.
Did You Know?
- Golden Guardians was one of four teams that joined the LCS in 2018 after franchising.
- The organization was owned by the Golden State Warriors.
- Golden Guardians became the first LCS team to finish last two splits in a row (2018).
- In 2023, Golden Guardians achieved a franchise-record 13 wins in the summer split regular season.
- Super Smash Bros. Melee player Zain was ranked number one in the world in 2022 while signed to Golden Guardians.
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