Riot Games Cancels League of Legends All-Star Event Due to COVID-19 Travel Restrictions
Riot Games’ global esports division has made the difficult decision to cancel this year’s League of Legends All-Star event. The cancellation is a result of the ongoing travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement released earlier today, Riot Games explained that while they were pleased with the success of the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) and the World Championship, they had to forgo the All-Star event due to the challenges posed by COVID-19 travel constraints. The decision was not made lightly, as Riot Games understands that many fans and players around the world look forward to closing out the LoL Esports season at the All-Star Event.
Riot specifically mentioned quarantine requirements as a major restraint on the event. Participants in the All-Star event would have to quarantine for a longer period than the event’s duration, which would render the tournament impossible to complete within the given timeframe.
Last season, the League All-Star Event was held remotely, with the entire event taking place online. However, Riot Games decided against an online format for this year’s event, stating that it does not capture the spirit of the All-Star Event, which aims to bring together professionals, influencers, and fans for cross-regional competition.
Rather than attempting to host the event online for the second consecutive year, Riot Games has made the decision to skip the 2021 season altogether. The 2022 professional League season is set to begin in January, with North America’s LCS and Europe’s LEC starting on January 14th.
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Riot Games, League of Legends, All-Star Event, COVID-19, travel restrictions, cancellation, quarantine requirements, esports.