Whereas there was loads of pleasure following the preliminary announcement of the Apex Legends International Sequence heading to London for the primary LAN of the competitors’s third 12 months, it was rapidly adopted by confusion. London had been long-rumored to be the following LAN house of ALGS, however nobody anticipated the UK to host all three ALGS LANs in 2023.
Nevertheless, that’s precisely what ALGS organizers announced with affirmation of the placement for the Cut up One Playoffs, which is able to happen in early February of subsequent 12 months. And Apex execs have been fast to pan the choice to host three separate occasions for a world sequence multi function location.
The problem isn’t London itself. The town is undoubtedly a worthy location for an ALGS LAN and there can be a number of representatives from the UK taking part in within the tournaments that can happen there this 12 months. The problem is all the LANs taking place in a single location. And plenty of Apex execs can solely see, as ImperialHal succinctly places it, a missed alternative for the sport they love.
Professionals and content material creators alike additionally overtly questioned why the ALGS hasn’t tried to host a LAN in Japan but. Whereas there are nonetheless inquiries to be addressed for tournaments within the nation as a result of potential prices and COVID-19 restrictions, Japan remains to be house to probably the most passionate Apex fanbases all over the world.
The current announcement that the VALORANT Champions Tour could be heading to Japan and Riot’s success in build up their fanbase for the tactical shooter within the nation has solely exacerbated a few of these considerations. Whereas APAC North frequently offers among the finest groups in Apex in addition to a terrific fanbase, the ALGS will end its second 12 months with LAN occasions having solely held occasions in Europe and North America, with 4 of 5 attainable LANs going down in EMEA.
Different areas with sturdy Apex ties are lacking out with the choice to host all the 12 months’s LANs in London, as properly. North America maintains lots of the recreation’s hottest groups, and efficiently hosted final 12 months’s ALGS Championship. Elsewhere, the winner of the final two ALGS LANs, the present roster of DarkZero, hail from Australia. APAC South is one other area that hasn’t seen any trace of the ALGS, regardless of their groups having notably sturdy showings in worldwide play. And the IEM Rio Main in CS:GO showcased simply how passionate South American esports followers could be, particularly when the groups representing their international locations are concerned.
Inserting each LAN in London probably helps remedy among the points that plagued ALGS LANs this previous 12 months, akin to visa issues stopping many gamers from touring to LAN occasions. Nonetheless, it doesn’t appear to suit with the worldwide spirit of the ALGS and what it’s purported to characterize.
Whereas plans are firmly in place for the Cut up One Playoffs (and probably the playoffs for the second cut up as properly, given the official announcement gave strong dates for that occasion, too), it stays to be seen if the ALGS will give extra of its followers in other places all over the world a possibility to see certainly one of their tournaments reside.