The LMS, or League of Legends Master Series, was the premier professional esports league for the combined region of Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau. While the league itself no longer exists as an independent entity, its operations and spiritual home were firmly established in Taipei, Taiwan.
Established in 2015, the LMS was created to separate these territories from the larger Southeast Asian competitive circuit due to the overwhelming skill and success demonstrated by Taiwanese teams, most notably the historic World Championship winners, Taipei Assassins.
The Home Base: Taipei, Taiwan
The physical location of the LMS was centered in Taipei. The league held its offline matches and major operations at the Garena e-Sports Stadium located in the Neihu District of the city. This infrastructure cemented Taiwan as the headquarters and primary hub for the professional League of Legends scene for the entire region.
The formation of the LMS was a strategic move to foster a stronger, more focused competitive environment, allowing teams from Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Macau to compete more intensely against each other, which in turn elevated their performance on the global stage.
LMS champions consistently earned direct representation at prestigious international tournaments like the Mid-Season Invitational and the World Championship.
The Merger: Transition to the PCS
The independent era of the LMS came to an end in September 2019. In a move by Riot Games to consolidate the competitive landscape, the LMS was merged with the League of Legends SEA Tour (LST).
This amalgamation resulted in the creation of the Pacific Championship Series (PCS). The new league unified the former LMS territories (Taiwan, Hong Kong, Macau) with other Southeast Asian countries, forming a broader competitive region. Notably, Vietnam’s top league remained separate from this new structure.
LMS’s Enduring Legacy
Although the name and structure of the LMS are gone, its legacy endures. The competitive infrastructure and passionate fan base established during the LMS years provided the foundation for the current PCS.
Today, while the PCS spans a wider geographic area, Taipei remains the historic and spiritual home of the competitive scene that the LMS cultivated, continuing to influence the strength and structure of professional League of Legends play in the broader Asian region.
Written by:
Christian