Lauri “Cyanide” Happonen, the Finnish League of Legends prodigy who helped Fnatic win the first League of Legends World Championship, has reportedly passed away at the age of 31.
The news was first brought to light by Finnish outlet Ilta-Sanomat. As per the report, he died on July 31, 2026, but the exact cause of his death has not been made public.
For the unaware, Cyanide was one of the youngest stars in the early years of LoL. During his tenure with Fnatic, he became the youngest player ever to win Worlds at just 16 years of age. The 2011 title was also a huge milestone for the region, as it was the first World Championship won by a European team, and it remains the only one taken by a team from outside Asia.
He stayed with Fnatic through 2014. He then proceeded to play for Origen from 2015 to 2017 alongside his close friend xPeke. He was still involved in the community this year, participating in the League Classic showmatch on July 24 as part of Team Dynasty.
Shortly after the news surfaced on the internet, Fnatic expressed its condolences via an X post.
“We are deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Lauri ‘Cyanide’ Happonen earlier this year,” the org said. “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.”
Former teammate YellOwStaR also paid tribute to the legend, saying Cyanide was “much more than a teammate” to him.
“He was one of the kindest, most genuine souls I’ve ever had the privilege of knowing,” he said. “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”
It’s safe to say that Cyanide will forever be remembered as a pioneer of competitive League of Legends and as a player who helped put European esports on the map.
