LCS Delayed Two Weeks by Looming Walkout

Riot Games delays the LCS 2023 Summer Split by two weeks

• When will the LCS 2023 Summer Split start?
• What happens if the LCS Summer Season is delayed past the two-weeks?
• Does the LCS risk losing their slots at Worlds 2023?
• What’s next for Riot Games and the LCS.

Riot Games has officially pushed back the start date of the LCS 2023 Summer Split by two weeks amidst news of the LCS Player Strike.

The events following the LCS 2023 Spring Split finals and MSI 2023 have seen North American League of Legends thrown into a whirlwind following news of the LCS player strike. Now, Riot Games has officially provided an update that the initial June 1, 2023 start date has been pushed back two weeks in order to “showcase” the “best competitive League of Legends”.

“While last week we immediately put in place contingency plans to begin the LCS season on Thursday, we ultimately decided that it would not hold true to our values that Riot’s esports offers our players and fans a showcase for the best competitive League of Legends,” Global Head of LoL Esports Naz Aletaha stated in the official release. “Nothing but putting the best players in North America on the stage at Riot Games Arena is acceptable. So we informed LCSPA leadership today that we will delay the LCS season for the next two weeks.”

The news comes shortly after Riot Games announced a plan to allow teams to add late roster additions to the lineup once the LCS walkout vote was passed.

What Happens After the Two-Week LCS Delay?

As of right now, the plan is to carry on with the LCS 2023 Summer Split immediately after the two-week window. However, Aletaha wrote that if it delayed past this two-week window, that Riot Games “would be prepared to cancel the entire LCS summer season.

“Carrying this forward, if the LCS summer season is canceled, this will also eliminate LCS teams qualifying for 2023 Worlds,” Aletaha wrote in the official announcement. “I want to be clear: That is not an outcome we’d want, but it's, unfortunately, the reality of ensuring we run a fair, competitive global system.”