Aidan 'Zirene' Moon Leaves League of Legends Broadcasting
By Wyatt Fossett ·
One of the most familiar and beloved North American League of Legends broadcasters announced on social media that he has officially left the team to pursue other avenues of creativity such as streaming and YouTube.
As any Esports fan can attest to, there is far more than just the game driving the growing fandoms across the board. Who teams choose to represent them in competition and content, and the personalities that companies hire for broadcasting and events can all play just as large of a role, if not more, in the popularity of an Esport. That’s part of what might make Aidan “Zirene” Moon leaving League of Legends casting so emotional.
It’s never easy to accept things changing, and as the industry is reaching the age where shifts happen more frequently, solidity has grown to be desired by all parties involved. Because of this, more casters and personalities are branching out, more teams are growing, and more fans are made. Those fans have been growing alongside the teams behind the games, the players playing them, and the faces/voices broadcasting them. When one of those things is removed, or changes, it can be a large, cold dish of feelsbadman.
Recently, notable broadcast host Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez has gone beyond Esports coverage, and has taken up a big-time role on NBC’s TitanGames hosted by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson. In League of Legends news, familiar host, and fan-favorite Eefje “Sjokz” Depoortere recently stepped down from a permanent leading host role in Riot Games’ European League of Legends broadcasts, stating that she would be seeking other work, but remain in a good relationship with Riot Games as a freelancer. In North America, long-standing caster Joshua "Jatt" Leesman left the broadcast team to join Riot's internal balance team in order to pursue his passion for game design.
The Zirene Legacy
There’s no doubt about it, North American League of Legends would not be the same if it weren’t for a dedicated caster by the name of Aidan Moon, who has been a mainstay on-stage and in the broadcast booth since joining the bare-bones Esports team back in 2013. Since then, he has been a major contributor to the broadcasting team state-side at almost every single major event, and each week during regular season league play.
After 5 years of shouting at league - March 7th was my last day at Riot Games. I have left to explore and pursue other opportunities. I will be returning to streaming, content creation, and seeing what other offers are out there for me. Thanks for all your love and support, ggwp
— Aidan 'Zirene' Moon (@Zirene) March 13, 2019
Sucks be without someone I feel I grew so much alongside, but I know whatever is ahead is already littered with the greatness you left with your first footsteps.
— Julian Carr (@Pastrytime) March 13, 2019
Or whatever I'm a play by play not a poet.
We never got to chat and meet, but you've done so much for the game and for the environment. I wish you all the best and hopefully we can talk one day soon!
— Hysterics (@HystericsCasts) March 13, 2019
Moon mentioned once in an interview that he got his display name “Zirene” from an old World of Warcraft guild leader, who held the name at the time and passed it down to Moon upon retiring from professional gaming. Which feels very fitting. Zirene has always been a leader on the broadcasting team. A team that was forced to grow up, and grow in professionalism as the Esports scene surrounding Riot Games’ flagship title League of Legends also blossomed. It has always seemed like Zirene held the utmost respect from his peers, and even felt like the mentor to an evolving broadcasting team.
For the past seven years, the North American League of Legends Championship Series had the voice, and the brains, of the wizard Zirene himself, and it just won’t be the same without him.
We here, as we know many of your LCS fans out there do as well, wish Zirene the absolute best of luck in his future endeavors.