LOL is the No. 1 game on Twitch, sacrificing sporting integrity so that it stays that way

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The Moba League of Legends is the biggest game on Twitch in 2025: This is due to a change of standard that makes it attractive for Twitch streamers to play in LOL competitions while they are transferred training and training matches. Riot Games is now taking the next step.

That was the crucial step: The decisive change of rule came before the 2025 season. Before that, it was unattractive for Twitch streamers to play in e-sports teams. It restricted her work as a streamer too much. After their spectacular ascent, the streamers of the German team NNO refrained from playing in the 1st league of the Prime League and accepted high losses.

After the regular change, playing in e-sports teams on LOL became attractive for Twitch streamers. With the new rule, “streamer teams” were now founded in the regional leagues at the end of 2024:

  • They went spectacularly like Los Ratones for Caedrel, who had sporting success with his team and became the greatest stream on Twitch.
  • Sometimes solid for German Noway and Broeki, who could show that they are still able to do it despite an advanced age. Both are in their 30s.
  • Sometimes spectacularly bad for PERKZ, who scratched his reputation as a top is athlete with a weak performance.

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    LOL will be a top game on Twitch in 2025, in front of GTA 5 and Counter-Strike

    This effect had: Twitch streamers such as Caedrel or Germany Tolkin had previously received a boost by Riot Games because they were allowed to “co-stream” official e-sports matches: The influencers transferred the official e-sports stream, but commented on their mother tongue on it.

    With the new rule, there was much more content for these streamers from 2025 and the opportunity to produce this content by transferring training and training matches of the streamer teams.

    The number of spectators from streamers and LOL itself increased significantly on Twitch. LOL is currently the most watched game on Twitch, before GTA 5 and Counter-Strike. But there were still brakes on this boom. Riot Games now loosens these brakes in Europe.

    The most watched games on Twitch after spectators in the last 90 days. Source: Sullygnome

    The hurdles prevented the transferring of training matches of the professionals

    What was the problem? The Twitch streamers played in regional leagues and had great success with the transfer of their training matches. Now the “professional teams” also played with the idea of ​​transferring their training matches, the Scrimmages. In addition, streamer teams wanted to play against the professionals.

    But generally the transmission of scrimmages with the professionals is frowned upon: teams should be able to try out here and do not feel the pressure that arises when viewers watch their idol with an unfamiliar pick or an aggressive style of play.

    The professional teams were forbidden to broadcast practice games anyway. The conflict became clear when Riot Games banned the transmission of a training match between the streamer team Los Ratones and the LEC team Giantx (via Reddit).

    “Scrimmages”; Training games are unofficial matches between two teams in LOL, friendly games, so to speak. Teams can try tactics or champions here. The matches can either be “loose games that nobody takes seriously and in which everyone is only trolls” or actual strength measurements with ambition and under competition conditions. This is always a point of dispute.

    Riot Games tests open scrimmages in the LEC

    This is now the change of standard: Riot Games allows the LEC teams to broadcast their scrimmages by March 23. However, it is pointed out that they are not allowed to show games when the EMA championship is played (via X).

    Riot Games says: Take a look at how this now affects the competitive matches. If it uses everyone, you can permanently give permission.

    So far, according to Riot Games, the transmission was prohibited in order not to generate oversaturation and thus also feel important matches. But in the United States, the public translation of scrimmages has now been tried and had a lot of success, so you test it in Europe.

    Enlivens e-sport, but is also at the expense of the professional matches

    This is how this is discussed: This is a clear decision for “entertainment and Twitch” and against the sporting integrity of LOL and it is also seen as well:

  • Some say: that makes the right matches less important because you are constantly watching the professionals.
  • Others say: the decision should be left to the teams.

    • The probably positive reading gets the most encouragement on Reddit: “Los Ratone’s saves League of Legends in the West”.

    Another comment says: “NNO wanted to do that beforehand, but it was forbidden for them.

    Germans were pioneers of the change

    That is behind it: These are clearly economic decisions that should counteract the “e-sports crisis”. We have often heard in recent years that sporting success in LOL does not pay off, but that content creator with their reach is the more financially attractive way.

    It is also correct that the German team NNO acted as a pioneer and now benefits the British Caedrel the most from the boom. Another rule should also make e-sports more exciting, the Fearless Draft: Controversy innovation in LOL e-sport is not well received by everyone, but it is now also coming to the World Cup

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