LoL: Riot Games Announces Launch of a New Women’s Competition, the Nova Series: Prélude

The women’s League of Legends scene continues to evolve across the EMEA region. A few weeks after the kickoff of the first Game Changers on Riot Games’ MOBA, a new tournament is set to make its debut. Riot Games announced this Wednesday the launch of a new competition organized by ZQSD Productions, the Nova Series: Prélude. “Our vision is not merely to add a one-off event, but to establish a lasting fixture for the French women’s League of Legends scene,” explains Nicolas DI MARTINO, President of ZQSD Productions.

“Step by step, and especially hand in hand with the players, we aim to build a healthy ecosystem founded on competitive integrity and professionalism, within a safe and respectful environment,” he continues. “With Nova Series: Prélude, our objective is clear: to provide a premier platform and a competition that crowns the best players, while giving each participant the conditions to perform with confidence, reach the highest level, and inspire the next generation.”

The inaugural edition of this new format will take place between November and December, featuring a €10,000 cash prize. It will begin with two Qualifiers, each organized over two days, shortly after the conclusion of the Game Changers: the first on November 8–9, the second on November 15–16.

Each Qualifier will open with a Swiss Stage on the first day, determining four teams that advance to the second day. Day two will feature a single-elimination bracket in BO3, with two semifinals and a final. The top two teams from each Qualifier will advance to the Nova Series playoffs.

Four teams will thus participate in the playoffs, with semifinals played online in BO3 format on November 23. The grand final of this first edition will take place on December 6 in a Paris studio, in BO5 format. Commentated broadcasts are planned for the second day of each Qualifier as well as for the entirety of the playoffs.

ZQSD specifies that the Nova Series: Prelude is open to all individuals aged 16 or older who identify as women (cisgender and transgender), excluding non-binary people, in accordance with Riot’s rules applied to Game Changers. There are no residency restrictions, and registration is open without limit for both Qualifiers via this link until November 6, 2025, at 23:59 (Paris time) for the first Qualifier, and until November 13, 2025, at 23:59 for the second.

For its launch, the tournament has secured a prominent ambassador in Ève “Colomblbl” Monvoisin. Since late 2022, Colomblbl has been paving the way for aspiring professional players, representing G2 Hel, the leading team in the women’s scene. She and her teammates have accumulated multiple titles in recent seasons and even qualified for Spain’s mixed Division 2. Colomblbl will also participate in the Game Changers final on October 31 at Paris Games Week. “It’s a dream to have been chosen to promote the women’s scene in France,” the player commented.

Closely associated since 2019 with Adrien “ZeratoR” Nougaret — one of France’s top streamers and founder of Mandatory — ZQSD Productions has already demonstrated its expertise in event organization. The company is behind several major French esports projects, including the ZLAN, certain Trackmania Cups, and the Ascension tournaments (not to be confused with VALORANT’s Ascension tournaments). In League of Legends, ZQSD Productions has also contributed to the setup and management of major leagues, including the LFL, Division 2, EMEA Masters, and the LEC.