League of Legends announces $5 million prize pot

League of Legends has announced the initial plans for Season Two: with a record-breaking $5 million prize pool.

An official title for Major League Gaming, Electronic Sports League, and World Cyber Games, League of Legends’ Season Two competition will including weekly open registration events and pro-level tournaments to broaden the opportunity to compete.

League of Legends is published by Riot Games, and will be celebrating its second anniversary this October.

League of Legends Gameplay Screenshot

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Riot Games Announces First Details of League of Legends Season Two – Five Million Dollar Prize Pool is the Biggest in eSports History

Selected as an Official Title by the Top Three eSports Organizations, League of Legends Aims to Continue Breaking Viewership Records in Second Competitive Season

DUBLIN, IRELAND – August 15, 2011 – Riot Games today announced the first details surrounding the second competitive season for its hit multiplayer online battle arena game, League of Legends. With a record-setting five million dollar prize pool, League of Legends Season Two will mark the next step in what has already become one of the biggest eSports titles in history.

League of Legends has been selected by the top eSports organizers in the world as an official title: Major League Gaming, the Electronic Sports League (where League of Legends is an official title of the Intel Extreme Masters Series), and the World Cyber Games. Set to kick off this fall, Season Two will feature a spectrum of ongoing competitions, from massive pro-level tournaments to weekly open registration events, giving players countless opportunities to vie for their share of the unprecedented five million dollar prize pool.

“Season One of League of Legends was a resounding success, with over 1.7 million viewers tuning in to our first-ever championships,” said Marc Merrill, president of Riot Games and executive producer on League of Legends. “The competitive scene in League of Legends has grown like wildfire, and the five million dollars in prize money on the line is a testament to how massive the scene has become and is just the first glimpse of what our players have in store for the upcoming season!”

“Competitive gaming is hard-coded in Riot’s DNA. It’s been thrilling to watch the level of competitive play that evolved in Season One!” said Brandon Beck, CEO of Riot Games. “Players will certainly step up their game in Season Two – so it’s only fair that we step up ours.”

League of Legends, Riot Games’ debut title, celebrated its first anniversary on Oct. 27, 2010. Since its launch in North America and Europe, over 15 million players have downloaded the game to engage in session-based, multiplayer battles against rival teams, with more than 1.4 million players enjoying League of Legends every day. Built by a veteran development team, League of Legends combines elements of both strategy and competitive action genres. With plans to launch in China, Korea and other regions in 2011, the League of Legends community continues to grow.