
Riot Games has announced the closure of its Australian operations. The creators of League of Legends and Valorant say “we do not believe that the market is currently able to support a professional league”. There will still be eSports teams for both of their banner games in the region but they are shuttering the Oceanic Pro League. The teams will be folded into the larger organizations like the LCS. With the closure of the local offices, all Australian customer support will be handled through North America.
There are bound to be shifted like this as eSports matures into a mainstream sport. Audiences are changing and as time goes on they will begin to solidify. The analytics will eventually show where the industry needs to invest its funds. It’s similar to Football or Soccer. If you want to start a new Soccer team, the United States might not be the best option. As for eSports, we have seen a strong fan base in Western Europe, East Asia, and the coastal US. Will the industry double down in the areas or try to spread awareness? Time will tell.
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