| League of Legends | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Release Date | Gameplay & Story | Patch Schedule | Review |
| Release Date | |
|---|---|
| October 27, 2009 More Details |
|
| Genre | |
| Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) | |
| Platforms | Price (MSRP) |
 |
Free-to-Play |
| Developer | Publisher |
| Riot Games | Riot Games |
| Number of Players | Age Rating |
| 5v5 Multiplayer | ESRB Teen |
| Time to Finish | Cross Platform Play |
| 30-40 Minutes per Match- | No |
| Official Website | Official Website for League of Legends |
League of Legends Latest News
⚫︎ Riot Games has officially named its upcoming League of Legends trading card game "Riftbound," previously known as Project K, with a planned release in China during the Summer of 2025, followed by releases in English-speaking countries later in the year and further global rollouts in 2026. The game is said to feature over 300 cards in its initial "Origins" set and support 1v1, 2v2, and free-for-all gameplay. It will also include iconic League of Legends characters and a "Proving Grounds" collection for new players. Riot Games has partnered with UVS Games for publishing and distribution and plans to showcase Riftbound at upcoming Riot and tabletop events.
⚫︎ Patch 25.07 is set to release on April 2, and with it comes limited-time April Fools’ content, including new character skins, gameplay modifications, and hidden in-game elements, alongside a visual update for the champion LeBlanc. The patch also introduces balance changes to several champions, most notably Yorick, who receives significant adjustments to his abilities and Mist Walkers.
⚫︎ Chris Greeley, Global Head of League of Legends Esports, announced in March 2025 a significant increase in prize pools for 2025 League of Legends competitions, with the World Championship prize pool rising to $5 million and the Mid-Season Invitational to $2 million. Greeley also confirmed the positive reception and continued implementation of the Fearless Draft format.
⚫︎ Riot Games released a cinematic showcasing the Champion LeBlanc as part of the Noxus season promotion. The video detailed LeBlanc’s influence over Noxus and its key figures. It also led to speculation among fans that it could be a teaser for a new animated series, given its high production quality. The cinematic, though, is part of the "Origins of Noxus" series, produced in collaboration with Little Zoo Studio, which also includes videos on Mordekaiser and the Reckoners.
⚫︎ League of Legends patch 25.06 saw Champion buffs, nine nerfs, and adjustments to three champions, including a rework for Naafiri to enhance skillset. The patch also addresses systemic issues such as early losing team bounties and anti-lane swap adjustments, while tweaking item balance, including Warmog's Armor and Serylda's Grudge.
League of Legends Overview
League of Legends (abbreviated as LoL) is a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) game where two teams of five players clash to destroy the other’s base, the Nexus. Each player controls a character called a Champion, each with distinct playstyles, abilities, and even backstories. These Champions are categorized into various roles, such as Marksman, Mage, Tank, Assassin, and Support. Players must coordinate with each other to outplay opponents, secure objectives, and ultimately triumph over the enemy team. The game’s competitive nature has even made LoL one of the world’s largest Esports titles, drawing millions of players and spectators worldwide.
The game has always been free-to-play and is monetized through in-app purchases, mainly for cosmetics such as Champion skins, which alter the appearance of characters, and other personalized items. These purchases are entirely optional and do not provide any gameplay advantage.
Developed and published by Riot Games in 2009 for PC, League of Legends (LoL) was inspired by Defense of the Ancients (DotA), a popular mod for the real-time strategy game Warcraft III. Since its release, LoL has expanded into a multimedia franchise, branching out into various genres. These include collectible card games (Legends of Runeterra), turn-based strategy games (Teamfight Tactics), fighting games (2XKO), and even an animated series (Arcane) that delve into the lore of some of the game's Champions. The game is available to download from two sources: the official League of Legends website and the Epic Games Store.
| Epic |
|||||
| Price | Free-to-Play | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
League of Legends Gameplay
League of Legends is set on the Summoner’s Rift, a symmetrical battlefield featuring three lanes—top, mid, bottom—and a "jungle" filled with neutral monsters that grant boosts and advantages. This is where two teams of five players each vie for victory, with their primary objective being to push through enemy minions and turrets to ultimately reach and destroy the enemy Nexus. Guarding the Nexus, however, are three "inhibitor turrets" that damage approaching enemies. Upon reaching zero health, Champions will be slain and respawn at their base after a set duration.
Matches typically follow established strategies, with one player in each lane and one in the jungle, supporting teammates by ambushing opponents in lane skirmishes or contesting Epic Monsters. These creatures include Dragons that grant buffs; Baron Nashor, which provides a power boost to all teammates upon defeat; and the new Atakhan, which has two distinct forms depending on how the early game unfolds. A steady flow of experience points (XP) and gold allows players to level up and purchase items, which they buy at their base.
League of Legends Characters
As of January 2025, League of Legends boasts a roster of 170 Champions, with the latest addition being Mel, the Soul’s Reflection, who joined the fray on January 23, 2025. The game typically introduces 3-5 Champions annually.
Each Champion belongs to a primary class, with some also possessing a secondary class. These classes often influence the Champion’s role in a match. For example, a Tank or Support may protect the Marksman early in the game while they’re still collecting gold for items, while an Assassin’s strong clear speed makes them well-suited for the Jungler role.
However, this isn’t a rigid system. Champions can sometimes defy this. Nunu & Willump, for instance, despite being classified as a Tank, is frequently seen assuming the Jungler position during competitive play.
League of Legends Reviews
Aged Like Fine Wine
When League of Legends launched in 2009, it was received fairly well by many critics. Eurogamer, for instance, awarded it an 8/10, praising the depth of experimentation players can get from its roster of Champions while drawing comparisons to the established DoTA. GamesRadar+ echoed this sentiment with 4 out 5 stars, appreciating the game’s mechanics but criticizing its cartoonish visuals and steep learning curve.
GameSpot, however, was less impressed, giving the game a 6/10 back in 2009. Their review cited the absence of key features as a significant drawback. By 2013, as the game evolved and solidified its player base, GameSpot revisited their review. They gave the game a 9/10, acknowledging its improvements but noting persistent issues with experienced players "smurfing"—creating accounts to face less experienced opponents.
League of Legends currently holds a Metacritic score of 78, yet its user rating is significantly lower at 4.7/10, despite attracting millions of daily players. A common criticism from users centers around the game's competitive nature, which has given rise to a notoriously "toxic community."
League of Legends Announcement Trailer
League of Legends | Official Teaser Trailer (2009)
League of Legends Trivia
⚫︎ The 2024 League of Legends World Championship broke records as the most-watched esports tournament ever, peaking at over 6.7 million concurrent viewers.
⚫︎ League of Legends has a mobile counterpart titled Wild Rift, which is a streamlined adaptation of the original game. It features shorter match durations, optimized controls for touchscreens, and a smaller roster of Champions.
⚫︎ The lore of League of Legends is so extensive that it has inspired entire books and graphic novels. The franchise even gave rise to one of the most expensive animated series in history, Arcane, which delves into the backstories of several fan-favorite characters.
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