Game developer Riot Games has expanded its League of Legends-focused partnership with technology conglomerate Cisco.
The deal will see Cisco leverage its solutions to further improve connectivity for League of Legends esports. According to a report from the Esports Insider, they have been named the official security partner for League of Legends (LoL) Esports. This is not the first time Cisco has partnered with Riot, as the two companies have been working together through a multi-year deal which started in 2020.
Esports Insider reported that the two companies will collaborate to create new opportunities for rising technology professionals by supporting programmes such as Cisco’s Networking Academy.
“With the newly expanded partnership, Riot Games will also be able to utilise Cisco’s ThousandEyes solution to identify and troubleshoot problem areas,” Esports Insider reported.
Among those being eyed for deployment in the leagues are the Cisco Duo identity security solution, which aims to protect LoL Esports Events from identity-based threats in a bid to reduce attacks on official LoL tournaments.
Also part of the deal is a dedicated server hosted by Cisco, as well as innovations for digital viewing experiences.
“Together with the ‘The Realm’ — a private Cisco game server used exclusively for LoL Esports’ major global events — and Cisco IP Fabric for Media technology to power live esports production, Riot is looking to elevate its digital experience for fans watching live and remotely,” Esports Insider reported.
Riot Games’ Global Head of Business Development and Esports Partnerships head David Mulhall said, “Cisco’s technology is central in creating the near zero-ping environment our pro teams demand to compete at their highest level, which in turn makes for the best viewing experience for our fans around the world. As we look forward to an incredible MSI Finals this weekend, I’m thrilled that we can trust our longstanding partnership with Cisco to continue to deliver all the epic moments our fans live for.”
He added, “Over the past four years, Cisco’s revolutionary network – The Realm – has lived up to the ‘change the game’ moniker that we strive to deliver to our fans and pros at every esports event.”
The said partnership will prove important, especially for major esports events such as MSI 2024 and Worlds 2024.
