League of Legends (commonly abbreviated as LoL or League) is a free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) video game developed and published by Riot Games. First released on October 27, 2009, it is one of the most popular and influential video games in history, with over 100 million monthly active players worldwide. The game is available for Windows and macOS.

In League of Legends, two teams of five players compete against each other on a battlefield. Each player controls a character called a "champion," each with their own unique abilities and playstyle. The goal is to work together as a team, push through the enemy's defenses, and destroy a structure called the "Nexus" located inside the enemy's base.

The game is free to play. Riot Games makes money by selling cosmetic items such as champion skins, which change how a character looks but do not affect gameplay. This model keeps the game competitively fair for all players.

League of Legends belongs to the MOBA genre, a type of game where two teams battle in real-time on a map with set paths called "lanes." The game is played from an isometric (top-down angled) perspective. During a match, champions grow stronger by earning experience points (XP) and gold. XP lets them level up and unlock more powerful abilities, while gold lets them buy items from the in-game shop. Every match starts from scratch — levels and items do not carry over between games.

The main game mode is called Summoner's Rift, a map where two teams of five face off. Each team has a base at opposite corners of the map connected by three lanes (top, middle, and bottom). Between the lanes lies the "jungle," a forested area filled with neutral monsters that players can defeat for bonus gold and buffs. The objective is to push down enemy turrets (defensive towers) along the lanes, eventually reaching and destroying the enemy Nexus to win.

League of Legends is also one of the biggest esports titles in the world. Its annual World Championship (commonly known as "Worlds") draws tens of millions of viewers globally and is considered the most-watched esports event in the world.

League of Legends was born from the hugely popular Warcraft III mod called Defense of the Ancients (DotA). In the mid-2000s, several key figures from the DotA community — most notably Steve "Guinsoo" Feak, who had helped develop DotA: Allstars — believed that the gameplay style deserved to become its own standalone game, rather than remaining a mod for another title.

In September 2006, Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill co-founded Riot Games in Los Angeles, California, partnering with Guinsoo and Steve "Pendragon" Mescon (a prominent DotA community organizer) to develop what would become League of Legends. Their goal was to create a game that was more accessible and polished than DotA, with regular updates, better player support, and a dedicated development team.

The free-to-play business model was a bold choice at the time. Most Western publishers were skeptical of releasing a game without a purchase price or a single-player campaign. However, Riot secured funding from investors including Benchmark, FirstMark Capital, and the Chinese tech company Tencent. Tencent would later become the game's distributor in China and eventually acquired Riot Games fully in 2015.

League of Legends was announced on October 7, 2008, originally under the subtitle Clash of Fates (which was dropped before launch). Closed beta testing began in April 2009 with only 17 playable champions. By the time the game fully launched on October 27, 2009, the roster had grown to 40 champions.

Despite a somewhat rough launch — with long queue times, bugs, and limited features — the game quickly attracted a massive player base. By 2013, League of Legends had become the most-played multiplayer PC game in the world, and by 2016, it boasted over 100 million monthly players.

Riot Games has grown from a small startup into one of the largest game companies in the world. As of 2023, the company operates over 20 offices worldwide. Beyond League of Legends, Riot has expanded into several other games and media properties, including:

• Teamfight Tactics (TFT) — an auto-battler game mode playable through the LoL client and as a standalone mobile app
• Legends of Runeterra — a digital card game set in the League of Legends universe
• Valorant — a tactical first-person shooter
• League of Legends: Wild Rift — a mobile and console adaptation of League of Legends
• Arcane — an animated television series produced with Fortiche, set in the League of Legends universe and released on Netflix

The primary map in League of Legends is Summoner's Rift. It features three lanes — top, mid (middle), and bot (bottom) — that connect the two team bases. Between the lanes is the jungle, which contains neutral monster camps. Key features of the map include:

• Turrets — Defensive towers that line each lane and attack enemies that come within range. Once destroyed, they do not respawn.
• Inhibitors — Structures located near each base at the end of each lane. Destroying an enemy inhibitor causes your team to spawn more powerful "super minions" in that lane.
• Nexus — The main structure inside each base. Destroying the enemy Nexus wins the game.
• Minions — AI-controlled units that spawn from the Nexus at regular intervals and march down the lanes, fighting anything they encounter along the way.

Another popular map is Howling Abyss, a single-lane map used for the ARAM (All Random All Mid) game mode.

League of Legends offers several game modes:

• Quick Play — A casual 5v5 mode where players select their preferred champion and position before entering matchmaking. There is no ban/pick phase.
• Draft Pick — A casual 5v5 mode with a formal champion select phase, where teams alternate banning and picking champions, similar to ranked games.
• Ranked — The competitive mode, available to players who have reached level 30. Players earn (or lose) rank points based on wins and losses. The ranking system uses tiers: Iron, Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Emerald, Diamond, Master, Grandmaster, and Challenger. Each tier from Iron to Diamond is divided into four divisions (IV to I).
• Clash — A tournament-style mode where pre-made teams of five compete in bracket-style events held on specific weekends.

• ARAM (All Random All Mid) — Played on the Howling Abyss map. Each player is assigned a random champion and all fighting happens in a single lane. ARAM is known for its fast-paced, chaotic team fights.
• Special Game Modes — Riot periodically enables limited-time modes such as U.R.F. (Ultra Rapid Fire), Arena, and One-for-All. These modes feature unique rulesets that change the way the game is played.
• Co-op vs. AI — Players team up against computer-controlled bots. This mode is recommended for new players to practice before facing real opponents.
• Custom Games — Players can create private lobbies with custom settings, useful for practicing specific champions or playing with friends under special rules.
• Practice Mode — A solo sandbox environment where players can test champions, abilities, and item builds without the pressure of a real match.

Champions are the playable characters in League of Legends. As of late 2025, there are over 170 champions in the game, with new ones being added regularly.

Each champion has a unique set of abilities:

• Passive — An innate ability that is always active or triggers automatically under certain conditions.
• Q, W, E — Three basic abilities, each mapped to a keyboard key. These can be leveled up as the champion gains experience.
• R (Ultimate) — A powerful ability that typically becomes available at level 6. Ultimates usually have long cooldowns but can be game-changing when used effectively.

Champions are classified into several broad categories based on their role and playstyle:

• Tanks — Durable champions who absorb damage and disrupt enemies. They often initiate team fights and protect their teammates. Examples include Vanguards (offensive tanks that lead charges) and Wardens (defensive tanks that protect allies).
• Fighters — Melee champions that balance damage and durability. This category includes Juggernauts (slow but extremely powerful in close range) and Divers (mobile fighters who excel at reaching high-priority targets).
• Assassins — Champions that specialize in quickly eliminating a single enemy target. They typically have high mobility and burst damage but are fragile if caught out of position.
• Mages — Ranged champions who deal magic damage with their abilities. Sub-types include Burst Mages (who deal large amounts of damage in short combos), Battlemages (who thrive in sustained fights), and Artillery Mages (who deal damage from extreme range).
• Marksmen — Ranged champions who deal consistent physical damage primarily through basic attacks. They are often the team's main source of sustained damage but are very fragile.
• Supports — Champions whose kit is focused on assisting their team through healing, shielding, crowd control (CC), or providing vision. They are subdivided into Enchanters (who buff and heal allies) and Catchers (who specialize in locking down enemies).

Champions can be unlocked using Blue Essence (an in-game currency earned by playing) or Riot Points (RP, purchased with real money). Each week, a rotating selection of champions is available to play for free.

Items are equipment that players buy during a match to make their champion stronger. Gold, earned by killing minions, monsters, and enemy champions (or passively over time), is spent at the in-game shop located in each team's base.

Items are organized into tiers:

• Starter items — Cheap items bought at the beginning of a game that give a small boost. They include Doran's Blade, Doran's Ring, and Doran's Shield.
• Basic and Epic items — Mid-tier components that can be combined together.
• Legendary items — Fully completed, powerful items built from combining basic and epic items. Only one of each Legendary item can be equipped at a time.
• Boots — Special items that increase movement speed, with various upgrade options providing additional effects (e.g., magic penetration, attack speed, or cooldown reduction).
• Consumables — Single-use items like health potions and control wards.

A player can hold up to six items at a time (plus boots in a separate slot), so choosing the right "build" — the combination and order of items — is a critical part of strategy.

In a standard 5v5 game on Summoner's Rift, each team member typically fills one of five positions:

• Top — Usually a tank or fighter who goes to the top lane alone. Top laners tend to be self-sufficient and durable.
• Jungle — The jungler roams through the jungle, killing neutral monsters for gold and experience, while also "ganking" (surprise-attacking) enemies in the lanes to help their team gain advantages.
• Mid — The mid laner occupies the middle lane, typically playing a mage or assassin. The mid lane's central location allows this player to influence the entire map.
• Bot (ADC / Marksman) — A ranged damage dealer who goes to the bottom lane alongside a support. The ADC (Attack Damage Carry) focuses on farming gold in the early game to become a powerful damage source later.
• Support — Accompanies the ADC in the bottom lane. The support's job is to protect and enable their lane partner, provide vision with wards, and create opportunities for the team.

Successful teamwork, communication, and strategic decision-making (such as when to fight for map objectives like Dragon or Baron Nashor) are key to winning in League of Legends.

League of Legends is set in the world of Runeterra, a rich fantasy universe that has been expanded considerably over the years. In the early days of the game, the lore centered on the "Institute of War," where magical summoners would call upon champions to fight on the Fields of Justice to settle disputes peacefully. However, Riot Games eventually retired this framing and shifted focus to fleshing out the champions themselves and the many regions of Runeterra.

Major regions in Runeterra include:

• Demacia — A proud and orderly kingdom that values justice and duty, but is also known for its harsh anti-magic laws.
• Noxus — A powerful and expansionist empire that values strength above all else, regardless of social standing.
• Ionia — A land of spiritual harmony and natural magic, scarred by invasion from Noxus.
• Piltover and Zaun — Twin cities representing the contrast between high technology and industrial underbelly. The setting for the animated series Arcane.
• Freljord — A frozen northern land divided by warring tribes.
• Shurima — An ancient desert empire that once commanded powerful sun magic.
• Bilgewater — A lawless port city full of pirates and bounty hunters.
• Shadow Isles — A cursed island chain consumed by the undead "Black Mist."
• Bandle City — The mysterious homeland of the yordles, small and magical creatures.
• Ixtal — A hidden jungle nation that wields powerful elemental magic.
• The Void — A terrifying dimension beyond reality that seeks to consume Runeterra.
• Targon — A mountain region connected to celestial powers.

Riot Games has invested heavily in storytelling through short stories, comics, cinematics, and music videos published on their Universe website. Champions each have their own detailed backstories, relationships, and motivations that tie into the larger narrative of Runeterra.

League of Legends has expanded far beyond the game itself into a wide multimedia franchise:

• Arcane — A critically acclaimed animated series produced by Fortiche and released on Netflix. Set in the cities of Piltover and Zaun, it follows the stories of champions Vi and Jinx (among others). The show received widespread praise for its animation quality, storytelling, and emotional depth, winning multiple Annie Awards and being nominated for Emmy Awards.
• Music — Riot Games has produced numerous original music tracks and virtual music groups tied to League of Legends, including K/DA (a virtual K-pop group), Pentakill (virtual heavy metal band), True Damage (virtual hip-hop group), and Heartsteel (a virtual boy band). Several of these songs have charted on major music platforms.
• Comics and Short Stories — Riot regularly publishes free comics and short stories that expand the lore of Runeterra and its champions.
• Cinematics — High-quality animated trailers and cinematic videos are released to accompany new seasons, events, and champion launches.
• Spin-off Games — In addition to Teamfight Tactics, Wild Rift, and Legends of Runeterra, Riot has released or is developing titles like 2XKO (a fighting game, formerly called Project L) and Ruined King (a turn-based RPG developed under the Riot Forge label).

League of Legends is one of the largest esports in the world. Riot Games directly organizes and runs most of the competitive infrastructure, making it one of the most structured esports ecosystems.

The competitive scene is divided into regional leagues around the world. The major leagues include:

• LCK (League of Legends Champions Korea) — South Korea
• LPL (League of Legends Pro League) — China
• LEC (League of Legends EMEA Championship) — Europe, Middle East, and Africa
• LCS (League of Legends Championship Series) — North America

There are also smaller regional leagues across Southeast Asia, Latin America, Oceania, Japan, Turkey, and other regions.

Each year, the competitive season is divided into multiple splits. Teams compete in their regional leagues, and the top-performing teams earn the right to represent their region at international events.

• Mid-Season Invitational (MSI) — A mid-year international tournament where top teams from each region compete. It serves as a preview of the year's top contenders.
• World Championship (Worlds) — The premier annual event held in the fall. Worlds is the most prestigious and widely watched League of Legends tournament. South Korean teams have historically dominated, winning the majority of World Championships. The event regularly draws tens of millions of viewers, setting records for esports viewership.

The World Championship holds special significance: the winning team's players each get to choose a champion to receive a unique commemorative "World Championship skin," permanently immortalizing the team's victory in the game itself.

League of Legends esports has played a major role in legitimizing competitive gaming as a global spectator sport. It was featured as a demonstration event at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta, and its World Championship viewership figures rival those of traditional major sporting events.

League of Legends has been widely praised for making the MOBA genre more accessible to a broad audience while maintaining a high competitive skill ceiling. The game's free-to-play model, regular updates (patches are released roughly every two weeks), and large champion roster have been highlighted as key strengths.

The game was named one of TIME magazine's Top 10 Video Games of the 2010s, recognizing its massive influence on both gaming culture and the esports industry.

However, the game has also faced criticism in several areas, including toxicity in the player community, the complexity of its constantly changing item and meta systems, and balance issues where some champions remain overpowered or underperforming for extended periods. Riot Games has implemented various systems to address player behavior, including a reporting system, chat restrictions, and an honor system that rewards positive conduct.

• Riot Games
• Teamfight Tactics
• Arcane
• Valorant
• League of Legends: Wild Rift
• League of Legends World Championship
• Defense of the Ancients

• Official League of Legends Website
• League of Legends Universe (Lore)
• LoL Esports Official Site