New League of Legends business model unveiled

Drawing inspiration from the successful structure of the VALORANT Champions Tour (VCT), Riot Games recently revealed exciting business model changes for League of Legends. The new model emphasizes predictable revenue for teams through a robust revenue-sharing structure, acknowledging the evolving dynamics of the esports ecosystem. Teams in major leagues like LCK, LCS, and LEC will be able to generate revenue streams through digital content sales, and a Global Revenue Pool (GRP) will distribute revenue more equitably among teams. This move brings the popular VALORANT model to an older esports landscape, hopefully ensuring the health and growth of LoL in the long term.

Read the official Riot Games announcement here.

CCP Games gives details on Project Awakening Web3 game

CCP Games, the publishers behind EVE Online, revealed more details about its forthcoming blockchain game, Project Awakening. Set in the same universe as EVE, the game will feature a single-shard survival experience set in a decaying civilization in space. The next playtest/hackathon is scheduled for May 21, with signups currently open for all.

While details about the game's blockchain integration remain vague, CCP Games aims to create a persistent world allowing players to build and collaborate using blockchain technology. The hackathon will utilize the Carbon Development Platform and encourages familiarity with the Solidity programming language.

Despite the hype, CCP Games has not mentioned a launch date yet. Sign up for the playtest/hackathon on the Project Awakening website.

Nintendo won’t ban Steve in official Smash Ultimate tournaments

A recent Esports Illustrated article highlights the continued struggle between Nintendo and the competitive Smash Ultimate community. Players are in uproar as the company refuses to allow certain tournaments to ban the controversial character Steve from Minecraft. Steve's inclusion in the game has sparked frustration due to gameplay issues and glitches that affect competitive integrity. Despite widespread bans in various tournaments, Nintendo is enforcing its stance against prohibiting Steve – this decision was highlighted when a licensed tournament in Germany, the NRW Cup: Rise of Germany, was affected negatively.

Smash legend Hungrybox expressed concern that Steve may not be banned in any tournaments if Nintendo continues to exert control. This move adds to Nintendo's track record of imposing restrictions on Smash esports, further frustrating and worrying the community about the future of competitive play.

What do you think? Head to this popular Reddit thread to weigh in.