“You just have to turn on the light and let it shine.”

Esports trophies are more than just shiny symbols of victory. They represent the culmination of countless hours of strategy, skill and dedication.

The 2024 Esports World Cup trophy, designed by Thomas Lyte, will make headlines. The 60 cm high trophy, handcrafted from 9 kg sterling silver with 24-carat gold plating, is a symbol of prestige and represents the highest award for the best esports organizations in the world.

A British luxury goods and trophy manufacturer known for its exceptional craftsmanship and innovative design, this isn’t its first foray into the world of competition. Thomas Lyte makes trophies for major sporting leagues, corporate awards and charities and has expanded its expertise to create bespoke trophies that capture the essence of competitive play.

In an exclusive interview with ONE Esports, Thomas Lyte’s design team, who were involved in the creation of the Esports World Cup trophy from start to finish, share more about the significance of one of the most unique esports trophies of all time.

How the Esports World Cup trophy was created – Thomas Lyte gives a closer look

Thomas Lyte believes that symbols of success are universal in design, whether in sports or esports. For the company, esports is unique because of its limitless imagination and the deep lore that surrounds the game in question.

“We’ve had some very creative briefs for so many game titles and genres. The ambition of esports organizations to connect with their fans is unmatched and the projects are some of the most challenging,” said the design team. “However, we’re always very excited to see the real-time fan reactions online when an esports trophy is revealed.”

Over the years, esports trophies have evolved to reflect the unique culture and intensity of individual titles, capturing the high-stakes spectacle in a unique laurel wreath. Thomas Lyte handcrafted the LEC Trophy, FIFAe World Cup Trophy, eChampions League Trophy, and the most iconic Summoner’s Cup for the League of Legends World Championship, which debuted in Season Two.

This makes the design of the Esports World Cup trophy a little different as it crowns the best esports club in the world across different titles, as the tournament featured more than 20 video games and huge prize pools.

“We knew that the Esports World Cup would feature many of the biggest gaming titles from a variety of genres, so we didn’t want to rely too heavily on one genre,” Thomas Lyte’s design team told ONE Esports. “We wanted to create a design that was inspired by the landscapes of Saudi Arabia, the host country, and conveyed symbols of esports culture and competitive spirit.”

The team originally had 10 concept ideas that had “very different shapes and inspirations.” Often, the first drafts are not comparable to the final design, as they work with the creative teams and leadership of the tournament organizer to ensure they match their ambitions for the tournament.

The most striking feature of the Esports World Cup trophy is its body, constructed from interlocking triangles. Inspired by game controller buttons, which “have become such an important part of the Esports athletes’ experience at the Esports World Cup,” Thomas Lyte’s design team also wanted the handle to resemble the trunk of a palm tree, a well-known symbol of Saudi Arabia.

The second most striking feature is the crown on a globe, which “symbolizes the champions as kings of e-sports,” while the handles are designed to resemble compressed computer cables.

“Metal casting is often overlooked in silversmithing. It is a skill that has been practiced for thousands of years, so casting such a complex shape for such a large trophy required all of our team’s expertise to create something beautiful,” shared the Thomas Lyte design team.

“For this impressive Esports World Cup trophy, our manufacturing team in London cast the shaft from a 3D printed model, allowing us to tweak and prototype until we perfected the process,” they added.

A huge amount of expertise, creativity and craftsmanship went into this large trophy and the team is particularly proud of the interlocking triangles on the body because “they really show how the design of a tournament trophy can inspire branding throughout the tournament.”

After all, it was these very triangles that inspired the triangular “keys” that have become such an important part of the esports experience at the Esports World Cup, where each team is made with its own triangular key. The winning team selects three keys from the teams it defeated, has them smashed, and then hangs them under the honor roll.

“It really shows how the design of a tournament trophy can inspire branding throughout the tournament, and that is something we are always very proud of,” said the Thomas Lyte design team.

Having won Call of Duty Warzone and Free Fire, participated in other titles and collected the most Club Championship points, Team Falcons was officially crowned the first winner of the Esports World Cup.

READ MORE: Esports World Cup 60M Prize Pool Distribution: Club Championship Points Explained