League of Legends

Platforms: PC Publisher: Riot Games Year of release: 2009 League of Legends is a free-to-play 5v5 real time strategy game in the MOBA (Multiplayer Online Battle Arena) genre and is arguably the largest esports title in the world alongside Fortnite in terms of players, and the largest in terms of viewership with hundreds of millions of players regularly watching global tournaments and matches. League of Legends is also a mainstay in highschool and collegiate esports leagues globally, and one of the most played games among students. League of Legends is challenging to learn and hard to master, but has various systems of onboarding for new players to ease them into understanding the complexities of the game. The game also offers suggested builds and guides for players to follow while learning. Due to the vast number of players, it is usually always possible to find players of similar skill level to play with. One potential downside to League of Legends is that characters are locked behind unlocking through play (which can be motivating and rewarding for some players) or paid purchase. This can lead to situations where more experienced players, or those who have paid have more tools at their disposal in matches. It can also present a challenge when hosting tournaments. Despite this, League of Legends remains a highly fun game and thanks to consistent updates and engaging self-expression features such as skins and other cosmetic items, there is a lot to keep fans playing.