Korean Esports Looks to Western Scene for Inspiration
The Korean esports scene, often regarded as the pinnacle of the industry, is set to undergo significant changes in 2015 to align with the Western scene, according to a joint announcement from Riot Games, the Korean eSports Association, and OnGameNet, the biggest league in the country. These changes will primarily affect the competition format for League of Legends in Korea.
Under the new structure, OnGameNet (OGN) will adopt a league format similar to the League Championship Series, consisting of two four-month seasons with eight teams. However, OGN will implement a “one-team system,” with the expanded rosters of each team having 10 players. This means that teams like Samsung Galaxy, who sent both their White and Blue teams to the World Championships, will need to consolidate their talent into one squad.
In addition to the main league, OGN will also introduce a reserve league to provide opportunities for bench players to showcase their skills and improve.
To further improve the situation for players in Korea, OGN plans to implement a minimum salary and expand streaming revenue through Azubu. This ensures that even reserve players are fairly compensated and players, not just teams, receive compensation for streaming. Starting in 2016, pro player contracts must be at least one year long, providing stability for the players.
While these changes aim to strengthen the Korean esports environment and protect players, the question remains whether they will be enough to retain talented players. Esports has struggled with maintaining a bench of developmental players and backups, as there are limited opportunities for them to move into a starting lineup. The new rules from OGN partly address this issue, but the lack of chances to compete at high-profile events like Worlds may still drive players away from Korea.
One aspect of the changes that aligns with the Western scene is the focus on streaming as a source of income. The competitive Korean environment previously hindered many star players from capitalizing on this lucrative opportunity. While the chance to make money from streaming will benefit players financially, it may also affect their competitive edge compared to players from other regions.
Overall, these changes aim to bring more security and sanity to the Korean esports scene, which has often been characterized by intense practice schedules and job insecurity. Although the specific details of the implementation are yet to be revealed, it is clear that Korea is looking to the West for inspiration in shaping its esports ecosystem.