Riot is letting LCS orgs make low-rank emergency LoL signings in bid to stay on schedule

Yes, that even means Bronze.

Immortals League of Legends players in a huddle at Riot Games Arena.
Photo by Colin Young-Wolff via Riot Games

Riot Games has given LCS organizations the green light to make emergency roster signings ahead of the first weekend of the 2023 Summer Split as the league’s usual League of Legends stars prepare to strike⁠—and they won’t just be limited to Diamond-ranked players.

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Incredibly, Riot officials have temporarily lifted all rank requirements to help orgs find replacements quickly, according to Travis Gafford on Hotline League on May 29.

The LCS Rules and Penalty Index, available to read in full here, clearly states all players competing in the LCS through the 2023 season “must have held a peak solo queue ranking within the last year of Diamond One or above.”

This rule⁠set⁠—last updated by Riot on Thursday, May 25 according to the page’s publish date⁠—has been in place since the formation of the North American league and has held the same or similar ranking requirements throughout several major changes, including through the move into franchising in 2018. Now, as Dot Esports understands, there will temporarily be no minimum required rank.

On top of that, Gafford also reported any League player competing in the LCS from this weekend will no longer be required to attend Riot Games Arena in Los Angeles⁠ to play—though this change will also just be temporary.

Related: LCSPA is hiding LCS walkout date to blindside Riot Games

The LCS Players Association has already made a statement on May 29 on emergency substitutions stepping in during the walkout. In the follow-up statement, the representative body said it was aware of Riot’s latest attempts to keep the 2023 LCS Summer Split on schedule and asked any players outside the LCS to refuse any offers to fill in this week or in the future.

“This walkout is for the benefit of all League players in NA,” they wrote.

A man playing a game of League of Legends on a computer
League players from any rank may become LCS fill-ins. Photo by Colin Young-Wolff via Riot Games

The body warned anyone crossing the line would put current and future LCS players’ futures at risk across the top competition, the NACL, and amateur leagues.

In particular, the LCSPA asked any players who had already agreed to a replacement contract in the last several days to reach out for council on how to navigate the situation and step away from any obligations.

“Based on our conversations, we believe players will stand in solidarity and any attempts to make scab rosters will fail,” LCSPA representatives added in a message to Riot officials. “To start the LCS season without interruption, there is only one solution: meet with the players and agree to a plan that everyone can support.”

Dot Esports expects the impending 2023 LCS Summer Split to begin as planned on Thursday, June 1 despite the potential walkout, especially due to reports all 10 LCS teams are legally obliged to play.

Org staff members shape as the most likely substitutes at the time of publication, though the situation is still unfolding quite quickly.

The first LCS match of Summer is penned in for 2pm on Thursday.

Author
Image of Isaac McIntyre
Isaac McIntyre
Isaac McIntyre is the Aussie Editor at Dot Esports. He previously worked in sports journalism at Fairfax Media in Mudgee and Newcastle for six years before falling in love with esports—an ever-evolving world he's been covering since 2018. Since joining Dot, he's twice been nominated for Best Gaming Journalist at the Australian IT Journalism Awards and continues to sink unholy hours into losing games as a barely-Platinum AD carry. When the League servers go down he'll sneak in a few quick hands of the One Piece card game. Got a tip for us? Email: isaac@dotesports.com.