South Korea pioneered esports with StarCraft, and Riot Games’ League of Legends expanded it into a global sport. Team-based competition, easy accessibility, a fair revenue structure, and Riot Games’ customer-centric service have made LOL one of the most popular games today.
South Korea is recognized as an undisputed pioneer in the esports industry. Since the late 1990s, the PC culture has been revitalized and various online games have been rapidly spreading among young people, which naturally led to the formation of the E-Sports industry. In particular, Blizzard’s StarCraft 1, which was released in 1998, has become a very popular game in Korea and has become a representative game that led to the birth and development of E-Sports. StarCraft 1 tournaments were sold out in droves, creating a fervent fanbase and turning players into stars, inspiring many young people to pursue their dreams of becoming an esports player. Over time, however, StarCraft 1 tournaments faded away, and the need for a new big game began to emerge, and League of Legends (LOL) was born.
LOL was released by Riot Games in 2009 and quickly became popular around the world. LOL is a game in the Attack on Sight (AOS) genre, which, unlike traditional real-time strategy games (RTS), has gained attention as a new form that combines teamplay and strategy in a short amount of time. The AOS genre includes elements of battle action and siege warfare to capture the opponent’s buildings, and LOL’s teamplay structure, in which five players form a team to compete against the opposing team, is a departure from traditional 1v1 games. This allowed for a wider variety of strategies and cooperative play, and was a huge hit with players who value teamwork.
In its short time since launch, LOL has become a record-breaking success, and as of 2024, it 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. In South Korea, the game has been available since 2011 and has hosted numerous LOL competitions, including a world championship called the LOL Cup. The 2024 League of Legends World Championship has a total prize pool of approximately $2,230,000, and the tournament has become a festival that brings together professional gamers and fans from around the world.
There are many reasons why LOL has become so popular. First, it’s accessible. When Riot Games created the game, they aimed to make it “easy to learn but hard to master. The game has an intuitive UI and tutorials to help beginners get started, and a mentorship system to help newcomers get acclimated to the game. This was an important factor in attracting new users. Second, the game is highly collectivistic. LOL is played in teams of five, making it a great game to play with friends and acquaintances. Korean society in particular tends to value community activities, which is why LOL’s team-based system is so popular among Korean users.
Third, the game is well organized and structured. There are more than 100 unique characters in LOL, each with different roles and characteristics, and new characters and updates are released regularly to keep the game fresh and allow for a variety of strategic combinations. Each character has a unique story, which adds an extra layer of interest and immersion beyond the game.
Fourth, the game’s low computer requirements are also an advantage. LOL was developed as a game that doesn’t require a high-end computer to play smoothly, which is why it has gained a large global audience. This has made the game financially affordable and accessible, making it a game that can be played anywhere in the world.
Fifth, a unique revenue structure. LOL is designed so that cash payments don’t affect in-game performance, and it generates revenue primarily through the sale of skins that customize the appearance of characters. This revenue model ensures the game is fair and allows users to focus on pure gameplay. Riot Games has maintained this approach with the belief that if they make good games and provide quality service to their users, they will spend money voluntarily.
Sixth, the company has improved its image through customer-centered service. Riot Games has gone beyond just providing games and has increased communication with its users. For example, it has introduced a one-on-one support system that responds to user questions promptly and sincerely, and it is building a bond with fans through various events and social contribution activities. In particular, through social contribution activities such as the recent campaign to protect cultural assets, LOL is building an image as a company with values beyond gaming.
LOL is contributing to the growth of the E-Sports market and opening new horizons in gaming culture worldwide, including Korea. LOL, which started with the goal of becoming an E-Sports company from the beginning, has become the center of E-Sports culture in Korea and is loved by fans around the world. Riot Games’ customer-centric marketing and ongoing development of game content have been key factors in LOL’s continued popularity over time. As esports evolves further in the future, LOL’s success story will be an important lesson for many companies and game developers.
