Riot Games has announced that it will change the rules for transfers in League of Legends . This is due to the fact that the European top team G2 has sneaked a strange clause into the contract of their player Perkz, which dealt a blow to their rival Fnatic.
This is the reason for the rule change:
- The US site Dotesports has obtained the documents for the sale of Perkz from G2 to Cloud 9 and discovered an interesting clause in the “Buyout” agreement.
- As an addendum in the transfer, the contract stated that Cloud 9 is not allowed to sell the player to Fnatic for 3 years. Fnatic is G2’s archrival: Fnatic and G2 have been competing for the championship in Europe for years. G2 poached Fnatic’s best player, midlaner Caps, in 2019.
- When Fnatic learned about the clause, they filed an official complaint. This was then escalated to higher authorities, as Dotesports knows. The result is now a rule change.
“Incompatible with the values and ideals of our sport”
This is Riot Games’ response: Tom Martell, the head of e-sports at Riot Games, issued an official statement via Twitter (via twitter).
The statement says that a clause concerning future transfers represents a new development that has not yet appeared in the rules of professional League of Legends. Consequently, G2 and Cloud 9 will not be penalized.
However, Riot has informed G2, Fnatic, and Cloud 9 that they will not participate in the enforcement of this rule. They would accept it if Perkz moves to any team that submits the necessary paperwork. That would be a matter for the respective teams.
In the future, however, Riot will prohibit such agreements. They are incompatible with the interests and values of the sport. The rules will be updated accordingly.
“I won’t be tricked so easily, Bitch”
This is what G2’s mastermind says: Apparently, Ocelote, the team leader of G2, is behind the clause. He stated on Twitter: The clause was a safeguard to ensure that Cloud 9 couldn’t buy Perkz and sell him to Fnatic on the same day. Such a rule is “standard and within the rules”.
He says he won’t be tricked so easily, “Bitch” (via twitter).
How is this being discussed? The rivalry between G2 and Fnatic is well known. And G2’s head, Carlos “Ocelote” Rodriguez, is known for stoking the flames and increasing the tension.
G2 has already poached two star players from Fnatic: Caps and Rekkles.
Ocelote always feels unfairly criticized: When he sells players to the USA, it is a huge issue, and he is insulted. When other teams sell their star players to the USA, nobody cares, he claims.
On Twitter it now says:
- Ocelote is now finally playing the LoL supervillain.
- A Fnatic fan is angry about the decision and calls for a punishment.
- Ocelote himself says he finds Riot Games’ decision completely correct.
- And the affected player Perkz says: Esports offers better drama than Mexican telenovelas.
Where will Perkz go now? It seems that Perkz will actually return to Europe, but not to Fnatic.
A new super team is supposedly emerging in LoL – bringing back 2 of the best players in Europe
