KUALA LUMPUR – Riot Games will kick-start the inaugural League of Legends: Wild Rift SEA Championship 2021 on September 14, 2021.
The online tournament will see 21 of the region’s best Wild Rift teams battle it out to be the first-ever Wild Rift SEA Champions.
Riot Games, the world’s most player-focused game developer and publisher, said the participating teams will be from nine countries and territories across the region, including Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam, Oceania, Taiwan and Hong Kong, all of whom will compete for a total prize pool of USD200,000 (RM825,600).
“While we are still in the early stages of building out our newest sport, our progress in Southeast Asia sets the tone for what we want to achieve in other regions,” said the Global Head of Wild Rift Esports, Leo Faria during a virtual press conference today.
“The inaugural tournament shines a spotlight on the incredible talent and passion of these Southeast Asian teams, and also sets a standard for how mobile esports can be viewed and enjoyed,” he said while expressing his excitement towards bringing the same player-focused strategy and high-quality productions to other mobile audiences around the world.
Esports has also been gaining increasing recognition among the region’s governments, with more countries unlocking the potential of esports through economic investments and career development in youth.
Esports was a medalled sport in both the 2018 Asian Games and 2019 SEA Games, and Wild Rift was announced earlier this year as a medal event for the next 2021 SEA Games, which has been postponed to next year.
The Wild Rift: SEA Championship 2021, organised in partnership with esports event company ESL Asia, marks a significant milestone in Riot’s quest to make Wild Rift its first global mobile esports.
ESL Asia SVP Managing Director Nick Vanzetti meanwhile said, “We are honoured to be able to provide the best Wild Rift teams with the opportunity to shine on the regional stage.
“This tournament is another great chance to see players prove their skills and compete for honours as the best in SEA,” he added.
Southeast Asia is the world’s fastest-growing region for mobile Internet penetration, with users spending three to five hours per day on their smartphones - more than any other user in the world.
This trend offers a great opportunity for the growth of mobile gaming esports and establishing the region as a global hub for mobile esports.
To know more, please visit the Wild Rift Competitive Play website for all the latest news and ESL Asia Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. – The Vibes, September 10, 2021.
