In the heart of Europe, Luxembourg’s esports scene has been steadily blossoming, with League of Legends (LoL) at the forefront of its competitive gaming landscape. The journey of LoL in Luxembourg closely intertwines with the emergence and evolution of the POST Esports Masters, a pivotal event that has become a guiding light for gamers in the region.
Early Days: The Rise of LoL in Luxembourg
League of Legends, crafted by Riot Games, swiftly garnered a global following upon its 2009 release. In Luxembourg, the game’s strategic depth and competitive nature resonated with the gaming community. Initial local tournaments were modest, often organized by smaller communities like Luxembourg Rift Tournament or as part of the LGX Convention, Luxembourg’s premier gaming convention at the time. These events laid the foundation for a more structured esports environment for LoL in Luxembourg.
2020: The Inception of POST Esports Masters
The POST Esports Masters, marked a significant milestone in the Luxembourg esports scene. Debuting in 2020, it was designed to offer a platform for local and regional esports talent. League of Legends was prominently featured in the Masters’ lineup, reflecting its popularity and competitive stature. The competition showcased 8 teams engaging in a league system over several weeks, with the top teams advancing to the playoffs. Outplay Esports and Brotherhood of the Red Lions (BOTRL) emerged from the playoffs, setting the stage for a final Best of 5 Series at Kinepolis Kirchberg. Despite Outplay Esports being the favorites, BOTRL pulled off a perfect upset to claim victory.
2021: The PEM Big Tournament
In 2021, the League of Legends competition within the POST Esports Masters underwent structural changes, yet 8 teams still vied for victory in the grand finale at Kinepolis Kirchberg. This time, Outplay Esports emerged victorious, having absorbed a significant portion of the former Brotherhood roster, including local talents like Tim Shady, Kennetic, and Rakusi.
2022: A New Era of Competition
By 2022, the Luxembourgish League of Legends scene had grown to capture Riot’s attention. Together with the Elite Series management, Riot decided to include a Luxembourg Tour in their ERL system, joining the Dutch and Belgian Tours as a third potential pathway to the Elite Series (ESLOL). The Luxembourg Tour, featuring fully streamed spring and summer splits, marked the pinnacle for League of Legends in Luxembourg.
For POST Esports Masters, this meant excluding League of Legends from the PEM Games, introducing Rocket League instead. However, POST Luxembourg continued supporting the League of Legends scene throughout 2022 as the main partner of the Luxembourg Tour. The year reached its zenith with the Summoners’ Dance in October, an offline community tournament featuring 8 teams at Schungfabrik in Kayl & Tétange.
2023: The Void Left Behind
After the zenith comes a nadir. While 2022 stood out as the most active year for the Luxembourgish League of Legends scene, 2023 took a different turn.
ESLOL revamped their circuit, eliminating national Tours (Belgian, Dutch, Luxembourg Tour) and introducing an ESLOL 2nd Division and a new “Amateur Circuit.” Unfortunately, only one team from the Luxembourg Tour would be promoted to the 2nd Division, leaving the majority of the Luxembourgish scene without a competitive outlet. Rift Sloths would go on to represent the Luxembourgish scene on the BENELUX Level.
Yet, Nocturnal Esports and RIFT organized the Summoners’ Dance once again, with POST stepping up as the main sponsor, maintaining its support for the League of Legends scene.
2024: LEAGUE OF LEGENDS MAKES A STRONG COMEBACK AT PEM
Today, League of Legends stands out as one of the most stable and motivated gaming communities in Luxembourg. This resilience is one reason why, in 2024, the POST Esports Masters have decided to bring back League of Legends into their lineup! The goal is to restore the rightful glory to Luxembourg’s most popular game.
The ambitions are crystal clear: surpass the achievements of 2020 and 2021. To make this, the competition will feature 2 divisions, 12 teams, and 60 players battling it out for weeks to clinch the ultimate title! The best part? All Division 1 matches will be live-streamed on Twitch every Tuesday and Thursday starting at 7:00 PM!
