Riot Games' global esports division has canceled this year's League of Legends All-Star event due to travel restrictions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
“While we are pleased with the success of MSI and Worlds, after careful deliberation, we have made the difficult decision to forego this year's All-Star Event due to COVID-19 travel restrictions,” Riot said in a statement earlier today. Said. “This decision was not made easily as we know many fans and players around the world are looking forward to closing the LoL Esports season in ASE.”
Riot specifically cited quarantine requirements as a major restriction on the event, as those attending the All-Star event will need to be quarantined for longer than the event duration. With the League's All-Star event lasting just three days, a possible lockdown could outshine the tournament altogether.
Last season, the League All-Star Event took place online. This year, Riot decided to give up online gaming because the company thought the online event didn't capture the spirit of ASE, which brought "professionals, staff, and fans together to celebrate the season of LoL Esports with inter-regional competition."
The Riot All-Star event will skip the 2021 season altogether, instead of trying to play online two years in a row. The 2022 professional LoL season will kick off in January, with North America's LCS and Europe's LEC kicking off on 14 January.
