Riot Details Changes to 2023 LCS Game Changers

Riot Games announced Thursday details on League of Legends Championship Series (LCS) Game Changers for 2023, including a new partner to help facilitate the grassroots program that provides extra opportunities for women and marginalized genders in LoL Esports in North America. 

First, Riot announced that the  2023 LCS Game Changers program will work with SIDO, an esports research group and consultancy that focuses on equity, diversity, and inclusion in esports. SIDO will serve as the official operations and programming partner and work with Riot to create “more opportunities for those who have been traditionally overlooked.”

In addition to working with SIDO, Riot revealed that the 2023 season of LCS Game Changers will expand its offerings to include more professional career opportunities by including additional coaching and management positions in the program. Participants will “self-organize” into teams that will be composed of a coach, a manager, and three players. Riot says that selected participants will receive “a small stipend as well as training and mentorship from industry professionals.”

Requirements for participation:

• Players must be 18 years of age or older.
• Players must be a woman or of a marginalized gender
• Players must be residents of the United States or Canada.
• Players must be able to attend the entirety of the program.
• Players must have an up-to-date license or passport for travel.
• Players must have the ability to submit game footage recordings.

Teams will then run tryouts to fill out their roster. The program will then see each team take the stage in Los Angeles for the first-ever broadcast of the LCS Game Changers Final. Tryouts, interviews, seminars, practices, and exhibition matches for Game Changers 2023 will run remotely from July to early-September. Following that, an in-person Finals event will take place Sept. 20 – 24, in Los Angeles at the Riot Games Arena.

Those interested in applying can find more information here or on the LoL Esports blog.

Important dates and deadlines to note if you want to participate:

• Application Opens – TODAY! (June 29)
• Coaches and Managers Applications Close – July 4 at 5:00 PM PT
• Player Applications Close – July 8 at 5:00 PM PT
• Coach and Manager Sessions Begin – July 8
• Player Sessions Begin – July 15
• In-Person (Los Angeles) – Sept. 20 – 24