League of Legends is arguably not only the world’s most influential MOBA title but also the most significant game in the Esports industry. Ever since its launch in 2009, the game has become renowned for its impressive skill ceiling, passionate fanbase and ability to play host to some of the most spectacular events in the entertainment business.
But, how much do you really know about Riot’s legendary release? Join us here at GameOgre as we run you through some of the craziest facts, figures and records behind League of Legends.
Over 31 Million Peak Players
League of Legends is regarded as one of the most played video games on the planet, but how many of you know exactly how popular it really is?
Thanks to being a free-to-play title from launch, it reached its first 11 million players in its first two years on the shelves. It hit the 100 million mark in 2017 and rose to 115 million in 2021.
And the game’s popularity is continuing to trend upward at a stunning rate even now. In 2022, the game saw 31.5 million peak players per day, averaging out to 180 million monthly players.
$1.75 Billion Revenue
So, League has the player base, but how does this translate to cold hard cash? Thanks to the success of the game as a major Esports circuit, sponsors (including fashion tycoon Luis Vuitton, investments and in-game purchases have all contributed to Riot amassing a hefty sum of $1.75 billion in worldwide revenue.
An Esports Behemoth
Unlike other major Esports titles such as Counter-Strike, League of Legends’ competitive scene is solely organised and run by Riot. The biggest orgs in the business compete across various regional tournaments, earning prize money and points towards qualifying for the annual World Championship event, the culmination of the competitive season.
The League of Legends World Championship (aka. Worlds) is perhaps the most famous and jaw-dropping spectacle in the Esports industry. In fact, the 2019 Worlds remains the second-most viewed Esports event in the history of the industry. 3.99 million viewers tuned in to watch the event at its peak, with its follow-up in 2020 also amassing 3.88 million.
For reference, the 2019 Fortnite World Cup only boasted 2.33 million viewers.
Esports betting in Canada and the United States has boomed in recent times, and the interest in the major regions during the competitive League season is a huge factor behind this.
The 2022 Worlds also boasted a record sum of $2.25 million in its prize purse.
China LoL Players Reigning Supreme
League of Legends is a game with a global following, but when it comes to its most popular regions, China is undoubtedly at the top of the pile.
At the time of writing, there are approximately 75 million Chinese LoL players, with Riot having to split the region into 27 different servers in-game. Behind China is Korea, with roughly half the numbers.
Roughly 14% of League of Legends players come from the United States, with Turkey (9%) and Brazil (9%) also boasting solid followings.
LolTyler The King Of The Streamers
Twitch is the world’s leading online streaming platform for Esports pros and casuals alike, and League of Legends remains one of its most popular categories.
Across 2022, the MOBA title ranked second (only behind Grand Theft Auto V) for total hours viewed with 1.77 billion. And the numbers continue to hold strong for Riot, with LoL actually closing in March 2023 as the most popular game on the platform with 120 million viewer hours in the bank.
American streamer Tyler “loltyler1” Steinkamp remains the world’s most popular LoL streamer, boasting over 4.5 million followers. Steinkamp, known for his brash personality in the server, was actually banned by Riot between 2016-2018 but smashed the concurrent viewership record on Twitch following his return when he hit 382,000 viewers.
Kelsie “KayPea” Pelling has been a huge figure in the League of Legends community since launching her Twitch profile in 2013. A skilled Mid-Laner in the game, she has 797k followers on the platform and is the only female League streamer in the top ten streamers for the game.
And, despite the obvious popularity of the game, the amount of active streamers playing League of Legends isn’t as large as you might think. 191K active streamers played LoL in December 2022, putting the game behind Grand Theft Auto V, Apex Legends, Minecraft, Call of Duty, Overwatch, Valorant and Fortnite.
