Competition is an inherently fun activity, which is why there are so many different types out there.

For TFT, our vision for competitive play was always a bit different than other Riot esports, let alone traditional sports. Our goal was that it would be more accessible, and that anyone who had an account and the skill could enter and win it big. Things like fighting game genre’s big tournament EVO and The World Series of Poker were big inspirations for us, as they were always something that was enjoyable to both watch and play in. All the way back to Set 1 and the original team, this was something we pushed for.

Then COVID hit, and certainly delayed any possibility of truly realizing that vision, but not completely. While we couldn’t quite capture the magic of being at EVO, we were still able to capture it being an extremely accessible competition. Our first Championship winner came from humble origins, and the games were a blast to watch. We did the best we could holding ourselves to that original vision, holding numerous tournaments across the world and crowning 7 Championship winners to date!

As things eased up in the COVID world, it became possible to realize that initial vision. A super fun TFT event that anyone could compete in and have a shot at glory. Thanks to Riot Sherman and his team, we finally got to realize that with the TFT Vegas Open. It was a massive success! Ask anyone who went or watched, and it felt like everything we had dreamed of when it comes to TFT competitions. I freaking cried tears of joy at the end. It really was an amazing event.

I bring this up because occasionally we’ll see some critique about how TFT is a game with too much variance, or that the “best” player doesn’t always win. We still want to crown top players at our Set Championships and host meaningful regional events that keep top players invested in the set, but events like Vegas, which have significantly higher variance, show that there’s an opportunity to deliver a new competitive format that is unique to TFT and hopefully exciting for you, its players.

Ultimately, what matters is that TFT is an awesome and fun game that people can come together and compete in. This vision won’t be for everyone, and we understand that, but we’re still super excited to continue and improve in this direction for TFT. To those who have and will compete in TFT, good luck! Until next post, take it easy 🙂