Riot Games has today announced something that several UK League of Legends fans have been crying out for – more physical events and game nights.
Riot said in a press release this new initiative will offer ‘a new way for players to enjoy their favourite games – an ongoing programme of local game nights hosted across the United Kingdom, Ireland and the Nordics’.
The events are designed with League of Legends and Valorant fans in mind, and come following our report that Riot would ‘invest heavily’ in the UK and Nordic market following the launch of Valorant on consoles.
Riot said that ‘Riot Play Club nights will offer a space where Riot fans can come together and celebrate the games they love with friends, both new and old. For every kind of gamer, Riot Play Club is a space to find community and make memories’.
Each host venue will be able to give their own unique flair to their Play Club, with Riot promising that no two events will ever be exactly the same.
Events will vary from 5v5 matches on Summoners Rift, Swiftplays, ARAMs, 1v1s, quizzes, and chances to show off top plays from the previous month, as well in-game activities for rotating game modes like Arena, as well as Worlds and VCT watch parties and more.
There will also be some exclusive Riot swag to give away as prizes around the biggest esports events in the Riot calendar.
Information about Riot Play Club will be shared via X (previously known as Twitter) and Instagram each month.
As the programme grows, Riot will also be looking to interested members of the community to help coach newer players, explain more advanced topics, lead quizzes, or drop some knowledge bombs from the world of Riot Games lore.
A press release said ‘those who are already community leaders for any of Riot’s games, in any capacity, should keep their eyes peeled on socials for more information about how they can get involved’.
Riot Play Club venues and first event dates
Riot Play Club will debut in a select few venues across the UK and Norway, with more locations to come. The first venues and dates can be found below:
London
- Sidequest Charing Cross and Elephant Park – 18th September
- Razer Store London – 21st September
- New Meta Islington – 26th September
Coventry
- Sidequest – 18th September
Manchester
- Pixel Bar – 25th September
Leeds
- Pixel Bar – 25th September
Oslo
- Eldorado – 21st September
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Dom is an award-winning writer and finalist of the Esports Journalist of the Year 2023 award. He graduated from Bournemouth University with a 2:1 degree in Multi-Media Journalism in 2007.
As a long-time gamer having first picked up the NES controller in the late ’80s, he has written for a range of publications including GamesTM, Nintendo Official Magazine, industry publication MCV and others. He worked as head of content for the British Esports Federation up until February 2021, when he stepped back to work full-time on Esports News UK and offer esports consultancy and freelance services. Note: Dom still produces the British Esports newsletter on a freelance basis, so our coverage of British Esports is always kept simple – usually just covering the occasional press release – because of this conflict of interest.
