Riot Games responds to LTA rebranding comments

Since Riot Games announced six months ago that it would integrate LCS, CBLOL and LLA into the League of Legends Americas (LTA), there has been constant questioning surrounding this reshaping. Old fans in the North American region, in particular, not only felt lost, but some even said that this was a "personal killing" of a brand with a decade of history.

From social media topics to long YouTube analysis to heated debates on Reddit, the LTA brand change did not arouse much freshness, but instead caused identity dislocation and emotional rupture of the audience. However, Riot said that for such a major change, "it is natural to feel uneasy."

In an exclusive interview with Esports Insider, Carlos Antunes, head of League of Legends esports at Riot Games Americas, addressed the many controversies surrounding the LTA brand head-on.

As of mid-2025, many North American fans still say they have lost their sense of belonging to the LCS, which was once the "local league." Despite this, Riot does not consider the rebranding to be a failure.

Antunes said: "To be honest, we won't argue whether this reshaping is a success or a failure - the fans' feelings are real and we respect every voice." But he also pointed out that the disappointment of the outside world does not mean that the direction is completely wrong, but more like a transition stage that requires time to adapt.

However, the criticism surrounding the LTA goes beyond sentiment, with many commentators questioning whether the new structure truly serves its intended audience or creates more confusion and division.

The change of name is one of the core issues of this controversy. Many industry insiders believe that the abbreviation "LTA" lacks both recognition and emotional connection. On social media, many fans are still accustomed to calling the North American region "LCS", both out of habit and easier to understand.

For the media, this confusion in brand awareness has also had a substantial impact. Some content creators and e-sports journalists admitted that LTA's search popularity is low, social media participation has declined, and even their peers often don't know what "LTA" is.

In response to the outside world's focus on the "name issue", Antunes said: "People often focus on the issue of 'name change', but in fact there are many more important changes happening under the surface."

Riot said that the core design intention of LTA was to modernize the regional structure, create more emotionally charged regional confrontations, and provide a more coherent and continuous storyline through the weekly game rhythm, rather than focusing attention only before international competitions.

He also admitted that the system is not yet in its ideal state. "We are still adjusting the schedule, optimizing the competition system, and trying to introduce more new features for fans to experience."

“Ultimately, we’re not setting anything in stone. We’re listening, learning, adapting, and we’re committed to building an esports product that our fans will truly love,” Antunes concluded.