Riot Games Shares Its Vision for the Future of eSports, Reveals Initial Details of League of Legends Championship Series

Riot Games :

LOS ANGELES - Aug. 1, 2012 - Riot Games, the company behind the most-played PC game in the world,  League of Legends,  today shared its vision for the future of eSports. Beginning in early 2013, the best players on the planet will compete in the League of Legends Championship Series – a new professional gaming league with teams from North America, Europe and Asia, multiple regular season matches each week, and HD streaming broadcasts available globally for free.

“Talking to players around the world, they repeatedly asked if we could kick League of Legends eSports into higher gear,” said Brandon Beck, co-founder and CEO of Riot Games. “The new League of Legends Championship Series is our answer. Millions of fans tune in every time we support a major League of Legends tournament, so we're broadening that support in an unprecedented way.”

League of Legends Championship Series key facts:

·         Global Operations: The top eight teams from both North America and Europe, plus top teams from Asia, will compete for regional and global dominance.
·         Millions of Dollars on the Line: Salaries, prize pools and other compensation for Championship Series teams will ensure League of Legends is a sustainable career choice for professional players.
·         Regular Season and Playoffs: eSports fans will get to see teams battling in the traditional format of organized sports – a regular season with several matches per week, culminating in regional playoffs and a World Championship, which will crown the world’s best League of Legends team.
·         Free, HD broadcast events: League of Legends fans will watch Championship Series matches live online with HD broadcast streaming that is always 100% free.

The upcoming Season Two North American and European Regional competitions have momentous consequences for next season’s Championship Series: the top three teams from each region will pre-qualify for the league. The Regionals are:

·         European Season Two Regionals @ Gamescom in Cologne, Germany – Aug. 16 through Aug. 19
·         North American Season Two Regionals @ PAX Prime in Seattle, Washing – Aug. 30 through Sep. 2

While the Championship Series will represent the absolute highest level of competitive play in League of Legends Season 3, the competition will also be fierce in the Challenger Circuit, which consists of events hosted by Intel Extreme Masters, Major League Gaming, and the IGN Pro League. “IEM, MLG and IPL are invaluable partners, and we’ll continue to work closely with each of them in Season 3 as they foster the next generation of League of Legends competitors,” said Dustin Beck, vice president of eSports at Riot Games.

League of Legends is a multiplayer online battle arena where teams of players compete for dominance, selecting from a growing cast of more than 100 uniquely powerful champions.

About Riot Games
Riot Games was established in 2006 by entrepreneurial gamers who believe that player-focused game development can result in great games. In 2009, Riot released its debut title  League of Legends to critical and player acclaim. Over 11 million play every month. Players form the foundation of our community and it’s for them that we continue to evolve and improve the  League of Legends experience.