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BREAKING: Riot Games has broken media Silence with plans to reinvent their eSports strategies9/22/2016  TL;DR"Back in 2012, one of our founders Brandon Beck talked about the five-year vision for what LoL esports could be. He described a future where events and broadcasts matched the production quality and excitement level of traditional sports and where pro players could build legendary careers based on their skills on the Rift. While this felt ambitious, even in 2012 we knew that those milestones were part of a larger journey to build a global esport that could last for generations. We’re still walking that path today, and want to talk about how we’re building towards the future." - Championship Skins & Wards - 25% of revenue from each year’s Championship skin and Championship Ward will be added to the Worlds prize pool. - Challenger Skins - 25% of revenue from each year’s Challenger skin will be added to the MSI prize pool. - Team Champion Skins - 25% of the revenue earned on skin sales in the launch year of each set of Team Championship skins directly with the players who inspired them, as well as their team and league (because it takes a village to make a champion). - New & Improved Digital Goods - improving revenue sharing on summoner icons (World icons increasing from 20-30% and regional league increasing as determined 2by each league).  The Future"As we move into 2017 and beyond, we’re continuing to take steps towards a future where top LoL players have very well paid, long careers doing what they love - and where LoL esports team organizations are thriving businesses led by empowered owners who share responsibility and accountability for the long term prosperity of the sport. To help get us there, we’ll share LoL esports revenue streams and collaborate with our partners to develop new business models and actively shape the league. We want these partners to have permanent stakes, to be invested in a stable future and to profit from the continued success of the sport. We’re committed to leading LoL esports to this future."  The Plan"At its core, LoL esports succeeds by following a three step path:
Fandom The fandom that we’ve always believed in is about much more than the number of viewers watching a match. Fans are communities bonded together by the shared experience of supporting their favorite teams, players, and leagues. These deep connections are forged in both the euphoria of a late game ace that seals victory and the agony of a Worlds upset resulting in a favorite team’s elimination. We also believe that fandom is best when shared with others who share your passion. Whether you cheer in arenas, at home, or at a viewing party, we hope to give LoL esports fans the chance to share every experience with their community. We’ve been thrilled to see the growth of shared viewing experiences all over the world and have loved the amazing entrepreneurs who have gone to great lengths to build communities around the world to support LoL esports. We greatly appreciate all of your efforts and look forward to doing even more to support you all. Let’s be clear - none of this works without you. Millions of players tuning in to a Worlds Final isn’t just a number to us - it’s the foundation upon which all of this is built."  The Funding & Economics"Economics Once we’ve seen the growth of fandom in our regional leagues and across the globe, we believe it’s our responsibility to then unlock the sport’s sustainable economic future. Our esports fan community - and your ongoing engagement with the sport - has tangible value and gives us the opportunity to build a profitable and thriving ecosystem for owners and teams. To continue to attract the type of healthy, long-term investment that has helped mature the scene to date and will support the long-term evolution of the sport, we need to unlock new revenue streams. We need to grow the pie so that there’s more for teams and pros. At the moment, revenue can be categorized into several major buckets - with more to come as the scene matures:
Merch requires much closer collaboration with teams. Recent tests have shown strong interest from fans, and we’d like to work with teams more closely to help them amplify their efforts to get cool stuff to those that want it. Finally, selling in-game content has always been an important part of our economic plan for both teams and the league. We started with summoner icons, and have been working with teams to explore new items and increased revenue sharing. For specific details on some key changes to in-game content we’re making soon (not ™) we have a detailed section below. Stay strong and keep reading! Stability Nailing fandom and strong economics is important for a thriving sport - but stability, with partnered organizations and the right structure, helps create a healthier environment in which our sport can grow and evolve over the longer term. We’re not yet at the stage where we can describe exactly what long-term org partnerships will look like; we’re not sure how they’ll work, or even if there will be the same structure in each region. Creating long-term partnerships across the globe is complicated - legally, financially, operationally. That said, the first step is securing those partners and putting the right structure in place. We will be looking to make this step in 2018. LoL Esports in 2017As we invest and build towards the future, we recognize that the current ecosystem isn’t consistently profitable yet for team owners or for the league. Costs have risen - namely in the form of player salary increases and support for those pros - mainly as a direct result of significant external investment and interest in the scene. For example, motivated owners in the LPL have been trying to be more competitive globally in part by importing star players at high salary, which has led to a similar increase in salaries in leagues like the LCK as they try to protect their homegrown talent. That investment is a positive thing, especially for pros, but we understand it creates pressure for teams juggling costs in the short-term and we want to help them avoid cutting pro salaries and support. This part of the journey isn’t unusual; escalated investment is a natural occurrence in a growing ecosystem, and is a sign that our initial approach has been working. However, we recognize that we can help rebalance the scene by accelerating some of our longer-term economic tactics to help address short-term pain felt by many of our partners. Unlocking digital revenue Starting with Worlds 2016, we’re making some changes around in-game content which will create additional revenue streams for players and teams."  The Stuff We Really Want to Hear
"Even without counting the retroactive payments to past champions, this will contribute millions of dollars in additional revenue to teams and pros each year. Moving Into the Future We believed the future was bright for LoL esports in 2012 - and it’s even brighter today as we take our most significant steps yet. As we face additional challenges and future unknowns, we’ll continue to stick to our core beliefs; to put esports fans first, to build a great ecosystem that keeps the sport you love around for the long-term, and which fans, pros & teams all aspire to."
Has this youtuber found evidence that Rengar's human master was revealed in the latest new champion spotlight? Watch for yourselves and comment what you think below:
"Rengar never knew his real parents, but was raised by a human who was revered as a legendary hunter."
He was an ideal pupil, intently absorbing the lessons of his father, and improving them with his uncanny feral instincts. Before his mane had fully grown, Rengar set off on his own and claimed a wide territory for himself. Along its perimeter, he mounted the skulls of his slain prey - a warning to would-be aggressors. He thought undisputed reign of a region would fulfill him, but instead, he grew restless. No beasts in his domain proved challenging prey, and without formidable adversaries to push his limits, Rengar's spirit waned. He feared that no worthwhile game remained, that he would never again feel the thrill of the hunt. Just when things seemed their bleakest, he encountered the monster. It was a disturbing, alien thing, distinctly out of place in his world. It bore huge scything claws and devoured any animal that strayed across its path. Overzealous at the prospect of a challenge, Rengar ambushed the monster in haste. It far outclassed anything he'd hunted before. Their fight was savage, and each suffered crippling wounds. Rengar lost an eye, but the most grievous blow was to his pride. He had never before failed to make the kill. Worse yet, the severity of his injuries forced him to retreat. Over the following days, he hovered on the threshold between life and death. He was wracked with pain, but beneath it, he felt a glimmer of joy. The hunt was on. If such powerful beings existed in the world, he would find them, and stack their heads high. The monster, however, was a kill he wanted to savor. On his den's largest wall, he reserves a space for the beast's head, a trophy he swears will one day be the centerpiece of his collection. ''Prey on the weak and you will survive, prey on the strong and you will live.'' -- Rengar Source: New Champion: Ivern [Release Video] Source: Rengar Lore  For the 2016 World Championship, League of Legends has partnered with 16 community artists from around the world to create a unique wallpaper for each of our 16 teams. Check out the artists and download your team’s wallpaper below! Artists- TSM by Nips
- Counter Logic Gaming by BrownRabbits - Cloud9 by Shilin - G2 Esports by PYROOW - H2K by White Leyth - Splyce by Konnestra - ROX Tigers by Dixneuf (디스누프) - SKTelecom T1 by Goomrrat (굼랏) - Samsung Galaxy by Neo-TK (진고우킹) - Edward Gaming by CHENBO - Royal Never Give Up by Yong Li (李勇) - I May by NoNo - Flash Wolves by aa2233aa - AHQ e-Sports Club by Loiza - INTZ by GisAlmeida - Albus NoX Luna by Gasnikova Ivern: Friend of the ForestGAMEPLAY VIDEO
A few weeks ago, new voice assets were added to the PBE, in a move many thought was a tease for the next champion. Recently, those voice assets have been live in-game, and you can hear this “friend of the jungle” occasionally while clearing jungle monsters.
Wednesday, Riot confirmed that speculation with a video posted on Facebook of Ivern, a friendly tree who will be the game’s next champion. If you can’t watch the video, those cute puppies are about to be speared by a hunter (helmet bro is nowhere in site) until Ivern pops up and entangles him in roots, literally, just like Groot. Ivern also raises the grass up around him and the pups (Garen would love this) — both of these could be hints at Ivern’s ability kit, possibly including the ability to alter/create terrain. Move over Taliyah, you've got some competition! So now it looks like we’ll have two tree champions in the game — Ivern and Maokai. #Savetheforest Confirmed Skins
Bandai Namco has released the Tokyo Game Show 2016 trailer for Tekken 7.
The upcoming fighting game, which currently features 32 playable characters, will launch for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC in early 2017. In Japan, the game has a more specific spring 2017 release window. Gallery
The new teaser image shows Star Guardian Lux looking to the sky as four differently colored objects fall to the earth- presumably another set of Star Guardian skins!
As a refresher you can find Star Guardian Lux's Skin Spotlight video below. Enjoy!
Seven of the top eSports teams in North America agree to form the Professional eSports Association, and the National Association of Collegiate eSports assumes responsibility for youngsters looking to get involved in eSports while studying hard on proper subjects.  In the latest turn of events, seven North American eSports teams have agreed to form a professional league. It will start in January 2017, and will consist of
It’s called the Professional eSports Association (PEA), and its mission is to put the power into the hands of the franchise owners and players to create the most compelling league and action for the fans.  League organisers have promised One-million dollars in prize money in the first year of operation. Half of that will be available in the first event of the season. PEA will launch a Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS: GO) season that will stretch over a ten-week period, with live matches broadcast twice weekly.  The new league promises to split revenue 50/50 between franchise owners and the players as well as providing other benefits including healthcare, investment planning and retirement packages.
National Association of Collegiate eSports Launches in the US
Over 20 education institutions in America have come together to support the growth of eSports by creating the National Association of Collegiate eSports (NAC eSports). NAC eSports has been designed to support and promote college education in the field of eSports, and the participation of the games that it underpins. Members of NAC eSports are committed to providing their students with the ability to pursue their dreams should being an eSports athlete be on their bucket list, while simultaneously partaking in other, more traditional, educational pursuits. The new association will also operate an eSports league of sorts. The NAC eSports Invitational will take place sometime in the Spring of 2017, and a regular season of eSports events will duly follow. Schools can join NAC eSports free of charge, with the only caveat being that they have to demonstrate a commitment to further eSports participation in their curriculum, and commit to participating in the inaugural NAC eSports Invitational. Participatory schools include Columbia College, Maryville University, University of Pikeville, and the esteemed Robert Morris University. Source: Professional eSports Association Site
A new eSports webse series released by Geico in August has gone viral! For those that don't know, Geico is actually a sponsor for an eSports team called Team SoloMid (TSM). Convinced that the pro players are actually hackers, a crazy next-door neighbor named Russell drops in to investigate the newly moved in team. There is even Geico swag involved, of all things.
Russell is a text-book creeper, and you get to know him better as the series progresses. He becomes a key figure in the house, appearing even in different ads where TSM enters the spotlight.
Oh yeah, that's another thing. Geico's always been a prolific content creator (Example, the beloved Flo), and this is no different. The first two episodes came out on the same day, for prime binge and the brand themselves released video spotlights of 25-second ads that play on the storyline while promoting everything Geico sells. Check them out here: Emergency roadside service and other features of Geico's mobile app:Renter's insurance, which is easier to set up than Russell trying to open a jar:Car insurance brought to you by TSM's Svenskeren
Enjoyed it so far? BUT WAIT THERE IS MORE, and Russell slowly gets to be just as annoying to us as he must be for the team.
This amazingly creative content is meant for esports fans—a demographic that's 70% male and 55% of that consists of 21- to 35-year-olds. Geico's even sponsored more personal stories that TSM posts on its own channels periodically:
This is all great and all, but Geico has quite the broad consumer range, its active involvement comes with the hope that it can grab the attention of mainstream consumers and more hesitant brands who are afraid of advertising in the eSports space. Esports as an industry has a reputation for being hit or miss, due to its new entrance into the gaming market. The popularity behind the industry is lead by the few and vocal figures of the community that fans absolutely love.
TSM in the web series seem completely normal. They are definitely older and more mature than what people assume these players are. They're kind of funny. What is really great is that we can get a feel for how these eSports teams operate daily: Most live together for whole seasons, in what is called a "Gaming House" which is used to better enhance the players abilities to work together. (Kind of like how you and your best friend know everything about each other because you're always hanging out). Meanwhile, Russell serves as the typical person who doesn't really understand the industry or how it operates. His obsession over their expensive peripherals reinforces the sense that pro gaming is to be taken seriously, not just something a kid in a basement does while his mom brings down the snacks for him and his buddies. Back in January Geico launched their Geico Gaming Twitter channel. This would be the start of their eSports marketing endeavors. Great timing, as this was when the industry started making truly big waves. By June, it was sponsoring TSM and even held a "One Nation of Gamers" Hearthstone tournament, which did very well. Sponsoring an eSports team is an easy entry for brands who want to cash in on a trend they don't quite understand. Give Coca Cola, Red Bull and Nissan for example, as they too have started investing their assets in the industry but have not made strides to produce advertising content in quite a while. Geico brought it upon themselves to invest more into creating advertising content with the hope that their return on investment will get more young folks to open up policies with them. We look forward to seeing more Brands get involved in the eSports industry, as it evolves and takes shape within our society. Thank You by BY RYZE & TRYNDAMERE
"When we started this journey 10 years ago, we had no idea what Riot and League would become. Luckily, we were carried forward by the passion of a player community that continues to grow and evolve, ten years later.
There’s nothing more to say beyond thank you."
"To mark our first decade as a company and show our appreciation to you for building the game alongside us, we’re throwing a (small) celebration. Here are the details:
The gifting process will take a few days, so hold tight if you haven’t received anything quite yet. And don’t worry if you haven’t played in a bit—we’ll make another pass next week to snag anyone else who logs on and grabs a game."
Bonus IP Weekend
"We’re also enabling a bonus IP weekend. Starting at 12:01 a.m. PT on 9/16, your base IP gains will be doubled until 11:59 p.m. PT on 9/18 (so, Friday-Sunday). Note that this is a flat boost—premades and parties will receive the same bonus as solo players. Thanks for the last 10 years! We can’t wait to see where we go next." 
On the 10th Anniversary of Riot Games, we are given news of a new boardgame that is in development based off the widely famous League of Legends video game. Rito Games themselves have unveiled a board game set in the world of LoL. It’s called Mechs Vs. Minions, it’s shipping to customers in just a couple of months and it’s the most exciting release of 2016 that HARDLY ANYONE KNOWS ABOUT.
Mechs Vs. Minions is a co-operative campaign game where up to 4 players each program robots that then go stomping, blasting and carving their way through a crowd of tiny warriors trying to kill you. The box alone out dos the world’s most ridiculous Kickstarters, with pre-painted miniatures, metal cogs and the most impressive inlay ever made. 
In terms of what you get in the box Mechs Vs. Minions is a strong contender for the most lavish board game ever made, but it’s also the best value for money the world has ever seen. The price is around $80, the retail price is literally 50% of what we'd expect another publisher to charge. In other words, you’re going to be hearing a lot about this game. As it transcends the internet in a flood of viral posts. Get hype summoners, queue up has just entered a new level of awesome.
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