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Riot Games and “President of League of Legends” Lil Nas X unveiled this year’s much anticipated Worlds 2022 anthem: Star Walkin. This year’s League of Legends Worlds song Star Walkin by Lil Nas X envisions a new take on the Worlds anthem bringing together both pros and fans alike in the music video. The video is laden with easter eggs and references to pro players, regional leagues, and their respective fandoms.
“We wanted this year’s Worlds anthem to have that North American flair while truly embodying the One&Only brand - unapologetic in its individuality. And who better to represent that idea than Lil Nas X?” said Global Head of Creative, Esports at Riot Games Carrie Dunn, in a press release.
Pros featured in Star Walkin
The three-and-a-half-minute music video features the following pro players:
Tian "Meiko" Ye from EDward Gaming (EDG - China)
Jeong "Chovy" Ji-hoon representing Gen.G (Korea)
Jo "CoreJJ" Yong-in representing Team Liquid (TL - North America [NA])
Marek "Humanoid" Brázda from Europe and its representative Fnatic (FNC)
Notably, Team Liquid failed to make it to Worlds 2022 this year. But Riot Games starts its Worlds anthem production early on in the year and TL was sure to qualify then as it was a strong contender in NA.
These four pros are shown in the music video for the majority of the parts as they move around the iconic landmarks in San Francisco. “The environment transforms as the pros move throughout the city, showcasing the sport’s iconic place in culture and the mastery of each pro as they leave their mark on the world,” noted Riot.
Pros and their LoL Esports history referenced in Star Walkin
All four pro players can be spotted in the bleachers along with their fans. The fans can be seen holding iconic phrases, quotes, or trinkets representing the pro’s region or the team. In the shot where CoreJJ is amidst his fans, one of them can be seen holding a “ruler”, a reference to the 2017 bot lane of CoreJJ and Park "Ruler" Jae-hyuk. Likewise, one of the fans can be seen holding the iconic quote: “Everyone else is trash” by Yiliang “Doublelift” Peng.
In the group shot for Chovy, there is a hidden “Church of Chovy” hashtag, a reference to the pro player being the “god” of mid-lane in the Korean league of LCK.
For Humanoid, Riot Games has referenced the LEC and his nickname “Uma Noid”, a derivation of Uma Jan (in-game name of Luka "Perkz" Perković). You can also spot other details like the MAD Lions plushie and the LEC trophy in this shot.
Meiko is standing in the crowd with his Championship ring and a fan near him can be seen holding the old Summoner’s Cup. A girl next to him is sporting cat head gear, a reference to Meiko’s love for his cat.
Apart from these, many shots in the music video show fans donning the jerseys of their favorite players and teams including T1 Faker, Gumayusi, and many more.
A shot of a road intersection shows the logos of most of the teams participating in Worlds 2022 at the start of the music video of Star Walkin.
The highlight of the video is the point where League of Legends champions turn into giant mechs, summoned by the pros. The champions are Azir (Chovy), Rell (CoreJJ), Thresh (Meiko) and Twisted Fate (Humanoid).
The Worlds 2022 anthem Star Walkin has hyped up the fans and players right in time as the World Championship starts on 29th September. Head on to Worlds 2022 Play-in: Teams, Groups, Schedule & More to keep up with the updates.
