League of Legends World Championship will air in IMAX Wanda theaters in China

The League of Legends 2024 World Championship will be shown via IMAX in the Wanda chain of theaters in China.

Yes, gaming is going everywhere. Here’s another example. IMAX will broadcast the tournament in up to 200 Wanda locations across China over the next three weeks, including this weekend’s quarterfinals (October 17 to October 20), the semifinals (October 26 to October 27), and finals (November 2).

The events will be shown in exclusively in IMAX in Wanda theatres — the largest cinema chain in China. Four Chinese teams—Bilibili Gaming, LNG, Top Esports, and Weibo Gaming—have advanced to the quarterfinals, which is expected to spur interest among local audiences.

The release in IMAX locations was overseen by IMAX’s Streaming and Consumer Technology division. The group continues to test new technologies to expand the company’s connected theaters with new live experiences, including its sellout presentation of the NBA Finals in Hong Kong and Taiwan earlier this year.

IMAX China Holding, TJ Sports and Wanda Film teamed up on the deal. It’s going to be the first-ever esports event presented live in IMAX. The League of Legends World Championship will be available in up to 200 Wanda IMAX locations across China.

Powered by IMAX Live, the broader visual perspective, heart-pounding audio, and razor-sharp details of all the in-game action will take audiences to the edge of their seats and beyond, delivering an immersive viewing experience for esports fans.

This major new offering comes as the latest in a series of moves by IMAX to widen the aperture of its content offerings to cinema audiences. Combining the appeal of the globally popular esports IP, Wanda’s robust theater network, and IMAX’s stunning audiovisuals, the collaboration is set to attract a new and passionate audience group to theaters.

“From esports to sports to music, our content portfolio in China is more diverse than ever — as demand for IMAX grows and we become a destination for awe-inspiring experiences of all kinds,” said Daniel Manwaring, CEO of IMAX China, in a statement. “We are excited to achieve this groundbreaking cooperation with TJ Sports and Wanda and advance our live strategy in China, launching the world’s first IMAX esports live event with the famed League of Legends.”

In June, the 2024 NBA Finals were shown live for the first time in selected IMAX theaters in Hong Kong and Taiwan, allowing cinemagoers to witness the thrill of the games together with their fellow fans. In July, over 150 IMAX theaters in North America live-streamed the opening ceremony of the 2024 Paris Olympics, presenting an immersive experience to viewers half a world away from the action.

Beyond the excitement of major sports events, IMAX brought a unique experience to music lovers at the start of the year, with the music documentary “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” creating a concert-like atmosphere resulting in the best New Year’s Eve box office in IMAX China’s history.

The upcoming screening of the League of Legends championships will once again expand the scope of immersive experiences available to cinemagoers at IMAX, allowing an even wider range of audience groups to celebrate their passion together with fellow fans.