League of Legends Japan League to Join Pacific Championship Series Ecosystem

League of Legends Japan League to Join Pacific Championship Series Ecosystem

The League of Legends Pacific Championship Series (PCS) will continue to expand its ecosystem by incorporating the League of Legends Japan League (LJL) starting next season. This move follows the inclusion of the League of Legends Circuit Oceania (LCO) earlier this year.

This evolution aligns with Riot Games’ multi-year strategy to strengthen the League esports ecosystem in the Asia Pacific region. The key principles that will guide the development of League esports in the region include:

Creating a unified, Pacific league that can become a powerhouse in the global League of Legends Esports ecosystem.
Improving the fan experience by providing quality broadcast products in multiple languages and hyper-local experiences across the region.
Creating a more sustainable esports ecosystem where pro players and organizations can thrive.

LJL players will now be considered residents of the PCS, allowing them to join any team within the PCS ecosystem without being considered an import player. However, LJL teams will still require at least three Japanese players on their roster.

Similar to when LCO joined the PCS ecosystem last season, the LJL will continue to play its domestic season in Japan. Then, the top three teams from LJL will seed into the PCS Playoffs and compete with other PCS and LCO teams for a spot at international events such as MSI and Worlds.

The top three teams from the LJL will move onto the PCS Playoffs, where they will join the top six teams from the PCS and the top two teams from the LCO. The PCS Playoffs will now be divided into two stages, with three top seeds placed directly into Stage Two.

This approach to enhance the competitiveness of League esports in the Asia Pacific region will continue for years to come. Riot Games acknowledges that this is a significant change and expects there to be some growing pains as they expand the league. However, they are confident that this development will ultimately help to make the league more sustainable for the future.