TIME sent photographer Mark Kauzlarich to the event, and to spend time with one of the top teams, Europe’s H2k-Gaming. (The name stands for “hard to kill.”) Kauzlarich embedded with the team as they prepared for the event, explored New York, and competed for the chance to continue to the finals and win $1 million in prize money. H2k was ultimately defeated by South Korean team Samsung Galaxy 3-0 in a best of five matchup.
“South Korea is dominant,” says Kauzlarich, who follows the competitive gaming world. “If H2k won it would have been the first time in many years that a Western team beat a Korean team in a best of five. South Korea has a long history with e-sports, lots of money and infrastructure, players who listen to their superiors and practice more. If you don’t play your part, there are thousands of good players who would step up and take your place.”
While virtually unknown outside of the competitive gaming community, the players are celebrities amongst fans of the game. More than 27 million people worldwide play League of Legends each day, making that a sizable universe. Both nights of the two-day tournament were sold out, with more than 30,000 total tickets sold.
“At 2:30 in the morning, in a nearly-empty Times Square, members of the team were stopped twice by fans who were walking by,” says Kauzlarich. “Dinner, at a Korean barbecue restaurant, was interrupted twice by fans asking for pictures.”
For my first person account at the League of Legends World Championships, click here.
A sold-out crowd at Madison Square Garden watches the first semifinal matchup for the League of Legends World Championship between the ROX Tigers and SK Telecom T1 on Oct. 22, 2016.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEFans cheer during the first semifinal match.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMELee "Faker" Sang-hyeok, second from right, potentially the greatest player in the history of League of Legends, waves to the crowd with his teammates on SK Telecom T1.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMETeam members of H2k-Gaming watch the semifinal match as they await to play their semifinal match on the following night. The team enjoyed the match just as much as any fan, laughing at the unorthodox strategy from ROX Tigers while debating how they would defeat it if they faced it against Samsung Galaxy the next day. Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEKonstantinos “FORG1VEN” Tzortziou tries out an unusual strategy with his teammate Oskar “VandeR” Bogdan after seeing ROX Tigers use it just minutes before.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEOskar “VandeR” Bogdan, center, high fives teammate Ryu “Ryu” Sang-ook while out to Korean barbecue.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEMichael "Veteran" Archer, head analyst for H2k, watches passing traffic as he and other teammates take a cab from Madison Square Garden to a late team dinner at Benihana.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEMembers of H2k stand for a photo as they walk through Times Square at 2AM the day of their semifinal matchup with Samsung Galaxy for a chance to play in the League of Legends World Championship Finals. Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEA clock counts down to the start H2K's match against the South Korean team Samsung Galaxy. Mark Kauzlarich for TIMERivington Bisland III, the emcee, speaks in front of the trophy. Rivington, as he's known in-game, has one of the longest eSports commentating careers, going back to 2000 for other organizations.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEOskar “VandeR” Bogdan reassures Andrei “Odoamne” Pascu as they take the stage for what would be the team's third and final match at Madison Square Garden.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEA League of Legends fan wearing a cosplay outfit heads to her seat. Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEFans cheer as H2k is introduced before their matchup.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEH2k selects in-game lineup for their first game.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEFans of H2k cheer for the team after they take a surprise first kill in the first game of their best of five match.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEA member of the Madison Square Garden staff watches the game on a screen in the concourse.Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEA sold-out crowd watches the match between Samsung Galaxy and H2k-Gaming. Mark Kauzlarich for TIMEH2k leaves Madison Square Garden after their loss to Samsung Galaxy.Mark Kauzlarich for TIME
