EDward Gaming appoints Pep ‘Autumn’ Guardiola as head coach

EDward Gaming, one of China’s most decorated esports organizations, has named Pep “Autumn” Guardiola as its new head coach. The Korean coach steps into a role at an organization that has claimed world championships across multiple titles in recent years.

For an org that’s won both a League of Legends World Championship and a Valorant Champions title, the coaching hire signals that EDG isn’t interested in coasting on past glory.

What we know about the hire

Guardiola, who goes by the tag “Autumn,” is a Korean coach whose name has previously appeared alongside EDG’s Valorant staff, including a team member known as 24K. That prior connection suggests this isn’t a cold hire but rather a promotion or formalization of an existing relationship within the organization’s coaching ecosystem.

EDG competes across several major esports circuits, including the League of Legends Pro League (LPL) and the Valorant Champions Tour (VCT).

The Shanghai-based org was founded in September 2013 by SanShao, BingGui, and Edward Zhu.

EDG’s championship pedigree

EDG’s League of Legends roster captured the 2021 World Championship, a result that cemented the org’s place in esports history. Then, in 2024, EDG’s Valorant squad took home the Champions title.

What this means for competitive esports

Korean coaches have long been sought after in the global esports landscape, particularly in titles like League of Legends where South Korea’s competitive infrastructure is widely regarded as the gold standard. The hiring of a Korean head coach by a Chinese organization is a well-established pattern in the LPL, where cross-regional coaching talent has been a fixture for years.

The broader esports industry has seen increased interest from sponsors across various sectors, including companies in the digital asset and blockchain space. While this particular coaching appointment carries no crypto affiliations or blockchain tie-ins, the sponsorship landscape around major esports organizations continues to evolve.

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