Why The Simpsons decided to pull off a League of Legends episode
The SimpsonsLeague of Legends might have taken the spotlight when The Simpsons decided to include the game in their long-awaited ‘E my Sports’ episode, but the reasons for showcasing esports in the iconic TV show have now been revealed.
The episode, which finally aired on March 17, was centred around Bart Simpson and his trainer dad Homer, as the pair tried to come together to dominate the game’s competitive scene.
While many fans will have enjoyed the episode surrounding League of Legends and the satirical take on gaming, others might be wondering how the crossover came about.
This was the first time League of Legends has appeared on The Simpsons.During an interview with The Verge, The Simpsons co-executive producer Rob LaZebnik revealed that it was him that made the first move.
“I remember reading that something like eighty million people viewed the 2017 Season League of Legends World Championship, which is more than the NBA finals,” he said. “It all felt ripe for Simpsonification.”
Showmakers were given 100% control over the way that they would like to portray esports and the Riot Games title, the developer’s Director of esports Whalen Rozelle told The Verge after watching the episode premiere.
“As the show is a satirical comedy, we knew they would present their own take,” the esports chief said. “While we were heavily involved as consultants, we were comfortable giving The Simpsons team full control over how they wanted to present e-sports in the show, given their tradition of excellence.”
The episode joked about some gaming stereotypes and even showed Bart playing in the shower at one point. We’re not sure if every kid does that, but there definitely have been a few who have tried it.