China: The Hardest LoL Region in 2024
Having closely followed the professional League of Legends scene for years, I can confidently say that China (specifically the LPL league) is currently the most challenging region for players and teams. Their depth of talent, intensity of play, and recent international results make China the pinnacle of competitive LoL heading into 2023.
Sheer Player Base & Talent Pool
China boasts the largest League of Legends player base globally of any region at over 106 million monthly active players according to Riot. The LPL scene specifically draws from a massive pool Chinese LoL talent playing on the Super Server with incredibly high solo queue competition. This creates an environment where only the best talents can thrive, filtered from an enormous population of highly skilled players.
Just take 2022 World Champion TES for example. Their young rising superstar mid laner Knight reached an astonishing 1400 LP on the Super Server, showcasing the prodigious mechanical talent being fostered in the Chinese scene right now through the hyper competitive ranked environment.
| Region | Est. monthly LoL players |
|---|---|
| China | 106 million |
| Europe | 30 million |
(Source: League of Legends player count 2022)
Having over 3x as many active monthly LoL players to develop talent from compared to the next leading region in Europe gives China an unparalleled advantage when cultivating elite professional players. The LPL draws from a massive pool of prospects which filters to the very best through intense competition.
Recent International Dominance
Along with their bountiful player base and talent development, China (LPL) has also staked a legitimate claim as the strongest region globally based on recent international event results.
In 2021, China became the first region to win 2 straight League of Legends World Championships after Edward Gaming took home the Summoner‘s Cup. This continued an era of LPL dominance with 4 out of the past 5 Worlds won by Chinese teams.
At the most recent 2022 World Championship, the LPL fielded 4 of the final 8 teams in the playoff bracket including the eventual winner in TES. For perspective, Korea‘s LCK only had 1 team reach the quarterfinals last Worlds as China exerted their strength over the tournament.
Clearly when analyzing international competitions over the past several years, Chinese teams have risen as the powerhouses to beat on League‘s biggest stages. Their results backing up the claim as the strongest region.
| Tournament | Champion | Region |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 Worlds | TES | China (LPL) |
| 2021 Worlds | EDG | China (LPL) |
| 2020 Worlds | DWG KIA | Korea (LCK) |
| 2019 Worlds | FPX | China (LPL) |
| 2018 Worlds | iG | China (LPL) |
(Source of Worlds winners: Liquipedia)
Viewership & Investments
The LPL has also seen huge growth recently when looking at engagement metrics like average viewership for the league, sponsorships, and team investments further elevating the level of competition.
Viewership numbers in China exploded in 2022 with the LPL Summer Playoffs averaging over 210,000 peak viewers, a higher mark than both the LCS and LEC. This demonstrates how invested and passionate Chinese LoL fans are when tuning into LPL matches featuring their favorite teams like RNG, EDG and TES.
Simultaneously, investments into the league from both endemic and non-endemic sponsors have skyrocketed as brands recognize the opportunities around the LPL. Mercedes-Benz recently signed a reported $14 million sponsorship contract just for branding on TES jerseys and apparel.
These types of lucrative deals provide LPL organizations ample resources to sign star players, optimize training facilities, and make any improvements required to compete internationally. The infrastructure around elite Chinese teams continues expanding rapidly.
Between their avid fan engagement numbers and sponsor interest plus investments, the LPL scene enjoys extensive financial support – facilitating the intense competition we see produce world champion caliber teams.
Closing Thoughts
Given China‘s astronomical LoL player base funneling star talents into the LPL, their stint of international domination lately at events like Worlds and MSI, combined with the viewership and financial growth of the league, I firmly believe China currently represents the most difficult and competitive League of Legends region in 2024.
The sheer number of elite teams and players make it an absolute grind just to qualify out of the LPL into international events. That‘s why I have to crown China‘s LPL as the hardest League region right now after reviewing all factors! The data and trends don‘t lie.
Let me know if you agree or have any other thoughts on which LoL region you consider to currently be the most competitive in the comments down below! I‘m always happy to discuss League esports.
