LCS Champions queue to launch on Feb 7 with $400,000 prize pool

Riot Games has announced the official launch of the Champions Queue, built on the foundation of the LCS in-houses. Champions Queue will go live on February 7 and feature a seasonal format and a sizeable prize pool.

Champions Queue is an exclusive west-coast-based competitive matchmaking experience for top North American players. It will be an invite-only system where the top players will compete against each other. Inspired by the LCS in-houses, the Champions queue is a formalized structure that allows upcoming players to display their skills against the very best NA has to offer. All of this while also keeping an eye on the some prize money through the season.

The Queue will provide automatic lobby creation, player invites, comms channels and match result reporting says the announcement. The Champions queue will take place on a tournament realm alongside the live patch.

Riot has taken the feedback of players, analysts coach and other stakeholders to come up with the LCS Champions queue. With the new structure and a way for the top players to compete against each other, NA solo-queue woes will hopefully, be a thing of the past.

The new system is a response to the requests by pro players and high-skilled players in North America. It is an alternative competitive option for players to raise their skill ceiling and play against each other at low ping.

Initially, only LCS and Academy players, LLA players, the Top 16 NA Amateur Teams from both of the Spring Proving Grounds Qualifiers, and a handful of recent LCS alumni will have access.

Riot is also going to allow top players (Masters and above) to apply via a public application to join the Champions Queue. The game developer has also promised increased access in the future, although Riot has not set a date yet.

Players can also check the LCS Champions Queue leaderboard that includes the Champions Queue Leaderboard, match history, player stats, and a Hall of Champions for decorated winners.

The new matchmaking schedule will be very similar to the LCS. It will have Summer and Spring seasons with three splits per season. 

There is also a pre-season brawl just that will take place after Worlds and before the start of the new season.

The queue will be open only at specific times, allowing the top players to compete against each other during this window. 

The specific timings allow for players to play against each other during these focused windows. Teams can also schedule their scrums according to the new system and also accommodate LCS players' schedules.

The queue will not only feature the top players in intense competition, but it also has a prize pool. With $400,000 on the line, spread across the 2022 season, players have an incentive to play their best.

League of Legends fans interested in more information about the Champions Queue can visit the official new website. 

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