A medley of some of the most inspiring moments in League of Legends esports.
One thing that every League of Legends fan looks forward to during the World Championships is their grand finals opening ceremony, which promised to be insane this year with performances from NewJeans, HEARTSTEEL, and more.
It was also a performance that called back to some of League Esports’ most iconic moments. A journey that would lead all the way to T1 and Weibo Gaming’s final showdown.
Where legends are made
We start with a video starring a young protagonist who suddenly finds a mysterious portal outside his home. Within it, we see brief dramatic moments of Worlds past and our protagonist decides he wants to be there.
What follows is some melodramatic action where our protagonist struggles to reach a portal that couldn’t be more than a few meters away. All the while we hear the Worlds 2017 anthem, Legends Never Die, punctuating every moment.
It makes for an oddly intense moment as every pro player dreams of making it to Worlds. Likewise, they know the kind of hard work and sacrifice it takes to make it there. That is what our protagonist is emulating and with enough drive, he makes it to the Worlds stage.
Breaking through and breaking hearts
Livening up the stage after that ordeal was a performance by League’s newest music group, HEARTSTEEL. Contributing artists ØZI, tobi lou, Cal Scrubby, and Baekhyun of EXO wowed the crowd by playing the group’s breakout single PARANOIA.
Developers Riot Games have made it a point to produce a new musical single every other year. They went the extra mile for HEARTSTEEL however, getting some incredibly talented artists to make their most popular group yet.
Beyond the music, audiences were also treated to a visual show by the band members on the big screen. They even had the whole band out on the stage using AR to really push the boundaries of the performance.
Rising to the top
Next, we were treated to a surprise performance by Mako and Telle of the 2018 Worlds Anthem, RISE.
As one of the most popular Worlds anthems, RISE tells the story of Kang “Ambition” Chang-yong and his journey to becoming the 2017 world champion with Samsung Galaxy. It’s a truly inspiring story and one that highlights the strength and perseverance needed to become a champion.
Gods take to the stage
And finally, it was the moment everyone was waiting for as NewJeans arrived at the Worlds opening ceremony to perform this year’s anthem, GODS.
Not much more needs to be said as the group’s music fully captures the stakes being played for. On one side, Weibo is playing for the right to carve their names into League of Legends history. On the other, T1 are playing to secure their legacy as the best team in the world with a fourth championship.
You can rewatch the full Worlds opening ceremony with NewJeans, HEARTSTEEL, and company here.
Banner photo by Liu YiCun/Riot Games.
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