Riot and Professional LoL “Benefit” from EWC
In 2024, Riot decided to allow Saudi Arabia to include some of its games in the first-ever Esports World Cup in history. Notably, EWC was initially regarded as just a “grassroots tournament” as it wasn’t included in the official tournament system by Riot, and the number of participating teams was limited. Moreover, EWC is held in the timeframe between MSI and the new season, which made many teams less enthusiastic. However, the massive prize pool has made the entire Esports community, particularly LoL, rethink its stance. As of now, LoL and Riot are clearly reaping the benefits of EWC.
Specifically, according to some information confirmed by Riot, the prize pool for MSI 2025 has seen a significant increase compared to 2024. The champion team will receive $500k – ten times the prize money for the champion team (Gen.G) of 2024. Additionally, for other rankings, the prize money has also increased at least 7.5 times compared to before.
This topic has been widely discussed, and many opinions suggest that EWC 2025, with its massive prize pool from last year, has generated substantial revenue for Riot and Esports organizations sending their teams to compete. Furthermore, there have been reports that the Saudi Arabian region has also provided certain sponsorships for Riot’s official tournaments to ensure the publisher continues to allow its games to appear in EWC.
A Bright Future Awaits EWC and LoL
One of the current obstacles for EWC is likely the schedule, as the tournament is held over a short period and right after teams have just competed in MSI. Thus, players will have less time to rest, which could significantly affect the performance of the teams.
However, if in the future, EWC can have better organizational plans, the tournament is expected to become an annual event within the systems of major game publishers. This is because the revenue from EWC can help many teams sustain and grow within the Esports landscape, particularly in LoL, especially during the recent challenging economic years.