At the beginning of the year, Riot Games announced the League of Legends esports Hall of Legends as a way to honor the game’s greatest players. And today, the first player to be inducted was revealed, along with the criteria other pros will have to work on to earn the same honor.
Much to no one’s surprise, the first inductee in League’s Hall of Legends is none other than the Unkillable Demon King, Faker. Thanks to his unmatched skill and contributions to the wider esport and its community, Faker made history again by being the first player to own a spot in the halls soon to be filled with legendary League pros.
Who selects League esports Hall of Legends inductees?
The selection process for entry into the Hall of Legends is meticulously curated by Riot, ensuring only the most deserving candidates are immortalized in its hallowed halls.
A panel of judges representing regional leagues and esports communities collaborates closely with key Riot staff across all competitive regions to identify a pool of worthy nominees. From this selection, a list of 20 nominees is presented, alongside Riot’s selection criteria, to 50 global panelists representing every competitive region.
They then meticulously evaluate each candidate before casting their votes, ultimately determining the next inductees into the Hall of Legends.
What are the criteria for the Hall of Legends?
To be considered for induction, players must meet a set of criteria set forth by Riot. To be considered, pros must have played for five cumulative years in one of Riot’s tier-one leagues, which include the LCS, LLA, CBLOL, LEC, LPL, LCK, PCS, VCS, and LJL. Additionally, historic leagues like the TCL and OPL are also taken into consideration.
Unlike other similar awards in various sports, to be inducted into the League esports Hall of Legends, players do not need to be retired. To ensure the “ongoing impact” of present-day pros is duly recognized and celebrated, Riot will consider both active and retired League players for its Hall of Legends nominees.
Once 20 players are nominated, the panelists will vote on the following nine criteria:
- International berths
- International titles
- Regional titles
- Contribution to the sport
- How did they change the perspective about a role, a strategy, or the meta
- On and off-Rift persona
- Contribution to the esport, help in redefining the global and/or regional perception of the game, the region
- Accolades: MVP trophies, Seasonal awards in-region, and more
- Role—unspecified if in-game or not
- Specific statistics
When will the next Hall of Legends inductee be announced?
While Riot does not have an exact date picked yet, the company plans to announce the next Hall of Legends inductee around the same time next year.
This yearly announcement might become the next tradition for League fans to look forward to in between the conclusion of MSI and the beginning of regional Summer Splits. In the meantime, guesses on who will be next are likely to run rampant in the League community, with fans eagerly debating and speculating about the next deserving candidate to join the Hall of Legends.
While fans await the next inductee, they can look forward to an abundance of content celebrating Faker’s induction. This includes a special League event offering earnable and purchasable cosmetic items themed around Faker’s legendary career. This celebration will allow fans to honor Faker’s achievements and engage with the game in exciting new ways.
