Chris Greeley, Head of League of Legends Esports at Riot Games, sat down with Chinese outlet People’s Esports / 人民电竞 to discuss the recent induction of Jian "Uzi" Zi-Hao into the Hall of Legends — the second player to receive the honor after Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok. In the interview, he touched on the future of the Hall of Legends, the return of team emotes for esports clubs, and the long-term potential of the Fearless Draft in competitive play.

The quotes used in this article are translated from Chinese.

Details about Hall of Legends

Chris Greeley explained that Riot Games has no set rotation or regional priority when it comes to Hall of Legends inductions. This means that regions like Europe or North America won’t be given preferential treatment for the next induction, planned for 2026. "The judging panel in each region will determine who is most deserving based on their performance" Greeley noted, emphasizing that regional origin will not play a role in the decision.

He also reaffirmed that the Hall of Legends is part of a broader strategic initiative by Riot to generate additional revenue for its partnered teams. In the interview, Greeley confirmed that a portion of the proceeds from the HoL are directed "into a global revenue pool to support teams worldwide."

The rest is split between Riot Games (which retains 30%), Uzi himself, and the organizations he played for — among them RNG, with whom Uzi is currently involved in a legal dispute. The full financial breakdown has not been publicly disclosed.

Team emotess for Worlds

On the topic of teams, Greeley also appeared to confirm the return of in-game emotes for Lolesports teams, stating that "we're launching them again during Worlds," the climactic tournament set to be held in China this year. While he didn’t elaborate on which organizations will be included or the specific launch timeline, further details are expected soon. Worlds 2025 will run from October 14 to November 9, spanning Beijing, Shanghai, and Chengdu.

Greeley also emphasized Riot’s ongoing commitment to “exploring new ideas” to deepen the connection between the game and its esports scene — driving fan engagement and identifying fresh revenue opportunities for partners.

The future of the Fearless Draft

Moving into competitive formats, Greeley addressed the future of the Fearless Draft, a format innovation introduced this year. He revealed that Riot conducted "a survey, communicating with teams from the five major regions" to gather feedback, and the response was overwhelmingly positive: "Almost everyone wanted to keep the Fearless Draft going forward."

Despite similarly positive reactions from fans, Greeley stopped short of confirming the format’s long-term status, explaining that Riot will re-evaluate its place in the competitive ecosystem ahead of the 2026 season.

On Esports Growth and the Future

People’s Esports interviewer Ma Xiao also brought up what he described as a “slowdown” in LoL’s esports development — something Greeley partially pushed back on. Rather than a decline, Greeley described the scene as having "reached a more sustainable stage in the ecosystem," adding that Riot has "seen consolidation across regions and teams, which has brought us to a more manageable position." In Greeley's words, this stability has given Riot confidence in the long-term future of League of Legends esports. Greeley even expressed hope that "that current fans will be able to watch games with their children, and even their children's children."

Those lofty goals for the future begin with Worlds 2025 in China — the most-watched esports event in the West. Greeley teased a "spectacular opening ceremony" for the tournament but declined to reveal specifics: “This year's World Championship is going to be really special.”

Could this mean a return of the Elder Dragon on stage, like in the iconic 2017 finals at Beijing’s Bird’s Nest? Only time will tell.

Interview and quotes via People’s Esports / 人民电竞