Just as league of legends continued to boom domestically, expand steadily overseas, and the new hero champion sparked a "happy" trend, eyes from different circles quietly began to turn towards this fervent land of esports.
In the first-class cabin of a flight directly from North America to Shanghai, a young man, dressed casually but exuding an air of nobility, was intently watching the tablet in front of him. The screen showed the thrilling scene of the first league of legends National Finals, where the "Broken Army" team lifted the championship trophy amidst a shower of golden rain. His name was Lin Haoming, the young master of a well-known domestic real estate group. He had just completed his MBA at an Ivy League university and an internship at an overseas investment institution, and was returning home to explore emerging investment opportunities in China.
Upon landing, Lin Haoming returned to his luxurious penthouse apartment in the city center. The fatigue of jet lag did not dampen his spirits. He opened his computer and began to search extensively for information related to "league of legends" and "Riot Games." The more he searched, the more his surprise and interest grew.
User base, average daily online time, viewership of events, media discussion heat, sales data of peripheral products... Behind a series of cold figures lay a young consumer empire that he had not paid much attention to before, but which had already formed a vast ecosystem. What surprised him even more was the powerful cohesion and cultural influence that this game and its events demonstrated among young people, something many traditional industries struggled to achieve.
"Esports... has it really developed to this scale?" Lin Haoming murmured to himself. He recalled vaguely sensing the rise of esports while overseas, but it was nowhere near as fervent as in China. He keenly realized that this might not just be a game, but an excellent entry point into the young consumer market and a strategic move for the future cultural industry.
Through his family connections and friends in the investment circle, Lin Haoming quickly learned about "Riot Games" and its mastermind—Qin Feng. A legendary figure who also came from an extraordinary background (a second-generation rich kid) but chose a completely different path. This sparked a strong interest in Qin Feng himself.
A few days later, a meticulously worded meeting request, relayed through an intermediary, was placed on Qin Feng's desk. The requesting party was "Lin Group," and the purpose was to "explore emerging cultural industry investment opportunities."
Looking at the request, Qin Feng raised an eyebrow slightly. He had naturally heard of Lin Group, a giant in traditional industries. This type of capital was different from the agencies that had previously sought game acting or event sponsorships; their scale was larger, their vision more macroscopic, but at the same time, they might lack a deep understanding of the esports industry and carry the inertia thinking of traditional business.
"Lin Haoming... the young master of the Lin family, just returned to China," Xiao Zhang added the information he had gathered.
"Interesting." Qin Feng pondered for a moment, a slight curve forming on his lips. He hoped that more diversified capital would understand and endorse his esports ecosystem blueprint, rather than just chasing short-term traffic. The arrival of this returning overseas rich kid might be a good opportunity.
"Reply to them," Qin Feng decided, "Welcome Mr. Lin to visit and inspect Riot Games. They can set the time, and we will host them throughout."
A few days later, a discreet but valuable car stopped below the office building where Riot Games was located. Lin Haoming stepped out of the car accompanied by his subordinates. Today, he was wearing a well-tailored casual suit, looking capable and vibrant. Gazing up at the not-so-conspicuous office building, he found it hard to fully connect the scene before him with the esports empire that had stirred up a storm on screens.
Guided by the front desk staff, Lin Haoming and his entourage entered the Riot Games company. What first caught their eyes was not the rigid and serious office atmosphere of a traditional enterprise, but an environment full of vitality and creativity. In the open-plan office area, hero figures and original art posters of league of legends were visible everywhere; some public areas even had arcade machines and new consoles for employees to relax and play; young employees in various cultural shirts moved busily, their faces showing focus and passion.
"Our company advocates open, flat management, and encourages innovation and creativity," the vice president, who was responsible for the reception, introduced as he led the way.
Lin Haoming nodded slightly, his gaze subtly observing. He saw complex code scrolling on the screens of the technical department and server monitoring data; he saw new hero original art and skill effects being meticulously polished on the computers of the art team; he saw the huge global event planning schedule on the wall of the event operations team... All of this was completely different from the operational models of traditional manufacturing or real estate industries he was familiar with. The core assets here were not factories and equipment, but the wisdom, creativity, and extreme passion of these young people for a product.
Afterward, they arrived at the company's showroom. Here, the evolution of league of legends was displayed, from its initial concept designs and early development versions to its current vast world view system; trophies from previous city championships and signed team uniforms of players were arranged; a huge screen continuously played classic moments from events and fan-created derivative works.
"Mr. Qin is waiting in the conference room; please follow me." After visiting the showroom, the vice president led Lin Haoming to the core area.
The conference room door opened, and Lin Haoming saw the figure he had seen many times in documents—Qin Feng. Unlike the image of a tech geek or an arrogant and domineering persona he might have imagined, the Qin Feng before him wore a simple company T-shirt, his expression calm and composed, his eyes clear and sharp, carrying a maturity and insight beyond his age.
"Mr. Lin, welcome." Qin Feng stood up, extending his hand with a smile.
"Mr. Qin, I've heard much about you." Lin Haoming shook his hand, feeling the strength and sincerity in the other's palm.
Both parties took their seats. After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Lin Haoming went straight to the point, showing his well-trained business acumen: "Mr. Qin, to be frank, before returning to China, my understanding of esports was very limited. But your company's league of legends and the miracle events it created have profoundly impressed me. What I see is not just a successful game, but a young cultural ecosystem that is forming with powerful vitality. I am very curious, how did you build all of this? And how do you plan for its future?"
He did not immediately discuss investment or cooperation, but instead inquired about the philosophy and blueprint first. This opening made a hint of approval flash in Qin Feng's eyes.
Qin Feng did not answer directly, but instead asked, "Mr. Lin, after your initial visit, what is your first impression of Riot Games, of league of legends?"
Lin Haoming pondered for a moment, then seriously said, "Vibrancy, creativity, and... an indescribable love and dedication to the world they have created. This feels different from many internet companies I've encountered."
"Because our core has never been just a product." Qin Feng leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying an undeniable conviction, "We are building a world, a dream stage called Runeterra. The game is the entrance, the events are the climax, and what connects it all is emotion, culture, and a sense of belonging."
He paused, looking at Lin Haoming: "Mr. Lin, the boom you see is only the natural result of this ecosystem's growth, not the endpoint we pursue. Our goal is to make electronic sports a mainstream culture widely recognized by society, a spiritual force that can carry dreams and inspire a generation."
Listening to Qin Feng's words and seeing the light in his eyes, Lin Haoming felt, for the first time so clearly, that this man before him was different from all the businessmen he had encountered before. He was not just selling entertainment, but a... vision.
This visit and initial meeting left an extremely deep impression on Lin Haoming. He realized that cooperation with Riot Games, if possible, would definitely not be a simple financial investment, but possibly a... strategic binding that required deep understanding, and even value alignment.
And for Qin Feng, the emergence of a potential partner with strong capital and an international perspective also provided new possibilities and imaginative space for his vast esports empire blueprint. Their gazes intersected at this moment, both seeing the broader world behind each other.