League of Legends Worlds 2011 champion Lauri ‘Cyanide’ Happonen has passed away at the age of 31, it has been reported. The former Fnatic jungler remains the youngest player to ever win Worlds, taking the title at 16 years of age.
The news was first broken by Finnish publication Ilta-Sanomat. No cause of death is known. His passing has led to tributes from his former teammates and organizations.
The player is the second of the Worlds 2011-winning Fnatic roster to pass away, after Maciej ‘Shushei’ Ratuszniak passed away in April 2025 after a battle with cancer.
Tributes paid to “kindest, most genuine soul” Cyanide after passing
Cyanide’s former Fnatic teammate, Bora ‘YellOwStaR’ Kim, posted the following on social media (translated):
“Lauri was so much more than a teammate. We shared our everyday lives for over two and a half years, and he became so much more than just someone I played alongside. He was one of the kindest, most genuine souls I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing.
“We saw each other again at the showmatch in July, and he was still full of dreams, plans, and projects for the future.
You will be deeply missed, brother. Thank you for the memories, the time we shared, and for the person you were.”
Cyanide and YellOwStaR took part in an ‘EU LCS’ League of Legends showmatch that took place in July relating to the launch of LoL Classic.
The showmatch was part of the LEC Summer 2026 broadcast, and also featured Alexey ‘Alex Ich’ Ichetovkin, Henrik ‘Froggen’ Hansen, and Carl ‘Rekkles’ Larsson, amongst others.
Fnatic made the following post on social media, sharing:
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen earlier this year.
“During his four-year spell at Fnatic, Cyanide made history as the youngest ever player to win Worlds at just 16. He leaves behind a legacy that will never be forgotten.
“Our heartfelt condolences go out to his family, friends, and everyone whose lives he touched.
“Rest in peace, Cyanide.”
French organization aAa joined the tributes. aAa were the Grand Finals opposition for Fnatic at the Season 1 Championship, where Cyanide defeated the French team 2-1 in the Grand Final.
aAa shared (translated):
“It is with deep sadness that we learned of the passing of Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen.
“He was a formidable opponent for us during the first League of Legends World Championships in 2011, which he had won with Fnatic.
“All our thoughts go to his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, Lauri, and say hello to Maciej.”
Current LEC broadcast talent, Fnatic Assistant Coach, and former player Andrei ‘Odoamne’ Pascu shared, “I grew up watching him and Fnatic compete, and I met him for the first time ever at the showmatch just months ago, and now he’s gone.
“He was just as sarcastic and dry as we all remembered him while we were watching the EULCS. I still can’t believe it.”
Fnatic Head Coach Fabian ‘GrabbZ’ Lohmann shared,
“Undoubtedly helped shape the early scene to what it is today. Many of us became fans of the game and competitive scene due to players like him. RIP Cyanide.”
More tributes will be sure to follow for a player who inspired a generation of EU League of Legends players to dream bigger and pursue the most prestigious prizes in LoL esports.
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Darragh is an Esports Journalist for Insider Gaming specialising in Counter-Strike. He loves to explore how esports teams work, or why they very often do not.
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