League of Legends is one of the world’s most successful games, and the biggest esports title. In League of Legends, two teams of five face off in a battlefield to destroy the enemy Nexus before their own. With such a simple concept, what makes the game so popular? What is League of Legends?
League of Legends is a MOBA, a Multiplayer Online Battle Arena. MOBAs are strategy games in which two teams play on a battlefield to take down the enemy’s main structure before losing their own. Each player controls a character with unique abilities, which become stronger as the game progresses.
League of Legends was strongly inspired by the Warcraft 3 mod Defense of the Ancients (DOTA) and launched in 2009.
Team play is at the core of what League of Legends is. Image Source: Riot Games
In League of Legends, two teams of five players clash in the Summoner’s Rift, advancing through the enemy’s side of the arena until they reach the opposing Nexus. Destroying the Nexus earns the win.
To that end, each player controls a unique champion, a League of Legends character that boasts a set of abilities. Champions earn gold and experience as the game progresses by killing opposing champions and other units. Players then upgrade their abilities as they level up and buy items to empower their character.
The Summoner’s Rift is split into three lanes, with a jungle between them. Each lane is guarded by turrets. Minions spawn regularly in each lane. These small computer-controlled units act as cannon fodder to attack the enemy turrets, and are the main source of gold and experience for champions who kill them.
Read more on how to play League of Legends here.
At its core, LoL is a game where players pick an enticing character and use their abilities to beat the other players. The simplicity of the game’s concept allows for the champions to have depth, be challenging and fun to play.
With a roster of over 160 characters in 2026, there’s plenty to pick from to find the ones that truly resonate with each player. Taking a simple, approachable concept and putting endless depth within it is the formula behind all of the most successful games and even other hobbies.
What is League of Legends? The most popular esport, drawing a crowd of thousands for the 2025 World Finals. Image Source: Christina Oh / Riot Games
Each region has a professional league in LoL, with the main ones being the LEC (Europe), LCS (North America), LCK (Korea), LPL (China), and LCP (Asia-Pacific). These tournaments are played weekly throughout most of the year. The teams crowned by their leagues then represent their region in international tournaments.
Each year, Riot Games hosts 3 internationals, culminating with the League of Legends World Championship in Autumn. With the World Championship being the most-watched Esports event, LoL’s popularity is still going strong after 17 years.
Featured Image Source: Riot Games
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