League of Legends is one of the most popular games in the world, where a player can fight with endless strategy, having huge champions. But having all champions of the game may be an even greater challenge compared to mastering the strategies. According to recent analysis, it might take several years for an average player to unlock all champions in LoL.
Since this has come to light, many discussions have arisen about the in-game economy, time investment, and if the game's progression system is fair. Now, let's go into detail.
League of Legends gates its champions behind either in-game currency or real money purchases. This does provide some flexibility in how players can unlock champions, but greatly increases the grind on players who want to unlock the full roster.
LoL consistently introduces new champions to keep the game fresh, but this also means the number of champions players need to unlock keeps growing.
There are currently over 160 champions in the game, and the number increases every year.
New champions typically cost more in Blue Essence or Riot Points, adding to the challenge.
Players earn Blue Essence through gameplay, but the process is slow and requires a substantial time investment.
The average amount of Blue Essence earned per match is relatively low.
Champions range in price from 450 to 6300 Blue Essence, making it a lengthy grind to unlock even a handful of champions.
For players who want to avoid the grind, spending real money is also an option. Here, too, there are involved costs:
One can buy champions with Riot Points, but they are roughly $10 to $15 each.
If one were to unlock all of them this way, it would cost thousands of dollars, which is just too much for most players.
This business model has received considerable criticism because this is a lot for some players, especially those who are newer or casual.
The League of Legends community has mixed opinions on this matter:
Supporters: Many players believe the current system provides a long-term goal and prevents new players from being overwhelmed by having access to every champion immediately.
Critics: Others argue that the grind is too steep and that the pricing model could deter newcomers from engaging with the game.
Riot Games has taken steps in the past to address concerns about champion accessibility, including:
Offering free champion rotations to give players a chance to try different champions.
Increasing Blue Essence rewards during events.
However, fully addressing this issue would require significant changes, such as:
Lowering champion prices.
Introducing new methods to earn Blue Essence faster.
Given the earnings for Blue Essence at present, it might take several years to unlock all champions without spending money, considering the player invests a lot of time and taking part in events granting bonus rewards.
League of Legends offers an amazing gaming experience, but the full unlocking of its champion roster is a task that can be done either with a long-term commitment or a financial investment.
This may be too much for a new player, but to the more dedicated, it is a means of progression and sense of accomplishment. Whether Riot Games will ever change this system is anybody's guess, but one thing is for certain: it isn't easy to unlock all the champions within League of Legends.