competitive gaming
Diego “Quas” Ruiz, 23, plays video games professionally for Team Liquid, where he specializes in League of Legends — the world’s most popular competitive game.
He also spends a chunk of time promoting products like Red Bull, HTC, and Alienware.
Ruiz competes in the League Championship Series (LCS), the top professional league in North America, earning between $60,000 and $100,000 per year from his base salary, product sponsorships, and revenue from streaming on live-steaming video platform Twitch.
“League of Legends” is one of the most popular e-sports games in the world right now, boasting a staggering 67 million active monthly players, according to a recent article in The New York Times.
The most important moment of the year for “LoL” fans is happening on Saturday: the finals of the “League of Legends” World Championships. It will be held in a stadium in Seoul that was built for the 2002 soccer World Cup.
The top prize is $1 million, a roughly 70-pound trophy called the Summoner’s Cup, and, of course, bragging rights.
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Weekly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Disney princesses get official manga makeovers for Manga Princess Cafe opening in Tokyo
We try out “Chan Ramen”, an underground type of ramen popular in the ramen community- Starbucks reopens at Shibuya Scramble Crossing with new look and design concept
Beautiful new Final Fantasy T-shirt collection on the way from Uniqlo【Photos】
Foreign English teachers in Japan pick their favorite Japanese-language phrases【Survey】- Is the new Shinkansen Train Desk ticket worth it?
- More foreign tourists than ever before in history visited Japan last month
There’s a park inside Japan where you can also see Japan inside the park
Japanese convenience store packs a whole bento into an onigiri rice ball
Monthly
- McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Studio Ghibli releases Kiki’s Delivery Service chocolate cake pouches in Japan
Japan’s bone-breaking and record-breaking roller coaster is permanently shutting down
New definition of “Japanese whiskey” goes into effect to prevent fakes from fooling overseas buyers
Foreign passenger shoves conductor on one of the last full runs for Japan’s Thunderbird train
Our Japanese reporter visits Costco in the U.S., finds super American and very Japanese things
Kyoto bans tourists from geisha alleys in Gion, with fines for those who don’t follow rules
Studio Ghibli unveils Mother’s Day gift set that captures the love in My Neighbour Totoro
Domino’s Japan now sells…pizza ears?
New Japanese KitKat flavour stars Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty
Yearly
Sales of Japan’s most convenient train ticket/shopping payment cards suspended indefinitely
Sold-out Studio Ghibli desktop humidifiers are back so Totoro can help you through the dry season
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Ghibli founders Toshio Suzuki and Hayao Miyazaki contribute to Japanese whisky Totoro label design
Doraemon found buried at sea as scene from 1993 anime becomes real life【Photos】
Tokyo’s most famous Starbucks is closed
One Piece characters’ nationalities revealed, but fans have mixed opinions
We asked a Uniqlo employee what four things we should buy and their suggestions didn’t disappoint
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli’s new desktop Howl’s Moving Castle will take your stationery on an adventure
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Arrest proves a common Japanese saying about apologies and police
Our reporter takes her 71-year-old mother to a visual kei concert for the first time
Randomly running into a great sushi lunch like this is one of the best things about eating in Tokyo
Starbucks releases a special sparkly tumbler in Japan to support diversity
Tokyo’s most famous arcade announces price increase, fans don’t seem to mind at all
“Half-naked men only in loincloths” drum battle returns to Hida festival for first time in five years
Real-life Rurouni Kenshin reverse-blade katana, forged by master swordsmith, now on display【Pics】
New book teaches Japanese people English to help out foreign travelers
Dogs now allowed on Catbus! Ghibli Park vehicles revise service animal policy
Japanese man proposes to girlfriend with huge flash mob in a shopping mall 【Video】
Photo of exciting end of sumo match looks like…a VERY different kind of excitement
How to find a lost cat: Unique method from Japan proves to be surprisingly effective
How to use Japan’s new self-checkout supermarket carts
Sengoku samurai warlords transform into easy-to-brew, fruity flavored tea tablets
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