The Immortality of League of Legends Thanks to K-Pop

• League of Legends' unparalleled success and innovation since 2009.
• Riot Games' engagement strategies including music videos and virtual bands.
• Introduction of virtual bands like Pentakill, K/DA, True Damage, and HeartSteel.
• South Korea as the capital of esports and its representation in Worlds 2023.
• Riot Games' integration of music and esports, expanding the game's universe.

The Unparalleled Success of League of Legends

League of Legends, a multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) game, has consistently remained popular since its release in 2009. The game's unique approach and consistent innovation have made it a point of reference in the gaming industry, often imitated but never accurately replicated.

Keeping Fans Engaged

Riot Games, the developer of League of Legends, has managed to keep the game fresh and engaging over the years by creatively utilizing the game's intellectual property. For instance, in 2013, Riot Games released a dedicated music video for the new character, Jinx. This move stirred up excitement among the fans and paved the way for more similar ventures.

Following this success, Riot introduced Pentakill in 2014, a virtual heavy metal band within the League of Legends universe. This band has released three albums to date, further proving the success of this innovative approach.

Virtual Bands in the Game Universe

Riot Games took things a notch higher by introducing virtual K-pop group K/DA and hip-hop group True Damage, which included renowned pop stars like Soyeon from the K-pop group (G)I-dle, Becky G, and Madison Beer. The most recent addition to the game's universe is HeartSteel, a virtual boy group featuring artists ØZI, Tobi Lou, Cal Scruby, and Baekhyung from the popular K-pop group, EXO.

Music and League of Legends

Today, 29 out of the 30 most popular videos on the League of Legends YouTube channel are music videos. This trend was clearly visible during this year's World Championship in Seoul, which demonstrated how the game has evolved beyond its original medium to become a significant cultural phenomenon.

The Capital of Esports: South Korea

South Korea, known as the "capital of esports", was home to 40 out of the 110 players competing in Worlds 2023. The finalists were China's Weibo Gaming and South Korea's T1, featuring star player Lee Sang-hyeok, also known as "Faker". Faker is considered the greatest of all time (GOAT) in League of Legends, and his representation of South Korea is a matter of national pride.

Integrating Music and Esports

Riot Games has effectively merged music and esports in a unique way. They collaborated with K-pop girl group NewJeans to create the opening anthem for Worlds 23, "Gods". This song, with its dramatic instrumentation and soaring vocals, was a stark departure from NewJeans' typical bubbly pop sound, marking a significant moment in the band's rising career.

More Than Just a Gimmick

While Riot's K-Pop collaborations may seem like a marketing strategy, they have a profound impact on the player base and contribute to the game's universe in meaningful ways. Maria Egan, Riot's global head of music and events, explains that these collaborations are about "bringing incredible music and pop culture into our world and mixing those elements together".

Expanding the Game's Universe

Riot's music arm has become another way to attract new fans to the game's universe. Despite not having extensive catalogs, K/DA and True Damage have amassed huge fan bases, even among those who have never played League of Legends.

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