For over a decade, League of Legends in Southeast Asia was synonymous with Garena, the Singapore-based gaming publisher.
While Riot Games developed and operated the title globally, Garena held exclusive publishing rights across Southeast Asian countries, making it the bridge between Riot and millions of regional players. The partnership wasn’t accidental—it was born from necessity.
Why Riot Partnered with Garena
When League of Legends launched in 2009, Riot Games was a small studio with limited infrastructure outside North America. At the time, Riot operated only a US server, which left players in Asia facing crippling latency and no localized support.
Garena stepped in as a trusted regional partner. With established infrastructure, localized payment systems, and community-building expertise, Garena was granted exclusive publishing rights in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, and Taiwan.
Beyond just hosting servers, Garena localized the game with native language support, regional events, and account systems, giving Southeast Asian players smoother gameplay and a cultural connection to the title.
Garena’s Role in Growing LoL in SEA
For more than 12 years, Garena played a central role in shaping League of Legends across Southeast Asia. The publisher:
- Launched the Garena Premier League (GPL), which became the foundation for the region’s esports scene.
- Opened local esports arenas and organized grassroots tournaments.
- Built payment platforms tailored to SEA’s diverse economies, enabling more players to access in-game purchases.
These efforts helped make LoL one of the most-played games in Southeast Asia, embedding it in gaming culture and establishing a competitive ecosystem that produced international talent.
Why Riot Ended the Partnership
By the early 2020s, Riot Games had transformed into a global publisher with offices across Asia. With the success of other titles like Valorant and Legends of Runeterra, Riot expanded its ability to self-publish worldwide.
In January 2023, Riot officially ended its 12-year partnership with Garena, taking over direct publishing of League of Legends and Teamfight Tactics in Southeast Asia. The move brought several benefits:
- Unified Riot accounts across all titles.
- Cross-game events and rewards integrated seamlessly with global content.
- Improved client performance and stability.
- Consistent patch updates and esports integration aligned with other regions.
This transition marked the end of an era for Garena but gave Southeast Asian players a more globalized experience, matching that of Europe, Korea, and North America.
Closing Thoughts
So why did Garena have League of Legends? Simply put, Riot needed a reliable partner to establish servers and community support in a region it couldn’t yet reach. Garena delivered—building the infrastructure and culture that allowed LoL to flourish in Southeast Asia.
While Riot now self-publishes in the region, Garena’s role remains a cornerstone of the game’s history: the company that brought League of Legends to millions of players who might otherwise have been left waiting.
Written by:
Christian