RIOT GAMES EMEA (LEC) — An ongoing evolution of the world’s most iconic league

Our relationship with Riot Games began with the LEC (League of Legends European Championship) in 2018, creating the original strategy, brand and broadcast language. Over the following years, we helped steer its ongoing evolution as they created new tournaments, new formats and new ways to keep their community involved.
The brand spirit “Unleash Together” (an encapsulation of the LEC community’s lively, meme-filled, playful energy) remained our north star over the years, always reflecting the attitude of the people who are part of it.
Working closely with such a community-first brand over a number of years pushed us to create new experiences, events, trophies, broadcast and motion graphics, sound design and films — each time a new expression of the LEC spirit, while staying true to the core.

With
   DesignStudio
Vitor Cervi
   Sam Smith
Jon Orr
   Charlie Keeper
   Hayden Shields
   Paddy Blake
   Dani Wolf
   Matt Cox
      Julian Poidevin
   Dean Brown
Father

Year
2021-23

Related projects LEC FINALS: MALMO

LEC FINALS: MONTPELLIER

RIOT GAMES KR (LCK)

RIOT GAMES CH (LPL)

NEW TROPHY SERIES

In 2023, LEC expanded beyond Europe, introducing teams across EMEA into the league. This came with an evolution of the yearly tournament format, where they introduced new seasonal splits leading up to the yearly championship finals event. Each of these splits would result in a winning team, determining who would compete at the end of season finals.
We were tasked with creating a trophy design for the new splits, one that would fit alongside the Championship trophy we had previously designed. It needed to feel special, yet not diminish the prestige of the Championship trophy.
Just like the Championship trophy, we set out to create something that felt unconventional and truly LEC. The result: A series of 3 five-pointed shields, mirroring the geometry of the Championship trophy. Each shield is finished in a different metal, reflecting the seasonal splits through both finish and etched detailing. Importantly, it presents well on screen, often viewed from the front as the split finals are live streamed to thousands of fans across EMEA.

LEC FINALS: 2021, 2022, 2023

Following the initial rebrand, we continued to work with LEC on the concept, identity and experience for each year’s season finals event. Using each host city’s characteristics and history to create exciting narratives, each finals event became more than just a sports event.
      Athens 2019 imagined the LEC as an underground rebellion, taking over the city with protest graphics and immersing fans in a technological finale at the arena. In Malmö 2022, we brought 15,000 fans back together for the first time after a worldwide lockdown, with an experience inspired by the Land of the Midnight Sun, and its optimistic summer sunlight.
    Most recently in 2023, we created an extra-dimensional finals paradise, reimagining Montpellier as a convergence of realities – mashing together ancient stone columns, LEC madness, and of course, a flying stone crab.

2022 OPENING SEQUENCE

At the start of each season, LEC would create a new opening sequence to introduce fans to the teams playing in the league that season. The sequence we created in 2022 was particularly epic — a completely 3D generated technological landscape (’Planet LEC’) that imagined the LEC crown as the arena itself. Working with sound designers Father, we developed a completely custom track and logo sting, setting the tone for the season to come.

3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY FILM

3 years on from the launch of the LEC brand, we were asked to create an anniversary film, to celebrate the entire community of teams, shoutcasters, fans — through the highs, lows, rivalries, lockdowns, and of course, the memes.
As an extra nod to the fans that make this incredible league what it is, we designed a special ‘comic sans’ version of the crown to sign off the film. Not surprisingly, it went viral after the film’s launch.

ELISE SANTANGELO-ROUS

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