Riot to begin testing new LoL esports ‘Virtual Pass’ to spur fan engagement at Worlds 2023

Although there are still several months and many more games to be played before the 2023 League of Legends World Championship begins, Riot Games has already unveiled some plans around a new fan experience that should help immerse die-hard supporters when the biggest event of the year rolls around this fall.

In a huge blog post today, Riot’s president of esports John Needham broke down the company’s future plans for its general esports ecosystem. In one section, for example, he addressed the big difference between traditional sports and esports, saying that while the former can rely on live event revenue from tickets, concessions, and merchandise, virtual settings are far more popular for esports fans who are tuning in from across the globe.