Riot reveals first batch of PCS teams for inaugural season

Riot Games has revealed nine of the teams that will take part in the inaugural season of the Pacific Championship Series.

Earlier this year, Riot Games shared its plans to merge the LMS and the LST to create a new league known as the PCS. The LMS was home to eight teams from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macao. The LST brought together teams from the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, and other countries in Southeast Asia.

Riot Games went through a team vetting process to determine which organizations would be joining the new league. The developer chose teams that are financially responsible and understand the fan focus of the league. The list includes both new and veteran organizations.

The teams participating in the PCS inaugural season are:

• ahq eSports Club (Taipei): ahq eSports Club is one of the oldest organizations in the region and operates in a number of other titles. International fans are familiar with the ahq brand, as the team has attended the World Championship several times as the LMS representatives.
• Alpha Esports (Taipei): Alpha Esports debuted in the LMS in 2019. The rookie organization didn’t get the expected results and placed in seventh both splits.
• J Team (Taipei): J Team surprised everyone at the 2019 League of Legends World Championship. The LMS summer champion went head to head with FunPlus Phoenix and Splyce, who seemed to underestimate the prowess of this team.
• G-Rex Gaming (Hong Kong): G-Rex is backed by Emperor Entertainment Group. This team attended the 2018 League of Legends World Championship.
• Hong Kong Attitude (Hong Kong): One of the best organizations in the region, Hong Kong Attitude has been competing since 2013. The team attended Worlds 2019 but couldn’t make it through the play-in stage.
• Resurgence (Singapore): Resurgence is possibly the largest esports organization in Singapore with teams competing in more than 10 different titles. The team failed to qualify to the LST through the national minors but in 2020, they’re ready to take on the challenge.
• Liyab Esports (Manila): Formerly known as Mineski, Liyab Esports represents the Filipino scene. This young team is hungry for international recognition and are ready to leave it all on Summoner’s Rift.
• Nova Esports (Bangkok): Nova Esports is a mobile-focused organization that is taking things to the next level by competing in the PCS. Nova is a highly respected team in the mobile community and is hoping to replicate that success in League of Legends.
• Talon (Hong Kong): Talon has a strong presence across Asia and are taking on a new challenge. The organization already competes in Overwatch, PUBG, and fighting games.

Riot Games will reveal the tenth member of the league in the near future. So far, it’s been confirmed that Flash Wolves won’t be joining the PCS. The organization announced through social media that Flash Wolves has disbanded permanently.

The PCS will start on February 8. The league will initally be played out in an online setting while Riot Games and the other organizers find a way to bring the competitive experience to the fans. The PCS will follow a best-of-one format with double-elimination playoffs to keep fans’ calendars filled throughout the season. The broadcast will be in English, Mandarin, and Thai.