Riot Games is trying to reintegrate the Philippines as a key esports destination for League of Legends through the launch of Liga Republika, a new LoL esports tournament.
In a statement posted by PR agency Ardent Communications, Riot Games Philippines says this is their way of trying to rebuild the game’s popularity as an esports title in the Philippines.
“The pilot iteration of Liga Republika welcomes players from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to find the best League of Legends teams in the country, setting the stage for a reinvigorated competitive League in the Philippines,” the statement reads.
The said tournament builds on the success of the Empyrean Cup, and will allow a total of 384 teams to join the competition.
Liga Republika will have both online and offline stages, ensuring accessibility for League players all over the Philippines. It will kick off this May with a Kickoff Invitational featuring the top eight teams from the 2023 Empyrean Cup. The top four will qualify for the group stage in August.
In June, the tournament will open its registration to the public. More than 300 teams will compete in the open qualifiers round slated from July to August. They will be vying for one of the 12 groups slots.
From the invitational round and open qualifiers, a total of 16 teams will advance to the group stage scheduled in August, with the playoffs scheduled for the month of September.
Liga Republika’s grand finale will take place offline at a LAN event where the top eight teams will compete in front of a live audience for the title of champion and the lion’s share of the million peso prize pool.
Riot Games PH brand manager Joel Guzman said of the new league, “Liga Republika reinforces our commitment to the Philippine esports and gaming community. Fueled by the success of last year’s Empyrean Cup in reigniting the League of Legends community in the country, rebranding the league to Liga Republika reinforces and sustains the momentum we gained and elevate the esports scene in the Philippines through a healthier and more competitive league.”
“We are committed to create a league that fosters a sense of pride, identity and belonging for our players. By evolving last year’s Empyrean Cup to Liga Republika, our hope is to give our players a league that they can proudly call tatak Pinoy,” added Kimi Salazar, Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) brand manager of Riot Games Philippines.
Fans are invited to follow League of Legends’ official Facebook and Instagram to get the most up-to-date information on the upcoming Liga Republika 2024 Tournament.
