The League of Legends community around the world woke up to an unprecedented decision on the morning of May 29.
The North American LCS Players Association (LCSPA) voted to stage a walkout in reaction to Riot Games’ decision to remove the obligation for determined organizations to field a roster North American Challengers League, thus leaving the start of the 2023 LCS Summer Split uncertain. This kind of collective action never happened before in the history of the LCS, but it comes at a time when the friction between Riot and the NALCSPA has reached an all-time high.
Related: LCS 2023 Summer start date up in the air after LCSPA passes walkout vote
The reaction to the voting has been mostly positive, with many League fans congratulating the LCSPA for attempting to make a change and protest against Riot—not only the tournament organizer of the League professional circuit but also the developer of the game.
“This is history in the making,” Misfits’ content creator Mrs Chim Chim wrote on Twitter. “Proud of the players for standing up for themselves and what they believe in, looking forward to the resolutions to come,” former LCS reporter and analyst turned content creator Ovilee wrote on Twitter.
While the LCSPA didn’t confirm the date of the walkout, it’s expected to happen on Thursday, June 1—the opening day of the 2023 LCS Summer Split. This is because all of the 10 LCS teams are set to play on that day. Dot Esports has reached out to the LCSPA for confirmation and will update this article when it gets a response.
Riot and the LCSPA have just a couple of days to come to an agreement that satisfies both parties. The players’ association made five requests prior to voting to stage a walkout, but it’s unclear if Riot will accept the demands. They most notably include a “VALORANT-style” relegation and promotion system for the LCS and the NACL and a $300,000 revenue pool per each NACL team to spend on salaries.
