It’s more than just a game

No one could have imagined how gigantic the gaming industry has become. What seemed like just a console game in my childhood turned into a world that may be unimaginable but, today, is an absolute rage.

I am fortunate to be part of this exciting industry which, in turn, has led to another mass phenomenon: professional competitions. This, in turn, is accompanied by an international community of fans that amazes me on a daily basis.

I see this whole phenomenon through the lens of Riot Games, developer of League of Legends (LoL) and VALORANT. In my opinion, the key to growth has been listening to the fans who were setting the bar for new projects, being clear that they are the protagonists. We are where our players are and any opportunity to talk to them is valuable for us, from in-game chat, player support reports or social networks, to the approaches we have with the media, content creators, events or specialized spaces in the gaming world.

For example, VALORANT, a game launched in pandemic, had an immense boost thanks to this active listening. Only three years old, it already has all kinds of competitions, from Masters, Champions, Americas and even a league dedicated 100% to women: VCT Game Changers.

Something similar happens with LoL, our main workhorse, the number one game in the industry. There is no one who does not know or has not heard of this true mass phenomenon. This year marks the 10th anniversary of the launch of the competitive game, a decade of growth not only of the video game but of the industry itself that grew worldwide. I look back with surprise to see stadiums full of more than 10 thousand people, with international attendance.

This season we implemented changes based on feedback from the community, trying to strengthen the pillars of the competition, and it was the fans who led the way. This shows thatthe product can always improve and when these changes are applied, the fans are really behind us.