Although there are still several months and many more games to be played before the 2023 League of Legends World Championship begins, Riot Games has already unveiled some plans around a new fan experience that should help immerse die-hard supporters when the biggest event of the year rolls around this fall.
In a huge blog post today, Riot’s president of esports John Needham broke down the company’s future plans for its general esports ecosystem. In one section, for example, he addressed the big difference between traditional sports and esports, saying that while the former can rely on live event revenue from tickets, concessions, and merchandise, virtual settings are far more popular for esports fans who are tuning in from across the globe.
As a result, Riot is currently building a virtual ticket program that will elevate the current online fan experience, while still generating revenue for both the company and the esports teams competing in the event.
This “Virtual Pass” will be the bridge between online and live engagement, providing fans with a better online experience during the tournament. Riot is also planning a variety of different goodies with the pass, including new Worlds skin exclusive variants, in-game event passes, unique merchandise, and other goods from sponsors.
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Riot wants to have team-specific versions of these passes so fans can connect with their favorite teams on an unparalleled level, including new team merchandise and in-game goods, and possibly even exclusive team channels where supporters can communicate with the players themselves.
Riot will also be extending this pass to the competitive VALORANT scene in 2024, bringing unique in-game cameras, cameras around the venue, digital collectibles, and even have fan messages show up on the broadcast. Overall, this new pass will bring fans closer to the action than ever before, even if it’s from the comfort of their own home.
