The 11th World Championship was a success, but the journey to that success wasn’t easy. Just when we thought the pandemic couldn’t get worse… the Delta variant hit. To ensure all teams could travel to Worlds with their best players, we made a [pivot of our multi-city tour around China to Reykjavik, Iceland,][1] where we hosted the Mid-Season Invitational back in May. We had to forgo a live audience. We had to adjust our [Show Open][2] presentation. All in less than two months! Through tireless dedication and countless hours, we were able to execute another record-breaking year.
[1]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ku5r8LEqqn0&t=102s
[2]: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1OzoFq4Q3_c&t=2s
Worlds 2021 opened with the Play-In stage on October 5 with LCK's Hanwha Life Esports vs the LPL's LNG Esports, setting the tone for what turned out to be an action-packed Worlds (and foreshadowed the Finals showdown between the LCK and LPL). During the Group stage, the LCS’s Cloud9 made a heroic lift to go from 0-3 to taking second in a group that was arguably the most competitive. This all resulted in Worlds 2021 Play-Ins and Group Stages that hit the highest viewership in the Western Hemisphere in Worlds tournament history.
Quarterfinals and Semifinals weren’t short of action, either. T1, Gen.G, and DWG KIA may have made quick work of their opponents in the quarters (HLE, C9, MAD Lions, all 3-0), but Edward Gaming brought us to the first five-game series of the tournament versus MSI 2021 champions Royal Never Give Up. Then, the much-anticipated showdown between DK and T1 in the semis was taken to a heated best-of-five series, where DK was able to dash the hopes of Faker and the T1 dynasty. On the other side of the bracket, EDG and Gen.G also went to a five-game series, with EDG ascending to the Worlds Finals stage for the first time in the organization’s history.
Across 121 games played during Worlds 2021, we got to hear Silver Scrapes four times as we came down to the wire during the Knockout Stage. Even our Worlds Final showdown between the LCK’s DWG KIA and the LPL’s Edward Gaming resulted in a best-of-five games, the first five-game Finals series since 2016 and only the second in Worlds history.
Speaking of the Worlds Final...
After collecting, validating, and standardizing the data from all over the world with our partners at StreamHatchet, we are excited to share that the World Championship Finals saw an Average Minute Audience (AMA) of 30,604,255, a 32.82% increase over 2020 (a previous all-time high), and 73,860,742 Peak Concurrent Viewers (PCU), a 60.33% increase over 2020, for a Total Hours Watched of 232,638,870. Worlds 2021 hit a combined total of 1,084,991,999 Total Hours Watched. We couldn’t be more humbled by your support - thank you.
The Worlds Final was broadcast in 18 languages, by 19 broadcasters, across 34 platforms,
kicking off with the Show Open presented by Mastercard, created in a short-film style featuring
Grammy-winning artists Imagine Dragons alongside PVRIS, Bea Miller, JID, and Denzel Curry
on an Arcane-themed journey throughout the world of Runeterra cities Piltover and Zaun.
Edward Gaming mid laner Lee “Scout” Ye-chan earned the Worlds 2021 final OPPO MVP award for his outstanding performance while playing four different champions across the five games against DWG KIA.
Game 1: Ryze 6/1/8 (victory)
Game 2: LeBlanc 0/5/1 (defeat)
Game 3: Twisted Fate 2/4/5 (defeat)
Game 4: Zoe: 1/1/3 (victory)
Game 5: Zoe: 5/1/8 (victory)
For the first time in LoL Esports history, each member of the winning team received a custom made championship ring designed by Riot Games and Mercedes-Benz to wrap up an extraordinary Worlds tournament.
And finally, we want to thank our global LoL Esports partners for all they do for our sport: Bose, Cisco, Mercedes-Benz, Spotify, Red Bull, Mastercard, OPPO, Louis Vuitton, Axe, Secretlab, Verizon, Prime Gaming, and State Farm. We couldn’t have done it without your support.
Worlds 2021 was truly MAKE or BREAK, a theme so fitting. Thank you for cheering us on throughout this season! [We're looking forward to canvasing North America for Worlds 2022.][1]
[1]: https://lolesports.com/article/riot-games-reveals-multi-city-tour-across-north-america-for-2022-league-of-legends-world-championship/blt8a2408d94c99d57b
