League of Legends: how Riot killed the Challenger Series

For those of us watching League of Legends, the narrative is what keeps us invested. Riot failed to ever capitalize on the narratives of the Challenger Series, killing it in the process.

Anyone who has written a story knows how important and elusive the term “narrative” can be. It is a sort of momentum you give your writing, a through line that pulls your story forward and keeps all the witnesses invested. It is something that, if utilized correctly, will culminate in pins-and-needles, an audible gasp, a squirming in the seat, a silent fist-pump. It is your ability to create such ripples in your content that the words themselves reach through the page and make contact with those present.

But narrative isn’t just confined to writing.

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Watch pro wrestling, and you’ll see a narrative played out in real time every match. Watch the Cubs winning the World Series and you’ll feel the catharsis of a narrative that was conceived before any of us were born. Go to any sports event and there will be narratives tugging at your heart as you watch.

League of Legends has seen hundreds of narratives play out – from the first murmurs to the eventual cresting and conclusion of the story. In every league – the LCS, the LEC, the LCK, the LPL, and LMS – stories play out each season, and for those of us who are not planning on becoming coaches or pro players, the narratives are the glue that keeps us stuck to this scene.

And how are we delivered these narratives? By and far, it is a combination of our own in-game observations and, more importantly, the commentary provided by in-game analysts and shoutcasters. A caster and analyst’s job, in fact, is to build an effective narrative around teams, hyping up the underdog upsets, spinning stories of undefeated splits, team turnarounds, and massive mental booms.

We watch to hear about our favorite teams do well, and to see TSM falter at Worlds, to hear of the new upstarts taking to the Rift and to watch ancient dynasties crumble.

With all this in mind, the League of Legends Challenger Series Playoffs has been an utter failure of narrative. And it is Riot’s fault.