From Arcane to LCS: How Riot Builds Esports Fans Without Forcing Them to Play

Welcome back.

Last Friday was a tad bit heavy—my interview with Daigo talked about mortality. So I figured let's lighten the mood a bit and focus on this idea: How do you turn someone who's never played League of Legends into a fan?

I got to chat with Mark Zimmerman, commissioner of the North American League of Legends Championship Series (LCS), about the upcoming 2026 season and Split 1.

Aside from previewing the season, I listened to a masterclass on how Riot converts fans and none of it has to do with playing the actual game.

Whether you watched Arcane or discovered League of Legends through another route, this can give you insight on why shows like Arcane and games like Teamfight Tactics are all part of a larger strategy.

Let's get into it.

Paul

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Arcane released on Netflix to critical reviews in November 2021. It brought fans old and new to the world of Runeterra, allowing them all to experience the rich, in-depth story that League of Legends has embedded into its game.

"Arcane did a good job of showing off the universe and what Riot invests into the story and the art of the game itself," Zimmerman said.

While Arcane hasn't translated into direct player growth or even sales of skins, it's all part of Riot Games' bigger plan: make people fans of League of Legends and Riot Games without having them play the game.

This may seem counterintuitive, but Riot Games has done an excellent job to bring people into the League of Legends lore without actually having them step foot on the Rift.

Many will likely cite Arcane as their entry point to League of Legends. My journey is a little different.

Oddly enough, my League of Legends fandom didn't start with Arcane.

It happened in 2019 when Teamfight Tactics (TFT) released, giving me the entry point to the League of Legends cast. I never played League, as its peak predated my interest in streaming culture and esports. The game never reached my orbit outside of a handful of streamers I watched playing the game at better-than-average levels.

But even TFT wasn't enough to pull me into watching more League. Sure, I knew the characters and wanted to learn more about the character stories, but none really prompted me to watch high-level, elite League of Legends.

My knowledge of the competitive scene was limited to Sang-hyeok "Faker" Lee and his dominant run as a living legend and the world's best player.

On Saturday, Nov. 5, 2022, I turned on the League of Legends World Championships, held at the Chase Center in San Francisco — the last time the World Championships took place in North America.

I saw the tweets hyping this final. The storylines read like a dream for any sportswriter covering a championship series.

The T1 dynasty featuring the greatest player ever (Faker), hoping to add another trophy to his already loaded trophy case? That's nice. The former player (Min-seok "Keria" Ryu) joining T1 against his former team (DRX)? That's a little more interesting. A Cinderella, improbable run by a team nobody expected (DRX)? You may have something here. The player (Hyuk-kyu "Deft" Kim) chasing an elusive World Championship on what could be his final tournament? I'm starting to like where this is going. Two former high school classmates (Deft and Faker) playing for the World Championship? OK, this is must-see viewing.

"They did a killer job with those pieces about how they knew each other sort of back in high school and how they were on these two totally different routes," Zimmerman said.

Going in alone, the storylines were worth my watching, even if I knew absolutely nothing on how the game worked.

Thankfully, Riot Games employed some wonderful casters to help introduce me to this game.

Clayton "CaptainFlowers" Raines, Marc Robert "Caedrel" Lamont, and Sam "Kobe" Hartman-Kenzler were a great introduction to League of Legends, as their in-depth explanations, highlight of storylines, and, overall, simplicity of importance of key moments in the game intrigued me. Those three allowed me to follow the action easily.

What followed is one of my top 5 viewing experiences of any competitive event.

The first four games went back and forth with blue side winning, forcing a decisive Game 5. Wonderful, now toss in a Game 7 atmosphere to this match.

While I still watched closely to try and get a grasp of what was happening, I experienced my first "OMG" League of Legends moment when Min-hyeong "Gumayusi" Lee lined up his shot and stole a critical power-up (Baron Nashor, for my League fans). The casters went wild. The crowd roared.

This moment captured my attention and has since never let it go.

DRX didn't fall from this moment, however, powering through and giving Deft his first World Championship after years of chasing.

Every storyline capped off perfectly.

And the best part? Keria's emotion after losing. The cycle of storytelling continues.

I'm not unique. Riot has built an entire ecosystem designed to give people multiple ways in.

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League of Legends isn't for everyone. MOBA (multiplayer online battle arena) is a specific genre that might not be everyone's cup of tea. But Riot Games isn't necessarily focused on monetizing League of Legends.

Riot Games built an ecosystem around the characters in the League of Legends universe and invested in other game types that try to bring fans into their overall scope of games.

Like fighting games? Try 2XKO. Like autochess and single-player competitive games? TFT can scratch that itch. Like physical card games? Riftbound is there for you. The only game with its own universe is first-person, tactical shooter Valorant.

This also doesn't include the games featured Riot-based characters.

"It's about making sure we have the ability to actually get you fully into the ecosystem and find a way that you do enjoy playing," Zimmerman said. "Because maybe it's not League of Legends, it could be TFT, it could be 2XKO."

I enjoy TFT quite a bit. Even though I want to try League of Legends at some point, I fit into Riot's plan to reach me where I want to play games. Some fans never touch League, but are still considered League of Legends fans through proxy.

The crazy thing? I know the relationships of characters through TFT, Arcane, books (I'm reading The Ruined King, which is based in the League of Legends region Shadow Isles), and League cinematics. I love the lore and that's not even stepping into a game on Summoner's Rift.

Sure, I might not play League of Legends, but I am invested in the universe, meaning they'll get my money somehow (Yes, I have spent money on TFT Little Legends, boards, and battle passes).

But when it comes to esports, how can they turn the casual fan into religious viewer?

League of Legends is a hard game. There are more than 160 champions with unique abilities and playstyles. Then toss in the team dynamic where some characters play better than others and some characters play better against others. There are times where playing League of Legends games can be won in the first five minutes.

That's not even including the physical requirements of mouse control, DPI, and knowing when to press the right keys.

All combined League of Legends can be an overwhelming experience for those trying it for the first time.

"People play games for different reasons," Zimmerman said. "Some of us are super sweaty and we're trying to be the best in the world ... or you just want to play with your friends."

That's why watching is far more relaxing. It's that sense of separation that comes with traditional sports. Of course, we can go to the park, shoot some hoops, and call it a day. But are we NBA caliber or even worth watching? Probably not. There will always be something wonderful about watching someone do something at a high level.

That's what entertainment is at its core.

Watching competitive League of Legends allows fans to get into a few things. The first is learn. The casters explain everything and can help players learn how to take concepts into their own games. The second is, as previously mentioned, you witness a group of people coordinating at an elite level. The final reason? You focus less about the game itself and more about the people playing it.

Think about anytime you're watching a sporting event with someone who has no idea what's happening from a technical standpoint. What did they end up focusing on when they got to watch the game? It was probably the story that the announcers were telling. It's not about Azir vs. Orianna (two League characters), but Player Y vs. Player Z.

"When you have a viewing experience, you're just listening to a caster and there's more story and narrative and you're zoomed out and there's a little bit more to grasp onto," Zimmerman said. "There's a human story as well with like this guy, maybe, you know, you'll hear something about him and you'll connect with that."

League of Legends also has the benefit of more than 15 years of history, covered mostly by a dominating run by Faker, widely considered the best League of Legends player ever. He even has the nickname, "God" by some fans in North America.

This timeline is important because new fans can jump in after watching a League of Legends event and study Faker's history in the same vein as fans looking up Kobe Bryant and Michael Jordan and hear people speak highly of a legend. The fighting game community has more or less done this with its EVO moments, featuring legends Justin Wong and Daigo Umehara.

"It's really important to create this healthy, sustainable ecosystem that can run for 15, 16 years we're coming up on because if you can continue that into the future," Zimmerman said. "Whenever someone does get invested... there's 15 years of Faker history to dive into."

This lower entry barrier allows fans to invest in the sport rather than having to take up and play the game. It's like the fan who enjoys basketball and rarely steps on a court themselves. It's a strong move on Riot's part. They're using the traditional sports model to attract new audiences: hook them with stories that they can relate to and they have the choice to play the game or not. Either way, they're a fan.

Ultimately, like any game, sport, or activity, the connection to the thing can only come through human connection. I'm sure there are some players in Korea who dream of becoming the next Faker. I'm also confident that there is a teenager who is logging into League of Legends right now to help North America reach new heights.

Either way, Riot doesn't just want fans to watch on streams. They also want them to attend their live events.

The one thing about any type of event is people tend to enjoy themselves more than if they stayed at home to watch. Nothing can ever replicate the feeling of being in the stadium when a touchdown is scored, a home run is hit, or a goal is scored. The cheering crowd and loud sounds are part of the experience.

League of Legends offers the same experience. The stage is huge as two rows of five computer stations lined up facing each other. The jumbotrons showing the action on the screen. But the highlight is when a key moment hits. The moment a player kills a dragon, speakers hit the bass so hard that fans feel it in their chest experiencing the adrenaline high that comes with the action.

The stadium experience isn't the only thing that makes these events worth visiting.

Outside of the venue, fans can meet cosplayers and, in some cases, meet players, fans, and in some circumstances, enjoy a tailgate before major events.

All of this comes with one intent: build an emotional connection that goes beyond the game in the arena. Riot wants to create memories that are beyond the gaming experience.

"A lot of the times when a fan has an excuse to bring their friend to an event, you'll have a crazy experience," Zimmerman said. "Those in-person experiences can help you develop a lifelong bond with the game and the ecosystem."

I have never been to a live League of Legends event (something I hope to change this year), but I have been to EVO. I will say that nothing is more engaging than watching two high-level players compete on a big stage and reacting to every attack and counter. I'm going to venture to guess this is the same for League of Legends

Like going to a live concert, sporting event, or play, nothing can replicate being there in person to witness it first hand. That's why Zimmerman said that he plans on taking the LCS out of Riot Games' Arena and on the road to various cities to experience the LCS in person.

"We're trying our best to find ways to get out of Los Angeles a little bit more often," Zimmerman said. "We know it is super important, both for the sport and for the game in North America."

All is in place for League of Legends to make take another step. So what does the future hold in store?

The first split of the League of Legends year began in January with the first global event taking place in Brazil in March. The LCS will enter its playoff round this Saturday. Fans are invited to come to the LCS Split 1 Finals on Feb. 27-March 1 to see which team qualifies for a spot in the Lock-In event.

All of this year's games will build up to the 2026 League of Legends World Championships, which are set to take place in Allen, Texas and New York City this fall.

So where does League of Legends go from here?

Zimmerman doesn't anticipate League of Legends in North American to change drastically, outside of shifting away from the League of the Americas format in 2025. The goals remain to develop North American talent, and growing fandom and its player base.

Zimmerman said there are no plans for League of Legends to pursue a change in its broadcasting plans. While most networks are seeking more exclusive content from a variety of leagues, Zimmerman said League of Legends will more than likely remain on Twitch and other gaming-primary steaming platforms.

That's where most of the fans are watching. When combined with the ability to have co-streams with creators to share with their communities, it's a win-win for everyone involved.

"Where is this demographic actually existing? It is more online space. It is more social space," Zimmerman said. "So we want to meet fans where they are and give them a way to watch that connects with them."

This strategy fits Riot Games' goal to allow fans to pick how they interact with the game.

Whether it's Arcane, a League-adjacent game, or a friend bringing someone, Riot Games isn't focused on merely one method to earn a fan. It's always looking for new ways to expand its reach to new fans.

Honestly, if you're interested in League of Legends, now is a good time to jump in. They're adding different ways to allow new players to join in with the ability to control champions with WASD, the standard movement keys for most keyboard-based games.

Even if you're not interested in playing, you just need something that hooks you to the game.

For me, it was Deft v. Faker. For you, it will be different.

That's it for this week. Reply and tell me what your League entry point was. I'm genuinely curious how you got into esports.

See you Friday with what's happening in fighting games this week.

Paul

P.S. If you're in LA for LCS this season, let me know. I'm planning to make it down.

Thumbnail Image: Courtesy of Riot Games

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