Today marks another historic event where Riot Games, FunPlus Esports, and Garena further announced the inaugural season of the League Of Legends Pacific Championship Series (PCS), which will kick off on February 8th, 2020.
As announced in September, the PCS is a merged evolution of the League of Legends Master Series (LMS) and League of Legends Southeast Asia Tour (LST). The goal of the new league is to continue to increase the level of competition in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong while creating a more engaging experience for fans.
“Teams form the heart of any league, and we’re proud to be partnering with top teams from the former LMS, as well as top esports organizations from throughout Southeast Asia as we launch the PCS, We are focused on working hand-in-hand with teams to grow their fan bases and improve their competitive ability while unlocking additional financial opportunities.”
-Chris Tran, Riot Games Southeast Asia’s Head of Esports
To ensure the strength and sustainability of the league and its associated teams, an extensive, multi-month team vetting process was conducted in accordance with Riot’s global league operations policies.
“We have invited committed team organizations with
responsible financials and a mutual understanding of fan focus”-Kevin Pai, CEO FunPlus
Esports.
Although several of these teams and their associated organizations are new to League of Legends, they have proven their dedication through success in the broader esports space. This diverse roster of teams will be spread across multiple cities, allowing for cross-regional rivalry rooted in local passion – an experience that fans can be proud to call their own. The PCS will pit veteran esports teams against an array of new organizations with everything to prove.
The PCS teams for 2020 are as follows:
● ahq eSports Club (Taipei) – Established in September 2012, ahq is one of the region’s
most celebrated esports organizations, having achieved competitive success across a
variety of esports titles, while representing the LMS region in multiple World
Championships.
● Alpha Esports (Taipei) – Alpha made its debut during Season 9 of the LMS. With a brand
new team roster, Alpha is looking to make a name for itself in the PCS.
● G-Rex Gaming (Hong Kong) – Owned by Emperor Entertainment Group, G-Rex Gaming
is one of Hong Kong’s most respected entertainment enterprises. Despite being a young
esports organization, G-Rex represented the LMS at Worlds in 2018.
● Hong Kong Attitude (Hong Kong) – Founded in 2013, Hong Kong Attitude is considered
amongst the top esports organizations in the region and has competed at multiple World
Championships, including this year’s event.
● J Team (Taipei) – J Team debuted during the 2016 LMS Summer Split and has
consistently ranked as one of the top teams in the region. They performed incredibly well
in 2019, winning the LMS Summer Split and cementing a spot at the World Championship
in Europe. J Team is owned by acclaimed musician Jay Chou.
● Liyab Esports (Manila) – In just a short span of time, Liyab has become synonymous with Filipino esports. Having recently undergone a rebrand and name change (they were
formerly known as Mineski), the heart and spirit of the team remain distinctly Filipino and
they are hungry for recognition on the regional stage.
● Nova Esports (Bangkok) – In mobile esports, Nova has won multiple world
championships over the years, and is committed to bringing their champion DNA to PCS.
With their unique culture and play style, they are set to take on the old guard of
professional LoL esports.
● Resurgence (Singapore) – Established in 2017 with a vision to elevate the Southeast
Asian esports scene, Resurgence (RSG) is the largest esports organization in Singapore.
● Talon (Hong Kong) – Talon is an esports organization that has clinched championships across multiple esports titles in Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea and Thailand. They are setting their sights on the PCS and are committed to delivering an
exhilarating and competitive fan experience.
More information about the 10th and final team competing in the PCS will be announced in the new year. The organizations behind the PCS include Riot Games and FunPlus Esports as co-organizers and operators, and Garena as the publisher of League of Legends in Southeast Asia, Taiwan, and Hong Kong.
(Note: FunPlus Esports is an organization that operates esports leagues, operating independently from FunPlus Phoenix: the 2019 LoL World Championship champions).
As part of the approach to shaping the new league, the organizers are adjusting the competitive format. There will be an increase in the number of games (as compared to previous LST seasons), and the league will move to a best-of-one format, with a double-elimination season final – a final the format where fans can rest assured that the top team will represent them on the global stage.
“Watching the growth and success of other LoL esports leagues that have embraced Bo1s, we hope that fans will enjoy the high stakes games while knowing their favorite team(s) will play every broadcast day”
-Chris Tran, Riot Games Southeast Asia’s Head of Esports
Given the geographical diversity of teams, the initial focus will be on online tournaments.
“It is important for us to create opportunities for fans to experience competition in person, and we are currently exploring what those opportunities might entail,”
– Kevin Pai, CEO FunPlus Esports
PCS broadcasts will be available in English, Mandarin, and Thai. Additional information on teams, broadcast platforms, schedule and more via the PCS website launching shortly before season start. For now, fans can follow along with the PCS on Facebook.
“We hope that in the PCS, fans will rally behind teams as they compete to achieve pride, honor, and competitive success. Join us for the season kickoff on February 8th!”
– Chris Tran, Riot Games Southeast Asia’s Head of Esports.
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