Ahri's unqualified thoughts #62

Easy to consume content: 1 quote, 1 tweet/storm and 1 article/video.

In this edition, our focus is on the League of Legends World Finals, where T1, led by the undisputable GOAT of esports, "Faker," secured their fourth title.

1 quote

"play stupid games, win stupid prizes” English proverb

1 tweet/storm

T1 and Faker's achievement is incredible. Notably, T1 triumphed over all four LPL (Chinese) teams en route to the title, losing only a single game to them. We can also go on and on about the other crazy stats, but that would be for another day. After winning, the South Korean president published a letter congratulating them, and supporting them. This prompted me to put out the following:

As a reminder:

• In January 2023, the French President invited esports influencers and personalities to the Elysée Palace, celebrating French excellence and demonstrating his support for the industry.

• In June 2023, following violent riots triggered by the fatal shooting of a young man by a police officer, the President controversially blamed video games for the unrest.

• In September 2023, one of France's most popular gaming influencers, Kameto, appeared on France Inter, a mainstream, government-funded radio station. He discussed his esports project/company, Karmine Corp, and expressed his dismay over President Macron's baseless criticism of gamers, and said he regretted going to the meeting earlier in the year and wasn’t comfortable with it from the get-go.

• Less than a week after Kameto's appearance, President Macron issued a lengthy tweet, offering the semblance of an apology for his earlier comments. He clarified that his words were misconstrued, affirming the importance of gaming to France.

Either way, it is interesting to see such a stark difference in terms of support for esports/gaming. The cynic in me thinks that it’s not the first, nor the last time we see it.

1 article/video

This year's opening ceremony created a wide array of emotions in me: joy, happiness, excitement, nostalgia, and even a tinge of sadness (because I suck at LoL + not being in Seoul). It was such an amazing experience that I felt forced to share it with those who might have missed it.

I've mentioned in previous posts that I'm not typically a K-pop fan, but the tracks produced by Riot Music are consistently impressive, and I find myself enjoying them regularly. I’m currently listening to NewJeans' "GODS," playing it on repeat as I write this. The appearance of HEARTSTEEL and NewJeans, the groups (one digital, and one real) behind this year's anthems, as well as a live rendition of the fan favorite "RISE," significantly heightened the impact of the event.

Moreover, the storytelling throughout the ceremony was exceptional. This, combined with the stunning dance performances, the wonderful stage design, and the sophisticated technical aspects, including the use of augmented reality, made the event truly memorable.

OH AND DID I SAY THAT T1 WON THANKS TO THE INSANE PERFORMANCES OF ONER, ZEUS, AND KERIA? DID I ALSO SAY THAT FAKER PICKED AHRI? Yes, Faker wasn’t even the best player, Zeus won a much-deserved MVP of the finals.