Parents’ Ultimate Guide to League of Legends
- Everything you need to know about this popular online video game.
In the age of technology, it is not uncommon to see more and more children start to spend hours playing video games. Combat games have especially been growing in popularity recently. So what about League of Legends? What do you do in it? Is it like Minecraft? These tips and answers will help you get started in learning important things about the video game your child plays and what you can do to get involved with their hobby.
- What is League of Legends?[draven-pose] League of Legends is an extremely popular online PC game created by Riot Games. The game has over millions of players that go online worldwide every day. The game features many fantasy elements and violence and has over a hundred characters that a player can pick from and play. Matches can be played with either friends or strangers or both. Matches can take from 15 to 40 minutes long or even more. League of Legends also has many popular streamers on the streaming platform, Twitch.tv. Some of these streamers are even famous singers or retired basketball players, such as Imagine Dragons and Rick Fox. The game is also an eSport where it is played professionally in an annual international competition. Teams that win their regional league fight against each other in a stadium in front of hundreds of thousands of viewers. Winning teams can win up to a million dollars in prize money.
- Is it appropriate for children?[garen-swing] Although a few characters in League of Legends have sexual themes and the game is centered around killing your opponents, it is not much different and maybe even more child-friendly than many of the popular games today. There are options in the settings of League of Legends to block out curse words so your kid cannot see it. Additionally, sexual themes are extremely small and only in the art design page of characters. A parents’ e-mail can also be linked to your child’s League of Legends account to help monitor your child’s purchases and keep their account safe.
- What do you do in League of Legends?[vayne-pose] In League of Legends, players queue up for matches against another team. Each team consists of five players who start on opposite sides of the map. The purpose of the game is to destroy the enemy team’s Nexus in order to win. To accomplish this, players must work together in a team of five to take down structures, monsters, and opponents. These small objectives grant the team gold, an in-game currency that allows the players to buy items from the shop. The items provide boosts that help to make their character stronger. This is a game that is very communication heavy, which can be done through “pings” or quick notifications on a person’s screen, chat messages, or voice channels.
- So what’s so exciting about League of Legends? Why play?[sg-zephyr] Just like basketball, League of Legends is about the excitement of winning or losing based on a player’s personal skill and teamwork skill. In League of Legends, players can improve their personal skill and game mechanism. Over time, they may even choose to specialize in a specific character or multiple characters. There are 143 different characters that they can choose from to play each match, and each of these 143 characters have 4 different spells. As a result, there are many different combinations that can occur each match and it is extremely rare to see the same combination of characters twice. Each match is different and there are many things a player can improve at. Also, since League of Legends is communication-oriented, it is an easy way to make friends. The game is often much more fun and exciting when playing with friends, and kids may feel less pressured and more relaxed this way.
- Should I be worried about how much my kid plays?[sona-playing] Not unless they are not eating, exercising, or doing their homework! It is not unusual for matches to take almost an hour. It is even less unusual for people to play multiple matches in a day. Many players play on average 3-4 games a day. It is similar to watching television or going shopping for a few hours. If it is a hobby they enjoy, then as a parent you should let them enjoy it! Restricting their game time until their responsibilities are finished may be beneficial in some cases, however prohibiting video games outright will only make them feel controlled and upset! It is okay to let your child have fun sometimes, and League of Legends should not be a huge source of worry.
- Is League of Legends beneficial in any way?[sg-soraka] Long answer short, yes. League of Legends has more advantages than disadvantages. First of all, League of Legends teaches kids how to find their individuality. Many of the characters have voice lines that show their personality, from bubbly to strong-willed to comical. Additionally, players can customize their character with a “skin” and also discover their own unique playstyles. Players can play safely, aggressively, or have a mix of both. League of Legends can also teach kids how to defy gender stereotypes! With 143 characters, many of these feature strong-willed, independent women or men who enjoy having long hair.
Secondly, League of Legends teaches kids how to make quick decisions and multi-task. In this action-heavy game, every second counts and players must react in time or their character may die. It is also important to be able to keep track of many things, such as when does the enemy respawn? Where is the enemy? How can we take down the dragon before the enemy? It is easy to learn leadership and teamwork skills through League of Legends where you are able to practice managing your team and working with others.
Finally, League of Legends teaches patience. Everyone loves intense action. However, sometimes in League of Legends, the smarter but harder choice is to not do anything and wait for your character to get stronger. Many kids can often get impatient and end up losing due to their irrationality. However, the game teaches them that patience can be highly beneficial in the end.
- Is there any way I can benefit my kid’s gaming experience?[vlad-salute] Yes! If they are in a match, let them finish. It is an online game so it cannot be paused since it is against real people. There is also a lot of action in the game, so every second count. They must focus all of their attention on the game to play their best. Additionally, matches can take anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour. If you can, remind them earlier if they need to do something soon such as a dentist’s appointment or chores. Also, teaching your kids how to take criticism well and be nice to others is a good lesson. League of Legends has a lot of communication and interaction with other players. Not all players are nice, and some can be very mean for no reason at all. This is a good chance for kids to learn how to talk with people with many different attitudes.