The conclusion of Worlds 2023 is imminent, with only the final match between T1 and Weibo Gaming remaining. During a press conference on November 15, Riot Games expressed satisfaction with the current tournament format but hinted at potential adjustments for the next year.
Jeremy Lee, the executive producer of League of Legends, shared insights into the future of the event, stating, “I’m really, really happy with the way that this turned out. And so I know that there’s some tweaks we wanna make for next year, but I think we’re gonna, we’re gonna roll it back.”
While the Riot team didn’t delve into specific details, their overall contentment with this year’s format suggests that any changes would likely be minor. Given the positive reception from fans for the new Swiss stage introduced to replace the original group stage, it is anticipated that the alterations, if any, will be subtle.
Fortunately for Riot, fans have embraced the new format. Introduced in October, the Swiss stage has revitalized the World Championship, offering a refreshing change and breaking away from the perceived monotony and predictability of the previous format.
An interesting outcome of the new format is the surge in viewership records. The semi-final clash between T1 and JDG on November 12 achieved a higher peak viewership than the Worlds 2021 final, drawing in over four million viewers. It is expected that this year’s grand final will continue this trend and potentially set another viewership record.