League of Legends is one of the most popular online video games in history, with millions of active players around the world. Since 2010, the free-to-play game has become more and more popular among regular players. Regular updates were included, the game was considerably competitive, and gamers could play with their friends, so there was nothing better than LOL.
As the game received more media attention, it became part of one of the biggest eSports tournaments in the world, which takes place annually. Several players showed their best at these competitions, such as Faker, known as the “Unkillable Demon King,” who won the World Championship four times. The champion set the bar high for the following players and made the tournament popular by showcasing the skill to win a game in LOL.
But this is only one of the factors that made LOL stand out in eSports. Let’s see what they’re about.
Media contribution
Besides the game, League of Legends established itself in the online environment as a creative and innovative brand. It continuously focused on its social media image and merch, including clothing, plushies, and character collections from Funko UK & Europe, which made fans loyal and got others interested in the lore behind the game.
One of the most recent pieces of media that made LOL even more famous worldwide and increased the play rate is Arcane, a Riot-based show that puts the game’s characters into a luring storyline. It seems like after the end of the first season, which included characters like Vi, Jinx, and Jayce, the play rate of these heroes exploded, which also led the game developers to introduce more skins and buffs.
High accessibility
One of the best things about League of Legends is that it’s free and has been since the beginning. Therefore, anyone could enjoy playing it without making various in-game purchases, which set the bar high for the industry. Lately, numerous famous video game companies have been surrounded by criticism as they’ve set all kinds of payments required by the player in order to access the entire playing experience.
EA, for example, was named one of the most hated companies in the US a few years ago for numerous reasons, including poor employee treatment and smashing the competition by acquiring small game developers. Still, one of the most annoying things about them was the bad game quality and various in-app purchases that would not allow players to complete their levels or fully enjoy the games.
Teamwork skills
Although many criticize LOL for its toxic community due to people with ego clashes and insecurities, the game can foster teamwork skills if people find partners with whom they can form special connections. It’s not that easy to communicate or work with players who are not open to befriending you, so it can be easy to get frustrated when you cannot cooperate with them.
Considering that the regular gameplay requires a 5v5 match, you and the other four people must work together in order to win. So, there must be a connection between the top, bottom, and mid so that no one gets left behind and the team can continue their strategy. While it may be true that not all players are on the same experience level, it’s much better to help each other than go AFK.
Tournament fun
Watching sports tournaments is special for many people who love football or swimming, but eSports tournaments have something unique to them. Tournaments have been organised worldwide, and they’re more exciting by the year since players come with different gaming tactics.
The next LOL tournament is set to take place in the Autumn of 2024, with more than 20 teams from Korea, China, and EMEA. While the prizes are still not published, we’re sure that the incentives are enough to make it worth it for players to meet in Europe. The tournament will most likely stream on Twitch, so people can watch it freely online as it happens.
MOBA popularity
MOBA games (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) have gained significant traction in the past years as they follow a similar concept of fighting as a team against others in a competitive ecosystem. According to Statista, some of the most popular MOBA apps are Honor of Kings, League of Legends, and Mobile Legends: Bang Bang.
MOBA games have increased in popularity due to their complexity and entertaining features, which make people engage as much as possible with the game. While some argue that such games lead to addiction, others consider that playing these games improves one’s skills, from teamwork to communication and attention. MOBA games make people feel accomplished when they’ve succeeded in a mission or won over the other team.
COVID-19 impact on the gaming industry
Another less-talked-about factor that contributed to the gaming industry was the fact that people had much more time to play games at home. For many people, playing games at home had a positive impact on their mental health because they were occupied enough not to think about the seemingly doomed situation of the pandemic.
Since then, platforms like Twitch, through which famous gamers stream their games online, have grown in popularity, and more people watch others play games and get into the lore of playing online games at home. Therefore, the time spent on video gaming has boomed since then and continues on a similar path, even if it has decreased a bit. So, we can say that the pandemic had a huge contribution to gaming, whether mobile or computer-based.
What do you think about League of Legends?
League of Legends is one of the most appreciated and played games in history, as it’s considerably competitive and fun. Moreover, the game is free for anyone who wants to play. It became a significant part of the eSports industry a few years ago because people came and played in tournaments, but many other reasons contributed to its rise, such as numerous updates and stable media coverage around it.