As one of the games that helped send the multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) genre into the stratosphere in both player count and popularity League of Legends is hard to avoid. In it you'll choose your preferred champion and battle against real players in frenetic team-based matches aiming to push lanes and eventually take down the enemy Nexus.
First launched in 2009 League has over 180 million registered players some of whom aim for the very top of its global esports scene. For those interested in starting their journey in Runeterra we weigh up whether LoL is worth playing, in terms of time and cost.
League of Legends is everywhere. It has spawned several games spanning multiple genres an e sports scene that has counted the likes of Madison Square Garden among its hosts and even an Emmy-winning animated series featuring music from serial Grammy winner Sting.
When it comes to the game itself, you can put League of Legends firmly in the bracket of easy to learn, hard to master. Don't go into LoL thinking you'll be a top player in no time — it will likely be a very confusing experience due to the sheer number of champions abilities and items you'll need to familarise yourself with.
However once you've settled in and got a feel for the rules and general etiquette it can quickly become a game that encompasses all of your playing time. It's one of those competitive games that really scratches the itch and leaves you convincing yourself that one more match is perfectly fine. It's a game you'll need to balance as you can quickly become consumed by the grind to climb the ranks.
As with many online-only games, especially competitive ones, the community can be incredibly toxic — especially to newer players. Abuse can come in torrents if you even set one foot wrong, and other players can, and will grief you until you either quit or join them. Riot hasn't done a great deal at truly combating this so playing League can be demo ralising in that respect.
If you want a more accessible version of the game with almost-identical game play and none of the toxicity then Riot also has you covered in the excellent mobile-only League of Legends Wild Rift.
League is one of those games that you can play as much or as little as you like with no real impact on anything but your ability and enjoyment. It's very much a drop-in drop-out kind of game.
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