Explaining League of Legends: A Checklist

Earlier this week I got coffee with a friend of mine that was genuine curious about League of Legends and how it translates into an eSport. I was more than happy to oblige her, but after I was done I couldn't help but notice how long it took to get into everything that I felt was relevant to her understanding.

These are the things I touched on in various forms, and I figure that listing them might help you guys to form your own conversations around the game. In terms of the basics of the game:

• The map, and the concept of minions (team-specific, “dumb” monsters that re-spawn and push)
• The character, how they grow (last-hits and experience)
• The concept of how each game is separate instances, instead of a persistent build like World of Warcraft.
• The jungle, and the concept of neutral monsters
• Turrets, inhibitors and the Nexus, how they function, and why they’re important
• The current trend of lane assignments and the jungler, and the different roles of players

I think with those points you can kind of get an idea of how the game is played, but at the moment that only scratches the surface. For those who want an explanation of the ecosystem of League of Legends, you have to go a bit deeper.

• The concept of Runes and Masteries (passive statistics, customization), and how they suit different roles
• The concept of your account having a level system, and how it limits you in regards to Runes and Masteries
• The generation of IP, the costs of RP, and the unlock system of champions
• Ranked play vs. normals, the division/league system and how it benefits professional players to be as high as possible

Furthermore, if you’re feeling saucy, you can go further into the ecosystem of eSports,and how professionals make a living from the game.

• Streaming, subscriptions, donations and sponsorships
• The salary system in the LCS, and how it works for substitute players
• The Challenger scene, and how many players substitute or are brought up to LCS teams
• The “old” way of competing in tournaments compared to the new way of doing things
• How Riot essentially leaves Korea alone and lets them do their own thing
• Reddit, and ways that pro players gain and keep their popularity

As you can see this is an awful lot to digest, especially for those who aren’t ready for the full breadth of it. The benefit, though is that this list allows people to mix and match for what interests them: some people might want to know why the game is so popular, but don’t care much for the eSports.

Then again, the opposite might be true, which makes having the eSports talk a bit more interesting with grown adults; usually when you can mention the money factor and the business growth, it’ll keep them from dismissing the whole thing as a passing fad for kids and manbabies.

I’m always trying to refine my “pitch”, so to speak, so that I can rifle off why this game is important to me, and why other people should take it seriously. If you have any suggestions or refinements, let me know on Twitter, or comment here!