League of Legends
Overview
League of Legends (LoL) is a PC game in the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre, released in October 2009 by the American game developer Riot Games. Two teams each select five 'champions' and aim to destroy the opposing side's 'Nexus' first; it is free to play and operated with a partial paid model. Since release, it has established itself as one of the most played PC games worldwide, and the esports ecosystem built on it is regarded as an industry standard.
Main Details
Game Structure and Rules
Basic matches are played on 'Summoner's Rift,' and the map is divided into five roles: top, jungle, mid, bottom, and support. Players kill minions to earn gold, purchase items, and level up to strengthen skills, including ultimates. 'Teamfights' starting around 15–20 minutes and fights over objectives (dragons, Baron Nashor, Rift Herald) often decide victory or defeat. Recently, in addition to Summoner's Rift, various modes such as All Random All Mid (ARAM), Arena, and Teamfight Tactics (TFT) are operated.
Champions and Roles
League of Legends has more than 170 champions and classifies them into six classes: tank, fighter, assassin, mage, marksman, and support. Each champion has a unique skill set and passive, so strategy diverges greatly at the pick/ban stage. New champions are added regularly, and existing champions are continuously adjusted through balance patches.
Growth System and Meta
Players grow through gold and experience during a match, and item builds and choices of runes and summoner spells have a decisive impact on fulfilling their roles. Riot adjusts champion and item balance through patches every two weeks, and accordingly the 'meta' of the pro scene and general users constantly changes. Recently, new objectives such as Atakhan, the 'Transcendent of Fear,' have been added, increasing the importance of early- and mid-game skirmishes.
Esports Ecosystem
League of Legends is one of the world's largest esports titles. Regional leagues include the LCK in Korea, LPL in China, LEC in Europe, and LCS in North America, and the 'World Championship (Worlds)' and 'Mid-Season Invitational (MSI)' are held annually. T1 (formerly SKT T1) has won the World Championship five times in total and is regarded as the most successful team in history. In 2023, the 'franchise model' took hold, and player development, second-tier leagues, and academy systems were also expanded.
Cultural Content and Expansion
Beyond the game, Riot has expanded the game IP through the animated series 'Arcane,' the virtual idol group K/DA, and music content in the style of a virtual band. 'Teamfight Tactics (TFT)' has established itself as an independent genre, and the mobile version 'League of Legends: Wild Rift' is also in service. In addition, the IP is expanding into various genres, including the card game 'Legends of Runeterra' and the fighting game '2XKO.'
Latest Trends
At the end of 2024, Season 2 of the animated series 'Arcane' was released and drew attention once again, and new champions such as Ambessa and Aurora were added in the game. Starting in 2025, the season structure was significantly reorganized, dividing the year into three 'splits' and introducing a method of applying new themes and reward systems to each split. There were also major changes in the pro scene: 'fearless draft' was introduced, making champions already used in a series unavailable for selection again, and the leagues were reorganized into the LTA (League of Legends Championship of the Americas) for the Americas and the LCP (League of Legends Championship Pacific) for the Asia-Pacific region. The 2025 World Championship was held in China, and the LCK newly established the 'LCK Cup,' adding an early-season tournament. On the game mode side, experiments targeting casual and returning users continue, including making Arena mode permanent and introducing 'Swift Play' and Classic mode. However, declining user numbers and esports deficits remain challenges, and Riot is responding by diversifying revenue structures and integrating regional leagues.
Related Topics
- [[Riot Games]]
- [[LCK]]
- [[Teamfight Tactics]]
- [[Arcane]]
- [[Esports]]