League of Legendsis one of the most popular video games in the world and it has strong ties to the esports scene, so it may not be a surprise to hear that it’s being considered as a possible medal event at multi-sport events. According to Riot Games, the company is now in talks with Olympic leadership about the possibility of bringingLeague of Legendsto the Olympics.
This news may seem outlandish to some, but there’s more substance to this conversation than one might think. Not only doesLeague of Legendsand Riot’s other games have more active players than the entirety of Steam, butLoLalso has an existing presence in the pro sports field.
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Riot Games has previously confirmed thatLeague of Legendswill be appearing at the 2022 Asian Games multi-sport event alongsideseven other esports titlesthat will be considered medal events. This could be considered a huge step forward for esports in general andLeague of Legendsin particular, but Global Head of League of Legends Esports Naz Aletaha appears to have set her eyes set higher.League of Legendshas previously appeared in the Asian Games, making its debut back in 2018, but the transition from demonstration event to medal event is something worth taking note of. IfLeague of Legendsgets a chance to appear as a medal event in the Olympics, it could shake up the modern understanding of the divide between esports and regular sports.
TheLeague of Legendsesportsdemonstration event held during the 2018 Asian Games was won by China, led by iconic player Jian “Uzi” Zhao. This demonstration of how much popularity and momentum esports have gained over the years appears to serve as a proof of concept for how League of Legends could function as a medal event. Perhaps the title’s appearance at the upcoming 2022 Asian Games will also serve as a proof of concept to other multi-sport events, including the Olympics, that are interested in taking advantage of esports' popularity.
Comments from Aletaha appear to imply that Riot Games is still in early talks with Olympic leadership, which means the specifics of their proposal to bringLeague of Legendsto the Olympics are likely still uncertain. The process of League of Legends becoming an Olympic sport is likely to be a long one, especially since it will involve the recognition of esports as a whole by the IOC. In the meantime, iconicLeague of LegendsChampion Jinxwill be showing up inFortnite.
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