In a major announcement, it has been confirmed that the grand final of the popular esports game League of Legends will be held at London’s O2 Arena in 2024. The multiplayer online battle arena game, which pits two teams of five against each other, was launched in 2009, and its World Championships, known as Worlds, has already become well known for its Superbowl-style arena events.
The World Championships, which is running its current finals in South Korea and is scheduled to finish this weekend has seen the game’s top players tend to come from Asia, with South Korean and Chinese teams dominating this year’s event. However, Naz Aletaha, League of Legends’ global esports boss, has expressed confidence that European fans will get on board with its flagship event when it comes to London, noting that the game has a “very large player base in Europe.”
Esports, like many other sectors, has faced a difficult 2023, which has seen high-profile team closures and bleak predictions for the future. However, Naz Aletaha has stated that League of Legends is “in a position of strength,” and she sees an encouraging momentum across the company and the wider industry. Despite the challenges, she hopes more young people from marginalized communities will not be put off from joining the games industry in the future.
Riot Games, which created the popular title, has launched a series of programs designed to boost access and representation across esports, leading to encouraging progress across the company and the wider industry. Meanwhile, Naz Aletaha continues to encourage people to join the industry, citing the benefits of diversity and promising individuals a viable career path. Despite the challenges of the current year, the industry remains optimistic that the economy is starting to turn a corner, and it seems that sponsors are coming back to teams, keeping esports firmly in the public eye for years to come
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