LoL and TFT Join the Esports World Cup

League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics Join the Esports World Cup

Riot Games, the game developer and esports tournament organizer, has revealed that League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics (TFT) will be featured in the 2024 Esports World Cup scheduled for this summer.

While organizations from both League of Legends and TFT will have the opportunity to participate in this multi-title event backed by the Saudi government, Riot Games has emphasized that it will not be an official LoL Esports event and that the company will not be involved in its production. Moreover, Riot Games will not have a hand in selecting the participating teams for the World Cup, so we can’t exactly guarantee Faker will be boosting any of the squads involved or if the event will be inviting specific organizations. Instead, the selection process will be managed independently. However, Riot Games has made adjustments to its competitive calendars to ensure that teams have sufficient time to prepare for and take part in the tournament.

Riot Games not only revealed the participation of TFT and League of Legends in the Esports World Cup but also plans for the Arabic region in League of Legends and the launch of new servers in the Middle East by the end of 2024. This move aligns with Riot's initial announcement in 2019 regarding its intention to take League of Legends to the region.

According to Riot Games, there are several reasons behind the decision to allow teams to compete in the Esports World Cup. First, the sheer scale of the tournament, now encompassing over 20 games, provides a unique opportunity for fans of various genres to come together and celebrate esports. Additionally, bringing top-tier teams to the MENA region will boost the hype surrounding the announcement of the new server.

Riot took this opportunity to advertise the financial benefits of participating League of Legends teams. Acknowledging the financial challenges faced by many organizations, Riot expressed its commitment to providing teams with the opportunity to engage in a large economic and brand-building event, ensuring they do not miss out on this major opportunity.

In a recent announcement, Riot Games highlighted the importance of the Esports World Cup (EWC) as an opportunity for international competition and financial stability within the esports community. The statement emphasized the chance for participants to showcase their skills on a global stage while also earning from a substantial prize pool, contributing to a boost to their financial security. This move is part of Riot's broader strategy to introduce more high-impact tournaments to the esports calendar, responding to the community's desire for increased international play in either League of Legends, TFT, or even other games like Valorant.

Esports World Cup Replaces Gamers8

The Esports World Cup will replace the Gamers8 festival and is scheduled to take place during the summer in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Notably, the event will include a wide array of tournaments, including TFT, League of Legends, Overwatch 2, EA FC, Street Fighter, Tekken, PUBG Mobile, MLBB, Free Fire, CS2, Dota 2, and many others, offering substantial prize pools across all competitions.

Although League of Legends marks its debut as a highlighted title in Saudi Arabia's multi-title event, it's worth mentioning that the game made an appearance at last year's Gamers8 in 2023, albeit as a smaller ERL tournament.

In the past, Riot Games' involvement in Saudi Arabia's esports scene has not been without controversy. In 2020, the company faced criticism from viewers and fans following the announcement that NEOM, a Saudi Arabian mega-project, would be the official partner for the LEC Summer Split. The community's significant backlash later led to the end of this partnership.

Only time will tell how LoL and TFT's first participation in the Esports World Cup goes.

 

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