League of Legends Tournaments in China: Controversy and Suspensions

The recent suspension of professional League of Legends (LoL) tournaments in China has caused uproar in the gaming community. This suspension comes amidst the ongoing controversies surrounding Gen.G Esports team’s recognition of Taiwan as a sovereign nation, further complicating the situation.

Huya, the streaming platform that holds exclusive rights to broadcast League of Legends Champions Korea (LCK) in China, made the unprecedented decision to suspend official Chinese language broadcasts. This suspension specifically affected the LCK broadcast that had started at LoL Park in downtown Seoul earlier this month.

According to Riot Games Korea, the suspension in China was a result of a lack of broadcasting rights. However, industry experts and gaming enthusiasts believe that this may actually be a retaliatory measure against Gen.G’s statement acknowledging Taiwan as a “country.”

Gen.G faced heavy criticism from Chinese netizens in December when they announced a sponsored event to take place in Taiwan. Despite expressing their respect for China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, both the team’s manager and Gen.G Esports CEO, Arnold Hur, were criticized for their alleged political neutrality.

It is important to note that Huya, the majority owner of the streaming platform, is a subsidiary of Tencent, a multimedia giant that also owns Riot Games, the creator of League of Legends. The suspension of broadcasts is not only a setback for the LCK but also adds to the financial challenges the league has been facing in recent years.

In response to these events, the teams associated with LCK issued a joint statement on the first day of the spring season, expressing their dissatisfaction with the “LCK League Corporation” and its failure to increase the league’s business value over the past three years.

This controversy and suspension of tournaments are expected to have long-term consequences for not only Korean esports but also for the relationship between China and Korea. The incident highlights how political dynamics can impact the development of the esports industry, which is rapidly becoming a global phenomenon.