Chinese 'League of Legends' players now eligible for US visas

In a decision that sparked great excitement amongst Chinese gamers, the United States has officially recognised professional video gaming as a sport and will allow foreign gamers to travel to the US on the same visas given to professional athletes.

The decision affects players of League of Legends, a multiplayer online game produced by Riot Games. After a lengthy negotiation between Riot Games and the United States Citizenship and Immigration Service, it was announced on 14 July that competitive League of Legends players will be eligible for the P-1A Internationally Recognised Athlete visa – the same visa given to athletes travelling to the US for competitions.

Nick Allen, one of the managers of Riot Games, described the decision as a “lengthy process” that Riot Games had vigorously fought for.

“This is groundbreaking,” Allen said in a 14 July statement. “Now we can start looking at international players when they come over. It’s a much easier process because they’re actually recognised by the government. This is a huge thing.”

Chinese League of Legends players reacted enthusiastically on Sina Weibo to the news, which went viral and received thousands of comments. Many were excited for a chance to compete professionally in the US and even join US teams, while others joked that they were going to start playing the game in order to obtain Green Cards.