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League of Legends World Championship aka Worlds is the second international tournament of every season and it is usually towards the end of the year in the month of October. Though it has only been a few months since the start of the new season, Riot Games and League of Legends Esports (LoL Esports) have been giving information about Worlds 2023. The publisher disclosed the locations that will host the different stages of Worlds 2023 and it also revealed its plans to introduce a novel ‘Virtual Pass.’
Here’s all we know about the much-anticipated Worlds 2023 tournament as of now.
Worlds 2023: Venues, Dates, and Ticket Sales
At the start of the year, Riot Games confirmed that Worlds 2023 is heading to South Korea in October. Recently, the publisher added that ticket sales for the tournament will happen in three phases, with the first wave starting on 10th July.
Global Head of LoL Esports Naz Aletaha said, “We’re thrilled to bring Worlds back to the birthplace of esports and home of the LCK, and look forward to celebrating the best-of-the-best in League with fans in Korea and around the world this fall.”
Korea has previously hosted the 2022 Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) in Busan and Worlds 2018 and Worlds 2014 with multi-city tours.
In 2023, the following venues will host the different stages of Worlds:
LoL Park, Seoul - Play-In Stage (10th-15th October)
KBS Arena, Seoul - Swiss Stage (19th-23rd October and 26th-29th October)
Sajik Indoor Gymnasium, Busan - Quarterfinals (2nd-5th November), Semifinals (11th-12th November)
Gocheok Sky Dome, Seoul - Worlds 2023 Finals (19th November)
Notably, the Gocheok Sky Dome in Seoul is the largest indoor venue in the country and is home to the Seoul-based baseball team, Kiwoom Heroes.
The tickets for Worlds 2023 are scheduled to go on sale in three waves. The sale dates are as follows:
Play-In Stage - 10th July
Swiss Stage - 19th July
Knockout Stage - 2nd August
Worlds 2023 Virtual Pass
Riot Games asserted that it is going all-in on esports. It said it is committed to building incredible esports and entertainment experiences deeply rooted in games. At the heart of this is its newest product called ‘Virtual Pass’ which is planned to be rolled out during Worlds 2023. In a recent blog post John Needham, president of esports at Riot Games, talked in detail about the plans Riot Games has for the Virtual Pass.
This new product is aimed at bridging online and in-real-life (IRL) fan engagement and some of the primary goals Riot Games has for this pass are:
A rich online Worlds viewing experience;
A bundle of products and services at a tremendous value;
More ways to express their fandom and excitement;
Support esports team revenues.
For Worlds 2023, the Virtual Pass will feature a mix of digital products (Worlds skin exclusive variant, in-game event pass, plus some exclusive content), unique physical products (exclusive Worlds merch), and physical and digital goods from sponsors.
