Pro Oceanic LoL future uncertain as multiple orgs depart the LCO

The League of Legends Circuit Oceania has faced numerous critical departures during this offseason, creating an air of uncertainty around its future as the regional tournament has yet to announce its 2024 iteration. Oceanic pro players are looking for new homes, with no rosters locked in.

Three-year veteran organization Pentanet.GG bowed out of the league on Nov. 24, paving the way for league newcomer Antic Esports. Joining them less than a day later was Vertex Esports who only joined the LCO in Split Two of 2023, concluding their stint directly after their fourth-place debut. As of Nov. 25, neither they nor the LCO have announced a successor.

Both departures come following The Chiefs’ exit from the LCO after taking back-to-back splits. The Chiefs have been a staple in the Oceanic League scene since 2014 but recently combined with Team Bliss in a historical merger, taking their leave due to tournament rules limiting team owners to one roster. Australian and Thai organization FURY Global will take The Chiefs’ spot for 2024.

This has left the dedicated Oceanic League fanbase questioning what comes next for the competitive region. It goes without saying that the newly introduced path to international events has made things more difficult for the teams—as of 2023, first and second LCO seeds must compete in the playoffs of the neighboring region in the PCS in order to qualify.

The Chiefs and Team Bliss both qualified for the PCS playoffs twice each following intense domestic splits, only to be knocked out in the first round with little fanfare. This follows the pattern of Oceania’s lack of international impact in MSI and Worlds—Pentanet.GG’s 2021 MSI run with a fifth-place finish was the best performance OCE saw in League history but it is far removed from the memory of a fanbase starved for homegrown heroes finding success on the big stage.

Aside from the lack of morale as even the LCO’s best teams fail to compete at the level needed to qualify for international events, there may be other factors contributing to the region’s grim landscape. For example, Vertex’s entry into the LCO this year was facilitated as the team formerly occupying their slot, PEACE Gaming, was disciplined by Riot for failing to pay its players which follows an unfortunate trend, with Tainted Minds’ Competitive Ruling six years prior proving a disappointing precedent.

A contract following the conclusion of the Oceanic Pro League back in 2020 saw ESL and Guinevere Capital acquiring a three-year license from Riot Games to operate the league, with the potential for another three-year extension upon its conclusion. 2023 was the last year before this supposed renewal, but as of the time of this article’s publishing, nothing has been announced—especially alarming as the league typically commences in January.

Some players are turning to social media to plead their case as free agents, searching for alternative opportunities, likely from how much the landscape has shifted in the offseason and potentially from the lack of security also.

There is a glimmer of hope, however. As of October 2022, Riot Games brought their presence back Down Under, acquiring Wargaming Sydney Studio and opening an office in Sydney. Since then, Riot Games Oceania has been more engaged with the esports scene, even hosting official Worlds 2023 watch parties throughout the event. Having slowly dipped their toes back into the realm of local esports, their support may yet be enough to keep the flame of Oceanic League alive—for it can only burn for so long without fuel.