K-pop group NewJeans has been chosen by Riot Games to perform the anthem for the 2023 League of Legends World Championship. The tournament will begin in Seoul, South Korea, on October 10th. The anthem, titled “GODS,” will be released on October 3rd. Riot Games expressed excitement about partnering with NewJeans, stating that the collaboration felt like a true cultural celebration with the event being held in Korea and NewJeans’ growing popularity. The company believes that the anthem, which combines intense production elements with powerful vocals, will capture the grind and glory that players will experience at Worlds.
“The Worlds Anthem is the rallying cry for our community every year, and we’re so excited to partner with NewJeans to deliver this incredible moment,” said Carrie Dunn, global head of creative, esports at Riot Games. The anthem was written by Riot Games principal composer Sebastien Najand and Alex Seaver of Mako. Seaver has previously worked with Riot Games on multiple projects, including songs for League of Legends Worlds and Netflix’s Arcane soundtrack.
NewJeans, a new K-pop girl group that debuted in July 2022, holds the Guinness World Record for the K-pop act to reach 1 billion streams on Spotify in the shortest amount of time since debut. Their collaboration with Riot Games for the Worlds anthem will be a major draw for live audiences in Seoul. This collaboration marks the tenth anniversary of League of Legends Worlds anthems and is another example of Riot Games’ investments in the intersection of music, games, and fandom.
The music video for “GODS” will follow the story of Korean pro player Kim “Deft” Hyuk-kyu, who led DRX to victory at Worlds 2022. The video will showcase familiar faces and unforgettable moments from Deft’s career, highlighting his journey from 2013 to his World Championship win last year. Riot Games hopes that the anthem and music video will set the stage for an incredible Worlds event, building on the success of the previous year. Hosting the event in Korea will make it more accessible for key regions and fans invested in the rivalry between Deft and T1’s Faker.