I remember watching the 2017 League of Legends World Championship last year and being completely amazed at one particular moment in the show: the elder dragon appearance.
Memory a bit hazy? There was a concert going on, performers doing some pretty cool acrobatics, and then suddenly, out of the air, the elder dragon appeared. Utilizing some kind of augmented reality type of technology, Riot Games was able to make it look to viewers as if the dragon literally descended into into the arena. Here’s the video of last year’s event at the exact moment the elder dragon makes his appearance.
Apparently, I wasn’t the only one completely awe-struck by this technological wizardry – Riot Games was just awarded a Sports Emmy by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for “Outstanding Live Graphic Design.” In grabbing this win, they beat out the following fellow nominees: the 2017 NBA Finals, ESPN’s College Basketball, TNT’s NBA All-Star Weekend, and ELEAGUE’s 2017 TBS broadcast.
Last year, TBS’ ELEAGUE was also nominated for best “Studio Design and Art Direction” but wasn’t able to secure the win. As a result, Riot Games’ win marks the first time an esport related company has won a Sports Emmy.
There is constant debate over the semantics of e-sports and whether or not it makes any sense to call competitive gaming a sport. In my personal opinion, I don’t really think it matters. I’m just happy to see the industry getting a little more recognition for the impressive work they have done in bringing quality entertainment to millions of fans around the world.
Can’t wait for the day an industry personality makes it into the nominees for best “play-by-play” or “studio analyst.” That would definitely be one giant leap forward!
Featured Image Courtesy of Riot Games
