As we wrap on the first week of the 2016 season, I’m here to share some personal news. 

I’ll be stepping back from a lot of my day-to-day responsibilities on the Riot Games esports team and moving into a new part-time role as Chairman of the LCS.

I’ve spent the past 4+ years of my life devoted to our never-ending mission of delivering player value. It’s led to some of the best memories and friendships that I will treasure forever, like our Season Two World Championship at Galen Center that really helped fortify our commitment into esports. I’m unbelievably proud and continually in awe of everything we’ve been able to accomplish as a community. Over the past few years we’ve made huge strides in laying the foundation for a sport that will hopefully last decades – one that’s been the fastest growing sport in history. It’s been an amazing ride so far and there’s even more progress on the horizon.

Outside of doing my best to keep up with all things esports and becoming a better support player, I’m going to be pursuing a dream of running a start-up within the investment world. It’s a totally different set of challenges than the ones we’ve faced within Riot, but it’s also a once-in-a-lifetime venture that I couldn’t be more excited to jump into.

Staying on as a Chairman of the LCS gives me the opportunity to still have a hand in a couple of the exciting esports projects coming down the road. If you’re wondering what a Chairman of the LCS means, here’s what it looks like for me: I’m handing off overall leadership of the LCS and Riot esports to an amazing team co-led by Whalen ‘RiotMagus’ Rozelle and Jarred ‘Bradmore’ Kennedy. Whalen will be focusing on the day to day stewardship of our global leagues, and Jarred will focus on growing the business of esports. I’ll be sticking around to offer mentorship and guidance to the senior team; I’ll also be working with them on some strategic projects coming down the pipeline that’ll have a big impact on LoL esports.

This community is truly something special, and I’m looking forward to remaining an active part of it for the new season. You may see a little less of me around these parts, but trust me: the Riot esports team is more excited and fired up than ever to bring you an amazing Season 6 and beyond. Stay tuned! 

-Dustin Beck