Southeast Asia was the first region to launch the professional Wild Rift esports scene with strong competitors in the market space - there were high expectations from international esports and gaming fans to deliver an entertaining spectacle. Riot Games wanted a spectacle that hyped and excited Wild Rift and MMOBA fans to tune-in to watch their first ever professional championship event, the Wild Rift Icons SEA Championship,

Music has been a passion point among Wild Rift esports fans and Riot Games’ brand DNA. We wanted to tap into our players’ interest in music, culture, and gaming that resonates with existing players and welcomes new audiences into the Wild Rift competitive ecosystem.

As a pop group, aespa were newcomers and influenced by immersive media and gaming. We selected the genre of K-pop as it resonated with both hardcore and casual players in the region, and their style resonated with our event’s creative message, ‘ Unleash Greatness’.

A spotlight on those who are on the cusp of greatness. A challenge to unleash your best potential.

INTRODUCING AESPA AS THE OPENING ACT

Revealing aespa as the opening act with a personal message from the group on social media. Message generated significant interest and hype for the event among aespa fans and Wild Rift players.

OPENING PERFORMANCE

Due to the pandemic, our event was fully produced online. We recreated the excitement of a live performance as best we could to enhance the viewing experience for players at home. The opening performance was watched by over 60,000+ live viewers. The opening performance video accumulated 815,000+ organic views across Wild Rift and ESL social channels and over 2 million engagements on social media. The event hashtag was trending on Twitter Philippines on the day of the performance.

AUDIENCE RESPONSE

Both gaming and K-pop audiences shared positive sentiments on the performance, genuinely amazed and happy with their viewing experience. The opening performance was posted on Wild Rift social media channels globally to drive brand love and interest for Wild Rift.