How did League of Legends overtake StarCraft 1 to become the most popular esports game in the world?

League of Legends is an AOS genre game released by Riot Games in 2009 that has become hugely popular around the world. Its diverse characters, low-end computer support, and fair revenue structure have made it a favourite in Korea and around the world.

 

South Korea is the dominant country in esports. Blizzard’s StarCraft 1 is hugely popular around the world, and South Korea is the only country to have turned the game into a sport and developed it into a single competition. Recently, however, StarCraft 1 competitions have come to an end, with the last of the specific leagues being shut down. Is there any other esports game that can take on the global popularity of StarCraft 1?
League Of Legends (LOL), released by Riot Games in 2009, has become very popular around the world. LOL is a game in the Attack on Sight (AOS) genre. The AOS genre, which combines battle royale action with siege games in which players try to capture the opponent’s buildings, is not new. In particular, LOL pits five players in a team against five players from another team. There are other games in the AOS genre, such as DOTA and Ciphers, but LOL is the only one that has gained worldwide popularity.
League of Legends (LOL) is the world’s most popular PC online game, with 140 million total registered users, 70 million monthly active users, and 20 million daily active users as of 2024. In South Korea, it has been around since 2011, and 23 years later, it is still very popular in Korea, occupying the number one spot in the PC market. There have been numerous large and small LOL tournaments, with the 2024 League of Legends World Championship (aka Rolld Cup) being the largest with a prize pool of approximately $2,230,000. The tournament brings together professional gamers from around the world to compete, and all matches are streamed live for fans to watch online. What is it about LOL that has made it the number one game in the world, overtaking World of Warcraft, once the most played game in the world?
Firstly, accessibility. When Riot Games created the game, they focused on making it easy to learn but hard to master. For example, the game’s strategy is explained in detail online, the controls are easy to use, and there’s a mentoring system to help those new to the game, so new players can ask questions and learn from their mentors.
Secondly, it’s a very collectivist game. StarCraft 1, the most popular online game, has a one-on-one game structure. LOL, on the other hand, allows up to 10 people to participate simultaneously, so you can play with your friends just like a regular sports game. It’s very collectivist, so once one person starts playing it, it spreads to everyone around them.
Thirdly, the game is dense. There are more than 100 unique characters in the game, and new ones are released every two weeks, allowing for different strategies. What’s even more amazing is that all these different characters are balanced against each other, so you’ll experience new combinations and strategies every time you play. In addition, each character has a story, so you can have a little fun with enemies, friends, lovers, and more, which helps to immerse you in the game.
Fourth, the games have low computer requirements. While recent games have been focusing on better graphics and a grander scale as technology improves, LOL aims to be played on low-end computers and is available in many countries.
Fifth, the revenue structure of the game. In order for a game company to make money, they have to ask for money from users in some way. For example, they offer free access for a limited number of days, or they offer services that allow you to make your character stronger or grow faster if you pay in real money. But LOL is different. Riot Games originally aimed to turn online gaming into an E-SPORT, so they designed their game so that cash payments don’t affect whether you win or lose. Most of their income comes from selling skins. Skins are simply features that make your character look different from other players. Many users were worried that they wouldn’t be able to make much money selling skins for such a simple function. Riot Games responded by saying that they believe that if they create a good game and a good gaming environment, users will buy skins voluntarily.
Sixth, improve corporate image. Riot Games is not just a company that wants to make money, but a company that genuinely cares about its customers and provides enjoyable services. The one-on-one question and answer system provides users with quick and accurate information, and a user’s request for congratulations on his wedding was answered by an administrator who wrote in the guestbook, creating a huge buzz on the internet. In addition, the company’s recent campaign to protect cultural assets has shown that it contributes to society, highlighting its image as a customer-centric company rather than just a game company.
There are many reasons why this long-running and still popular online game has become so popular around the world at such a rapid pace, but the most surprising one is that Riot has always aimed to make it an E-SPORTS game from the start, making it difficult to pay with cash, and creating a revenue structure based on the belief that users will spend money voluntarily if they receive a quality service. The love and trust that users have for Riot Games is huge because of this belief. A company that trusts its customers and provides quality service first seems like an unusual marketing strategy in the 21st century capitalist society. However, if other companies take note of the success of good marketing and follow suit, it will create a social structure that benefits both consumers and producers.