By Sagar V. Mankar 
Riot Games, the developer behind League of Legends and Valorant has confirmed exploratory talks to join the 2024 Esports World Cup.
Backed by the Saudi government to the tune of $45 million, this fledgling global tournament aims to bring together the best esports teams across the regions.
What Sets Esports World Cup Apart and Why Riot Games Joined In?
Recently Saudi Arabia announced to host the annual Esports World Cup, with multiple gaming titles in it, replacing the erstwhile Gamers8.
With over $45 million prize pool extravaganza, this is said to be the biggest esports event of all time.
Saudi is in talks with various esports organizations to join the tournament.
According to Jacob Wolf’s report, Riot’s discussions to include League of Legends in this high-stakes event.
Importance of this collaboration
If Riots joins the Esports World up then it will be a win-win situation for both sides.
League of Legends is one of the most beloved esports titles, which gained over 500k peak viewerships in any esports event. It ranks 3rd after CS2 and Call of Duty as per esports charts.
Riot-backed LoL tournaments were mostly dominated by South Korean, Chinese, American, and France teams.
With joining the Esports World Cup, teams from LCS, LEC, LPL, and LCK are expected to participate, which were previously ignored in big tournaments.
Teams from the weaker regions will also get a chance to shine on the global stage.
And who knows we might see a big upset in this upcoming event.
A Backlash from the League of Legends Community
However, not all news is met with applause.
Riot Games’ collaboration with the Saudi government has triggered a notable backlash within the League of Legends community.
Players and fans express discontent, citing concerns over the country’s track record “of human rights and urging Riot to respond swiftly.
While some fans express mixed reactions, others in the esports sector view Riot Games’ collaboration with Saudi Arabia as an inevitable progression.
With a big prize pool and mass global appeal, I am sure that the LoL will get the biggest chunk of it.
Things are not fixed now.
We have to wait and see what these talks lead to.