The League of Legends World Championship is happening in a little over a month in Seoul, South Korea. To call it one of the most anticipated events in eSports is an understatement. For some, it is quite literally a way of life.
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Riot Games, the makers of League of Legends and creators of LoL eSports, the company in charge of hosting the event has posted the third and final part of their Youtube series, 'Road to Worlds'. The 18-minute documentary, titled The Road To Seoul takes viewers behind the scenes of some of the top League of Legends teams as they prepare for the ultimate showdown.
The video can be best be described as Friday Night Lights-esque. Gorgeous post-rock plays underneath the well shot interviews and footage, creating a connection that deeply humanizes these players.
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I had not been following the event and was unsure who to root for by the end of the film; was it Piglet, the humble Korean player who cried when his team won previously? He cried because, according to him, he didn't play well. Should I root for the underdog and hope that someone other than the myriad of Koreans wins it all? All seem worthy, but only one team will walk away with the title.
There is not a single person reading this who has not dreamed of playing games professionally. "It's easy - especially if you play LoL - to think that these guys are living the dream." says director Daniel Stolzman in a behind the scenes interview, "You see gaming house tours on YouTube and you might think, jeez these guys are having [a] blast, kind of coasting through life playing LoL all the time. I think the first half is true (i.e. they are living their dream) but there definitely isn't any coasting happening. We filmed with teams all around the world and saw a truly unbelievable dedication and passion for perfection. In my documentary career I have filmed with all types: workaholic politicians, A-list musicians, Hollywood directors, and I can say pro LoL players are some of the most hard-working people I know!"
Playing games is serious business.
You can follow along with the entire preliminary tournament at the official LoL eSports site. The grand finals will take place on October 19 in Seoul, South Korea. Check out the full The Road To Seoul video below.
