“The world of LoL esports is undergoing its most significant changes yet, as adjustments are being made to ensure the longevity and success of the esport. These changes are aimed at finding a more sustainable model similar to that of Valorant.”
The global landscape of LoL esports is constantly changing, from the drafting process of teams to their qualification for international events. This includes not only the gameplay itself, but also the overall structure surrounding the sport.
Despite the lack of significant structural changes in the major region Leagues such as LCK, LPL, and LEC, the recent moves have brought about significant changes in the minor region leagues and the LCS, making them appear vastly different from their previous state.
Beginning with multi-regional leagues, the Americas League will be divided into two conferences: North and South. The North conference will include six of the current LCS teams, with two teams at risk of being eliminated. The CBLOL currently has 10 teams, resulting in four teams facing potential removal.
Afterwards, a single LLA team will be assigned to each conference according to their regional placement. As the LLA consists of six teams, this will result in four teams from the conference being eliminated.
Josedeodo, one of the most popular players in the LLA, may be back to competing against LCS teams in 2025.
In addition to the cut teams, each conference will also have one relegation slot. This provides a realistic chance for any of the cut teams to qualify for their conference through Tier 2 competition. Furthermore, content creator organizations now have the opportunity to compete for promotion. This means that MrBeast can finally fulfill his dream of signing a League team.
However, it should be noted that the bonus spot in the conference will only be valid for one season. After that, the team will be required to earn their spot again or risk losing it. On the other hand, franchised teams will be guaranteed a spot in their respective leagues and will not face relegation.
Following that will be the APAC league, which will consist of teams from every Tier 2 region in Asia, as well as squads from Australia. Out of the LCO (AUS), VCS (Vietnam), PCS (Asia-Pacific), and LJL (Japan), only a total of eight teams will make up the league.
The proposed APAC League will implement its own team selection process and procedures for teams to be promoted or relegated within the league. However, this may also lead to the elimination of several teams.
The combined total of teams in the four aforementioned Tier 2 leagues is 28 (eight in LCO, seven in PCS, six in LJL, and seven currently in VCS).
Despite the VCS matchfixing scandal that caused turmoil within the league and the decision of Beyond Gaming to withdraw from the PCS due to financial constraints, it is clear that the consolidation of regions is a logical outcome.
This also implies that a minimum of 20 teams in APAC will be removed from their ecosystem and will have to re-qualify without the financial support that a well-represented league can provide.
There’s a possibility that teams who are not selected for this new format may still have a chance to qualify through Tier 2, but the competition for that spot will be intense.
If none of the teams that are removed from their current LoL esports league structures are successful, a total of 30 teams will be displaced. This will make it much more difficult for these organizations to secure sponsors and survive.
Additionally, a new international event will begin the year with five teams, each representing one of the newly established regional leagues (Americas, LEC, LCK, LPL, APAC). These teams will qualify to compete in the event.
The number of teams participating in MSI will be reduced to 10, with two teams representing each of the five regions. Similarly, Worlds will now have a total of 17 teams, with one slot reserved for the MSI Champions, an additional slot for the top-performing region, and three slots for each of the five regions.
In addition, the implementation of Fearless Draft, which mixes up the champions used in professional play, is guaranteed to add excitement to the competition for the remaining teams.
These modifications may promote overall sustainability. However, they may also result in several teams being left behind and significantly downsizing the esport industry.
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