With the ongoing Teamfight Tactics Vegas Open, we had the opportunity to chat with Michael Sherman, Head of Global Esports for TFT.
The TFT Vegas Open is the first global LAN for the Riot Games auto-battler, and it seems this is a thread Riot plans to continue pulling on when it comes to the game.
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TFT is taking a different approach when it comes to Riot esports
This isn’t the ordinary path that Riot has taken, and all you have to do is look towards their massively popular titles League of Legends and Valorant to realize this.
Both games esports divisions currently have a franchise or partnership style ecosystem, while TFT has no plans to do so.
“I think the future for TFT doesn’t include a franchise model,” Sherman told me. “I don’t think that that’s a relevant direction for the game. We really want to make participation and sort of high stakes competition accessible to as many players as possible.”
This, he believes, becomes restricted when you add on the limitations that come with a closed circuit.
The event in Vegas has helped to reinforce the idea of this is a path worth traveling according to Sherman.
“Now, it won’t just be solely this event that helps you get to that mission, or this type of event. But I think it’s really helpful. This is a great indication that the direction we want to go with kind of like wider competitions can also be accepted,” he said in reference to the response they’ve received regarding the TFT Vegas Open.
“We’re gonna keep pulling on that thread this thread. I don’t think that it’s going to eventually take us to like a franchise or like a closed circuit system,” he said and we’re excited for a more open and diverse esports opportunity for the games community.
READ MORE: USD$300,000 TFT Vegas Open: Format, schedule, prizing
