League of Legends is one of the most popular video games on the planet. Despite being around since 2009 and amassing more than 180 million players, Summoner’s Rift still manages to surprise with a treasure trove of secrets.
Read on for 7 facts you might not have known about League of Legends until now.
1. Louis Vuitton and LoL
It’s not often that the world of high fashion and gaming collide. However, League of Legends is something of a trendsetter.
Back in 2019, French fashion house Louis Vuitton unveiled a capsule collection inspired by the world of Summoner’s Rift.
These designer garments might have been beyond the budgets of most League fans, but this unique collaboration has continued to this day.
Back in 2020, Riot Games announced it would be releasing Louis Vuitton inspired skins as part of a True Damage collection. These skins can be used to customize champions including Senna, Yasuo, and Akali.
2. The Most Popular LoL Streamer Was Once Banned by Riot Games
https://youtu.be/2BheJ0gKFWA
For many LoL enthusiasts, streaming is where the big money lies. For several years, Tyler Steinkamp has been the most-viewed streamer on the planet.
Better known as “tyler1” and later “loltyler1”, Steinkamp has more than 4.9 million subscribers on Twitch and is one of the highest-earning streamers of all time. Despite his success, it hasn’t always been smooth sailing for Steinkamp.
Back in 2016, he received a 2-year ban for inflammatory language and disruptive behavior. In 2018, he returned with a new moniker and broke existing concurrent viewer records.
3. It’s a Massive Earner for Riot Games
With more than 180 million players worldwide, it’s little surprise that League of Legends generates significant revenue for Riot Games.
In 2020 alone, League of Legends netted Riot Games more than $1.75 billion. However, even this eye-watering sum falls short of the record $2.1 billion brought in by LoL during 2017.
4. Anivia is the Least Played Champion
There are more than 150 champions to choose from, so it’s no surprise that some heroes go largely unnoticed by the playing community.
However, some champions are far less popular than others. At the time of writing, the least played LoL champion was Anivia.
Despite a paltry pick rate, this champion has a surprisingly impressive win rate of more than 50%. Why is Anivia so unpopular?
For starters, she requires substantial mana usage to be of any use on the battlefield. Furthermore, her attacks take longer than those of other champions, leaving her exposed to enemies.
5. Some Champions Have a Family Connection
One of the biggest draws of League of Legends is its fascinating mythology. Although the backstories of some champions intertwine on occasion, only a handful of the champion line-up has direct connections. Cases in point are Talon, Katarina, and Cassiopeia.
The three are actually related. Katarina is Cassiopeia’s older sister, while Talon entered the fold late as an adopted sibling. Naturally, there are some complicated family dynamics at work here.
6. Lord of the Rings is a Source of Inspiration
With both franchises occupying the genre, it’s little wonder that League of Legends took some inspiration from Tolkein’s fantasy epic.
One of the biggest nods is the character of Aatrox. Released back in 2013, this champion’s design was heavily influenced by Sauron, the legendary antagonist of the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
It’s no surprise that Mike Laygo, one of the chief animators responsible for the design of Aatrox, previously worked on licensed Lord of the Rings games before turning his attention to League of Legends.
7. Does Someone Sound Familiar?
With so many champions to cast, a little similarity is to be expected. However, if you’ve ever been in the midst of a match or following the LoL schedule and noticed champions speaking in the same voice, you’re not going mad.
Voice actress Karen Strassman lends her vocal talents to no less than five League of Legends champions, including Cassiopeia, Elise, Shyvan, Fiora, and Zyra.
