Why We Play League of Legends - it's because it's free ... right?

Maybe it’s how the game invigorates us with a unique, in-depth lore and complex storyline. Or it’s the wonderful, judgement free community that makes us feel welcome every game that we enter. Some even whisper that it’s because of the amount of puns we hear every day in its pro-scene that keeps us coming back. Whatever the reason is, League’s success has baffled experts of the older generation since it’s free to play business deal seems like it should backfire, and the amount of money generated by Riot seems to be the exact opposite of a game that advertises itself as free. But its powers extend far beyond simple economics and business plans. League of Legends baffles the public with it's freedom.

And that’s exactly one of the most appealing factors of League of Legends. It is a free game that requires no payment. Just log onto the website, click the download button, and wait while your toaster powers through your dial-up connection. Soon enough, you’re playing the game. Sure, the client is still as ancient as your parents, but the game has an appealing and charming factor to it. Surely it’s because a group of your friends keep reminding you it is the most played game in the world, and you’re forced to watch cable while the bunch of them sit around and play League.

There certainly is a peer pressure aspect to it. With over 50 million players, it is a tour de force in gaming with a massive community, and a few friends are probably a part of it. So they always need “one more player” for their “ranked 5’s team,” whatever the hell that means. But the game seems to just be growing, and as more of your friends start to play, the pressure to download it increases. Some are reluctant, but after a couple of months they are ravenously playing the game, addicted to it and talking about some guy called WildTurtle and the BjergerKing. Of course, you automatically think of a domestic turtle as you vainly try to reject League of Legends as it picks your friends off one by one. But it just looks so darn fun.

So you’ve finally crumbled. The game is just small enough that your toaster can run it decently, and as long as your mom stays off the landline you're fine. After playing through the bizarre tutorial as some frost archer lady called Ashe, you’re with your friends in a bot game and they do their best to contain their rage as you unknowingly run into the turrets. But now you’re confused why their characters look slightly different. Why is that little rat thing an astronaut? It sure looks cool, and once the in-game currency is explained, you soon enough buy that cool Steel-Legion Garen skin because he is the only champion you can play and it’s only a couple of dollars, right? Right?

Fast forward some and you’re like your friends were a couple of months prior. You’ve suddenly become like a missionary of old, trying to convince everyone you know that League of Legends is better than their game. Whatever they’re playing is worse, and they’re bad gamers for not accepting the Prophet Crumbzz. You’re now one with the community, running around yelling “kappa” and calling the game “LoL of Legends” who was made by the almighty Rito. The game has an effect similar to indoctrination, but you’re having so much fun you hardly care. You jokingly talk about doing “things” for RP, even though deep down you know your addiction to buying the latest skin is too powerful to resist. Trinity Force does puns of damage and Faker is still your God, regardless of whether or not SKT make it through LCK.

The game is just so fun, and it isn’t until later that you realize you’re nearly broke, doing what you can to get more money for that next skin for that champion you never play. It doesn’t matter because the game didn’t cost you a dime to get, right? Religiously watching the LCS, both EU and NA, you see that you’ve used the entire day just so you can see CLG vs. TSM and hope that your fantasy bracket doesn’t get trashed. The game has become a central part of life and at one point you see that you’ve started scheduled around the game and the LCS. You’re silver 2 in reality, but on Reddit everyone is challenjour so you have a ranked 5s team with your friends. As another DEFEAT pops up on your screen, you start to hate the game and wonder why you even played it in the first place. The more you evaluate your actions, the question becomes more demanding. Why did you start playing League of Legends?

It’s because it’s free…Right?