China (still) commands League of Legends

On May 21, on a rare sunny Sunday in London, a team from the Chinese Competitive Circuit (LPL) won the League of Legends Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) for the third consecutive year. After just over two weeks of competition at the Copper Box Arena in the British capital, Riot Games’ first international title match of the year crowned the JD Gaming champions.

The China derby

London’s Olympic Park arena hosted ten teams from nine regions of the competitive League world, but the final turned out to be a derby between the two LPL representatives: Bilibili Gaming and JDG. A final game that did not surprise the spectators, who witnessed the consistent performances and victories of both teams throughout the competition. It was also the fourth (best-of-five) series for BLG and JDG between these two teams alone in 2023. said JDG’s Bai “369” Jia-Hao after the game.

The esports show

However, the show that surprised the more than two million spectators from home and in the arena was the one that preceded the final showdown between the two teams on stage. The opening ceremony of the MSI Finals once again showcased the exceptional talent of Riot Games’ art and music department. The stage design itself has received many compliments from industry professionals and representatives of the event’s major partner companies, such as Mastercard. But the performance, which involved dancers, players of the competition and the singer-songwriter of the song associated with the event, Che Lingo, shot the last arrow that made all spectators fall in love.

A “unique” exhibition

A factor that made the show even more unique was the revelation, obtained exclusively by our correspondent Cecilia Ciocchetti, from the artist Che Lingo, who confided that the song of MSI 2023 written by him will not be present during his concerts. “It’s something I wrote for League fans, for Riot, and for everyone who has dedicated years and investments to growing the esports industry.”

The European answer

With light shows, in-game characters coming to life on stage and chameleonic choreography, the opening ceremony of MSI 2023 showcased Riot Games’ commitment to the esports league scene. Thanks to the MSI, the spotlight has been on Europe for the last few weeks of May: the response from the Old Continent to an event organized on British soil after almost a decade has been more than positive. The enthusiasm of the public impressed Riot, whose spokesperson does not rule out the possibility of visiting another international event in Europe soon.