Riot Games made a mistake in League of Legends. The pre-group phase at the LoL Worlds 2021 was dubbed a “Fiesta” as a somewhat silly spectacle. They apologize for the blunder: An ironically intended placeholder text went live. Critics found that simply disrespectful.
What happened at Riot:
- Before a LoL Worlds, Riot Games hosts the betting game “Pick ’em”: LoL players can bet on who will win the World Championship
- 12 teams are already confirmed for the group stage of the LoL Worlds 2021. But 10 teams are still competing for the last 4 spots in the main event. Teams from smaller regions and the weaker top teams from major regions must go through the Play-Ins of the LoL Worlds 2021. These will take place from October 5 to 7.
- At the “Pick ’em” for the Play-Ins, it was stated live: “The Play-Ins are happening and we do not support this Fiesta. Sit back, relax, gather your posse and prepare for the show.”
That’s why this is so sensitive: The “Play-Ins” are part of the Worlds. For teams from regions like Japan, Australia, or Turkey, the “Play-Ins” are basically the only chance to showcase themselves to the international LoL fans.
A “Fiesta” in LoL is a term with negative connotations. It is seen as a “Clown Fiesta”, a spectacle where nothing is at stake, and which no one really takes seriously.
Calling the Play-Ins a “Fiesta” essentially means that it’s a children’s birthday party. The Worlds only really begin with the group stage when the top teams enter the fray.
This is a slap in the face for the teams from the “smaller” regions.
Here are the reactions: After the announcement went live, Riot Games received a lot of criticism. Well-known voices in LoL such as CaptainFlowers and Casterin Sjokz (featured image) called this wording “disappointing,” “very odd,” or “disrespectful”.
“Ironically intended joke” went live by accident
This is what Riot Games says: They apologize for the mistake. It is said that it was an “ironic joke” that was actually meant as an internal placeholder, but it went live anyway.
Internally, they were frustrated that they couldn’t include the “Play-Ins” in the betting game, so someone expressed their frustration with this “Fiesta” statement. However, that was not meant to go live.
Riot Games emphasizes: They simply love the Play-Ins!
They regret that they couldn’t include the “Play-Ins” in the “Pick ‘Ems” this year. This is partly due to the last-minute relocation of the LoL Worlds 2021 from China to Iceland – due to the ongoing Corona crisis.
The betting game “Pick ‘Em” is a spectacle every year:
3.8 million players guessed LoL Worlds 2018 – Only one got it right
