Gen.G CEO Arnold Hur has weighed in on Riot Games’ decision to remove regional split prize pools from the League of Legends Champions Korea starting in 2026, calling the move “unfortunate” but reflective of the broader direction esports publishers are taking.
“At this point, most (League) teams have given up asking for more. All we want is more freedom to monetize,” Arnold said on X, explaining that teams are no longer looking to prize pools as a meaningful solution, but instead want greater control over how they generate revenue in an ecosystem increasingly driven by sustainability.
That outlook ties into his broader assessment of the industry. “As publishers push esports toward profitability, some will focus on creating new revenue streams, others on cutting costs,” Arnold said, arguing that esports is no longer treated primarily as a marketing expense for games or in-game items, but as a business unit that must justify its own spending.
From his perspective, that shift naturally leads publishers toward safer, cost-focused decisions rather than aggressive reinvestment, even when leagues like the LCK continue to grow in viewership and revenue.
Arnold warned that this environment creates significant uncertainty for teams. “Teams will live or die by whether they can predict which cycle they are in,” he said, suggesting that quarter-by-quarter decisions may make financial sense in the short term but can leave organizations struggling to plan for the future.
He also acknowledged that Riot has made several commendable moves toward long-term sustainability, while noting why publishers may be reluctant to go further. “If I was in the publishers shoes I’d do the same if the game is not in growth mode. Hard to justify the spend when considering some of the other tradeoffs from a corporate perspective,” Arnold said.
Among other esports changes in 2026, Riot has stated that funds previously allocated to regional prize pools will be redirected toward deeper, more impactful investments across the ecosystem, while international event prize pools such as First Stand, MSI, and Worlds will remain intact, and CBLOL and LCP will not be affected due to different partnership models.
For Arnold, however, the key question is whether teams will be given the freedom to build sustainable businesses of their own as the esports industry continues to evolve.
