When it comes to the most successful games in Vietnam over the past few years, League of Legends is undoubtedly one of them. It remains the most popular game today, even as it enters its 10th year, a remarkably high number compared to the average lifespan of a product in the “smokeless industry”.
The game was first released at the end of 2009, and League of Legends was warmly embraced by the gaming community, quickly becoming a global phenomenon. From 2012 to 2013, League of Legends transformed the online gaming market in Vietnam dramatically, with the positive core values the game brought. It also propelled Vietnamese eSports to make significant strides towards professionalism and some achievements on the international stage.
So what are the factors that have helped League of Legends endure and thrive over time? For many young people in Vietnam, League of Legends is not just a game; it represents youth, passion, enthusiasm, beautiful years of the past, and endless joy for the future. Let’s explore!
Among the online games rated as appealing on PC, League of Legends belongs to the strategy genre that requires the highest teamwork. Not only does individual skill matter, but the coordination of the entire team must reach a level of harmony to achieve victory.
In the professional arena (or specifically at high ranks), having a better strategic mindset than the opponent is a significant advantage. Players know how to read the game, place wards to predict the opponent’s movements, and make decisions that bring advantages to themselves. At the same time, effective team coordination maximizes a player’s strategic thinking.
This is what creates the attraction and a large community of players. Who doesn’t want to showcase their skills and, of course, enjoy victory with friends?
Broadly speaking, League of Legends can also be considered an excellent role-playing game. Each player takes on the role of a champion in the League, each with its strengths and weaknesses, depending on the skill set that the champion possesses.
It is an easy game to play but difficult to master; players must train a lot, evaluated through mastery points. Once reaching Mastery 7 with millions of points, anyone who sees it must look up in admiration…
Particularly, in League of Legends, no champion is deemed the strongest (perhaps just the most broken because Riot hasn’t had time to fix it :v). Ultimately, success or failure depends on skill; if you lose, it’s just that you’re not… skilled enough. This makes League of Legends an addictive role-playing game, as you always need to strive to improve yourself.
Another reason is that League of Legends is always evolving. In its early days, the game had a cartoonish and quite unattractive graphic style, but just a few years later, it underwent a complete transformation. From the map interface, champions, to skins, everything became cooler and more eye-catching. This shows the meticulousness and investment from Riot to please the players.
Regular updates continuously enhance the visuals in the game. The reason the game has maintained its position for so many years is largely due to this.
Few online games invest in their storyline like League of Legends. The game’s content tells the story of the battle between two mystical lands from ancient times. Each champion and land has a specific role. And if you were to tell the origin of just one champion, you would have to sit and read for an entire day with dozens of pages…
Riot has connected many details to create a coherent story, which is both fantastical yet logical and compelling.
The reasons are quite evident; besides the engaging gameplay that is easy to pick up, League of Legends is also a lightweight game. Even a regular word-processing computer can run the game smoothly, which is something that many current online games struggle to achieve.
Moreover, for gamers who may not have high-end setups, League of Legends does not require anything extravagant. No money to buy champions? No problem, you can grind for points to unlock them. No money for skins? You can still play comfortably in the default style of… Faker.
There are too many reasons for League of Legends to stand the test of time. And perhaps it will be a long time before another game can topple the foundation that this game has built in the hearts of Vietnamese gamers.