Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com Joystiq http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/http://www.joystiq.com/media/feedlogo.gif Joystiq http://www.joystiq.com en-us Copyright 2015 AOL, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Jam out to The Music of League of Legends]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/jam-out-to-the-music-of-league-of-legends/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/jam-out-to-the-music-of-league-of-legends/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/27/jam-out-to-the-music-of-league-of-legends/#comments

Today, this is our jam. The Music of League of Legends - Volume 1 collects 15 new and classic songs from League of Legends, available to download for free or for listening on YouTube.

"The amount of blood, sweat, and tears that went into this project makes me so fucking grateful to be surrounded by such talented nerds," Riot Associate Brand Manager Tyler Eltringham said on Facebook. "This is the music of League."

Show your earholes some love today and give Music of League a listen.

JoystiqJam out to The Music of League of Legends originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 27 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmusicpcriotriot-gamesthe-music-of-league-of-legendsTue, 27 Jan 2015 16:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends Amumu music video is a tear-jerker]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/league-of-legends-amumu-music-video-is-a-tear-jerker/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/league-of-legends-amumu-music-video-is-a-tear-jerker/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/26/league-of-legends-amumu-music-video-is-a-tear-jerker/#comments

Amumu is the saddest of all League of Legends champions - as he wanders around Summoner's Rift, he says things like, "Come play with me," "Let me give you a hug" and "Where are we going?" with the most broken, depressing inflection. See, Amumu is cursed with eternal sadness and an inability to make friends, as Riot's new music video, "The Curse of the Sad Mummy," demonstrates with beautiful, terrible clarity.

Ugh. You can sit with us, Amumu! See the video and Amumu's creative spotlight on the official League of Legends site.
[Image: Riot]

JoystiqLeague of Legends Amumu music video is a tear-jerker originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 26 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Amumuleague-of-legendspcriotriot-gamesMon, 26 Jan 2015 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends studio CEO headlines DICE summit]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/league-of-legends-studio-ceo-headlines-dice-summit/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/league-of-legends-studio-ceo-headlines-dice-summit/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/23/league-of-legends-studio-ceo-headlines-dice-summit/#comments Riot Games CEO Brandon Beck is the opening keynote speaker at the 2015 DICE summit in Las Vegas, The Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences announced in a press release this week. Beck founded Riot, the studio behind League of Legends, in 2006. He's poised to take the DICE stage on Wednesday, February 4.

Also scheduled to talk at DICE is Monolith Design Director Michael de Plater, CastAR co-founder Jeri Ellsworth, Ubisoft's New IP Editorial Director Tommy Francois, Funomena CEO Robin Hunicke, and Twitch COO Kevin Lin, among others. See the full lineup in the below press release.

DICE runs from February 3 - 5 at the Hard Rock Hotel Las Vegas. The talks and 2015 DICE Awards will be streamed on twitch.tv/dice from February 4 - 5.
[Image: Riot]

Continue reading League of Legends studio CEO headlines DICE summit

JoystiqLeague of Legends studio CEO headlines DICE summit originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 23 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>brandon-beckDICEdice-2015dice-summitkeynoteleague-of-legendsriot-gamesFri, 23 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends hikes across Europe for 2015 Worlds]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/league-of-legends-hikes-across-europe-for-2015-worlds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/league-of-legends-hikes-across-europe-for-2015-worlds/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/22/league-of-legends-hikes-across-europe-for-2015-worlds/#comments The 2015 League of Legends World Championships will again span multiple cities and multiple countries, though this year it will all be in Europe. The 2014 World Championships spanned Taipei, Singapore and Korea, and Korean team Samsung White took home the trophy.

Riot Games has yet to announce which European cities will host Worlds this year, but it should release details in "the coming months," the company says in a blog post.

"Europe has been a home for LoL esports since the very first steps in our journey," the post reads. "It's the setting for the EU LCS, the host for many memorable esports tournaments and events, (including our inaugural World Championship in 2011, IEM, Dreamhack, and last year's All Star tournament) and the home of some of the most talented players to dominate the game. It feels great to bring the 2015 Championship back to players and fans who have played such a big part in our story."

Even if you're not a pro League of Legends player, you can get in on the eSports action with some fantasy gaming. The EU LCS Spring tournament kicks off today; watch it here.

JoystiqLeague of Legends hikes across Europe for 2015 Worlds originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 22 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>lcs-2015league-of-legendsleague-of-legends-world-championshipspcriot-gamesThu, 22 Jan 2015 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Former pro League of Legends team opens wallets to fantasy eSports]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/former-pro-league-of-legends-team-opens-wallets-to-fantasy-espor/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/former-pro-league-of-legends-team-opens-wallets-to-fantasy-espor/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/13/former-pro-league-of-legends-team-opens-wallets-to-fantasy-espor/#comments Former League of Legends team Vulcun started a new fantasy eSports website, offering a $250,000 prize pool for League of Legends spectators. Much like other fantasy sports such as baseball and football, players participate in daily challenges by selecting a team of competitors during the upcoming 2015 League of Legends Championship Series. Also like other daily fantasy sports challenges, both of Vulcun's free and paid leagues work on a salary cap basis; the best League of Legends players in the LCS will be more expensive to roster, so fantasy players will need to be discerning about the athletes they add to their teams.

Founded by Ali Moiz and Murtaza Hussain, Vulcun earned $1.3 million in funding from investors such as eVentures, Battery Ventures and 500Startups, and the team plans to "re-invest every single dollar we make at increasing the prize pool for League fans." While this season's fantasy League of Legends prize pool is $250,000, Vulcun's next goal is to reach $1 million. The next LCS season begins on January 22, so those interested in Vulcun's fantasy challenges will need to request an invite to its closed beta. As League of Legends continues to grow in popularity as a competitive sport, universities are awarding scholarships to student eSports athletes.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqFormer pro League of Legends team opens wallets to fantasy eSports originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 13 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2015-lcsesportsfantasyfantasy-baseballfantasy-footballfantasy-league-of-legendsfantasy-sportsLCSleague-of-legendsleague-of-legends-championship-seriespcriot-gamesvulcunTue, 13 Jan 2015 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Second US university extends League of Legends scholarships]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/second-us-university-extends-league-of-legends-scholarships/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/second-us-university-extends-league-of-legends-scholarships/http://www.joystiq.com/2015/01/07/second-us-university-extends-league-of-legends-scholarships/#comments A second school, Kentucky's University of Pikeville, has decided to join Illinois' Robert Morris University in offering scholarships to talented League of Legends players.

This fall, the University of Pikeville will offer "at least 20 scholarships" to League of Legends players who will be treated much like other student athletes. "They'll have to have a certain GPA," said University of Pikeville new media director Bruce Parsons. "We'll look at them like student athletes. There will be practice time and video time when they have to study other teams for upcoming competitions." According to Parsons, the University of Pikeville League of Legends team will begin official tournament competition shortly after the start of the fall term.

Despite NPR's flippancy, this makes a lot of sense, both for the students and the schools. While nowhere near as popular as the NFL or NBA, eSports has been growing exponentially of late - the Dota 2 International 2014 tournament was recently televised on one of the lesser ESPNs - which both affords gamers a scholarship opportunity and offers a new potential revenue stream for the increasingly large number of universities in danger of losing control over their other revenue-generating sports programs.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqSecond US university extends League of Legends scholarships originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 07 Jan 2015 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collegeesportsleague-of-legendsriot-gamesscholarshipuniversity-of-pikevilleWed, 07 Jan 2015 15:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends' Halloween event is positively Harrowing]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/10/25/league-of-legends-halloween-event-is-positively-harrowing/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/10/25/league-of-legends-halloween-event-is-positively-harrowing/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/10/25/league-of-legends-halloween-event-is-positively-harrowing/#comments The Harrowing, League of Legends' Halloween-themed event, has begun. To celebrate the spookiest of holidays, developer Riot Games has released two new skins, three new player icons, re-released more than a dozen old skins, introduced a new mode and produced a new cinematic video explaining the in-game lore behind The Harrowing.

Champions LeBlanc - a powerful illusionist mage - and Wukong - a monkey martial artist - are the lucky recipients of new skins, while fan-favorite skins like Kitty Cat Katarina and Definitely Not Blitzcrank have made a return. Prices vary wildly for all of the skins available, so check out Riot's full list to see how much it'll cost to deck your favorite champion out in some sweet costumes.

Once you're dressed for battle, you can head into League's Hexakill mode. Hexakill, which pits two teams of six against one another, debuted earlier this year on the game's 5v5 map. This time, the chaos is contained to Twisted Treeline, League's smaller 3v3 map that just so happens to also feature an enormous spider monster. "Claustrophobes - and arachnophobes - need not apply," reads a description on the official announcement.

To learn what The Harrowing is all about, check out a new cinematic after the break.

Continue reading League of Legends' Halloween event is positively Harrowing

JoystiqLeague of Legends' Halloween event is positively Harrowing originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 25 Oct 2014 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>halloweenleague-of-legendsmacpcriot-gamesthe-harrowingSat, 25 Oct 2014 12:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Samsung White wins League 2014 World Championship]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/10/19/samsung-white-wins-league-2014-world-championship/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/10/19/samsung-white-wins-league-2014-world-championship/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/10/19/samsung-white-wins-league-2014-world-championship/#comments Korean pro-gaming team Samsung Galaxy White has taken home the championship title and $1 million prize from the 2014 League of Legends World Championship, developer Riot Games announced today. The team went 3-1 against Chinese team Star Horn Royal Club, dominating their rivals in the first two matches, faltering on the third, and finally sealing the tournament on the fourth.

Samsung White's Mata, who functions as the team's support role, won the title of 2014 World Championship MVP, finishing the tournament with 18 kills, 27 deaths and 253 assists. Samsung White lost only two games throughout the entire 2014 tournament, one less than 2013 champions SK Telecom T1. This is the second year in a row that Star Horn Royal Club has taken runner-up.

Last year's World Championship totaled 32 million viewers, the highest number in eSports recorded history. Riot has not yet released the numbers for the 2014 World Championship.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqSamsung White wins League 2014 World Championship originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 19 Oct 2014 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinaesportskorealeague-of-legendslolmacpcriot-gamessamsung-galaxy-whiteworld-championshipSun, 19 Oct 2014 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Korean League of Legends shoutcasters are too much fun]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/29/korean-league-of-legends-shoutcasters-are-too-much-fun/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/29/korean-league-of-legends-shoutcasters-are-too-much-fun/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/29/korean-league-of-legends-shoutcasters-are-too-much-fun/#comments

Riot's shoutcasters - the hosts, analysts and interviewers on the ground during League of Legends tournaments - are professional, friendly and informative across the board, but there's something special about the Korean casters. Something energetic, frenzied and, most importantly, so much fun. YouTube user BaegMon collected a few stand-out moments from Korean shoutcasters during groups A and B in the 2014 League of Legends Worlds tournament earlier in September.

The 2014 League of Legends World Championship is heading into its Knockout Stage, slated to start on October 3. The Finals take place on October 19. See who's in, who's out, and the tournament schedule at lolesports.
[Image: Riot]

JoystiqKorean League of Legends shoutcasters are too much fun originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 29 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Korealeague-of-legendspcriotriot-gamesshoutcasterMon, 29 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Play League of Legends in college, win scholarship money]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/23/play-league-of-legends-in-college-win-scholarship-money/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/23/play-league-of-legends-in-college-win-scholarship-money/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/23/play-league-of-legends-in-college-win-scholarship-money/#comments The League of Legends North American Collegiate Championship returns for the 2014 - 2015 season with a larger competition layout and new region splits. Last year, 540 teams competed from 300 universities across the US and Canada.

"This year, the competition's even bigger," Riot says. "The season now spans the entire academic year and we've split North America into four competitive regions: North, South, East and West. We're also making it easier for new players and teams to compete by collaborating with four community partners with a solid history of running League tournaments."

The Qualifiers kick off on October 17 and registration for both the Ivy League of Legends and Collegiate Star League tracks are open from now through October 16. Two additional, shorter Qualifier rounds hosted by TeSPA and WellPlayed Productions take place in early 2015. Each Qualifier track crowns one winning team per region, for a total of 16 groups in the playoffs. The playoffs should be held around April or May 2015, Riot says, and the North American Championship will take place in Los Angeles, California, later in 2015.

The top four teams win scholarship money: $30,000 per team member for first place, $15,000 each for second, and $7,500 each for third and fourth. See the full registration schedule and rules in the NACC FAQ, and check out your school's clubs here. Good luck, Summoners of academia!
[Image: Riot]

JoystiqPlay League of Legends in college, win scholarship money originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 23 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>collegeleague-of-legendsnaccpcriotriot-gamesscholarshipsuniversityTue, 23 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends, Imagine Dragons team for Worlds song]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/18/league-of-legends-and-imagine-dragons-team-for-championship-song/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/18/league-of-legends-and-imagine-dragons-team-for-championship-song/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/18/league-of-legends-and-imagine-dragons-team-for-championship-song/#comments

The League of Legends World Championship is so on, with 16 teams competing for the top spot across a road show of tournament locations in Singapore, Taiwan and South Korea. The Championship ends at the home of the 2002 FIFA World Cup, Sangam Stadium in Seoul, on October 19. See? ESports are sporty.

To kick off the Championship, the band Imagine Dragons contributed a song for another stunning piece of animation from Riot, this time in a more cartoony style than its standard cinematics. "While working on the next album, we took a break to collab with League of Legends (our favorite game) on a song," the band tweeted. Download the song here and see the League of Legends World Championship stream schedule here.

JoystiqLeague of Legends, Imagine Dragons team for Worlds song originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 18 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>imagine-dragonslcs-2014league-of-legendsleague-of-legends-world-championshipspcriot-gamessongsThu, 18 Sep 2014 19:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Heroes of the Storm is late to the MOBA party, but Blizzard isn't worried]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/03/heroes-of-the-storm-is-late-to-the-moba-party-but-blizzard-isn/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/03/heroes-of-the-storm-is-late-to-the-moba-party-but-blizzard-isn/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/03/heroes-of-the-storm-is-late-to-the-moba-party-but-blizzard-isn/#comments Blizzard's upcoming MOBA, Heroes of the Storm, has a lengthy development history. Officially, development on the game began in 2010. The full story however, goes back to 2002, with the release of Warcraft 3: Reign of Chaos and a mod called "Defense of the Ancients" (DOTA).

If that acronym sounds familiar, it's probably because it's also the name of Valve's popular game, Dota 2. If you're confused on the capitalization, the former is an acronym while the latter doesn't stand for anything. As for why Valve would use the name of a mod created for a competing company's game and why Blizzard would let go of the name that kickstarted a genre worth hundreds of millions of dollars well ... there's a story there, too.

Continue reading Heroes of the Storm is late to the MOBA party, but Blizzard isn't worried

JoystiqHeroes of the Storm is late to the MOBA party, but Blizzard isn't worried originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 03 Sep 2014 20:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddotadota-2icefrogleague-of-legendsmobamodpcriot-gamesvalveWed, 03 Sep 2014 20:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Seen@PAX: A girl and her adorable teddy bear]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/seen-pax-a-girl-and-her-adorable-teddy-bear/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/seen-pax-a-girl-and-her-adorable-teddy-bear/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/09/02/seen-pax-a-girl-and-her-adorable-teddy-bear/#comments There are some video game characters and props we don't mind seeing transformed into life-sized statues - Evolve's Goliath monster is undeniably cool, and seeing the Batmobile at E3 made our feet yearn to press pedal to metal - but sometimes things you find cute and cuddly from a distance turn out to be chilling and creepy up close.

Such is the case of League of Legends' Annie, a little girl who can transform her teddy bear from being a huggable, wuv-able wittle fwend into ... well, just take a look. They call him Mister Tibbers.

JoystiqSeen@PAX: A girl and her adorable teddy bear originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 02 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>annieleague-of-legendspax-prime-2014riot-gamesseen-at-paxstatuetibbersTue, 02 Sep 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends retires skin codes to fight scam artists]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/14/league-of-legends-retires-skin-codes-to-fight-scam-artists/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/14/league-of-legends-retires-skin-codes-to-fight-scam-artists/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/07/14/league-of-legends-retires-skin-codes-to-fight-scam-artists/#comments Riot Games is retiring skin codes released prior to April 2014 in an effort to curb third-party re-selling and fraud, according to Community Coordinator Ben Forbes, AKA Riot Draggles. If you're just tuning in, skins in League of Legends change a character's visual look, so that a pirate might become a cowgirl, or a hamster-looking creature might don a spacesuit.

So what does this mean if you're a League player with your eye on that sweet new skin for your favorite champ? Nothing, actually - skins sold through the League of Legends client will still work just fine.

The new policy affects codes that are printed onto cards and given out at events such as PAX, Gamescom and Anime Expo, and only those created before April of this year. These skins, due to their limited availability, are sometimes considered rare, and thus have been sold through third-party sites at a hefty markup. Forbes wrote on the game's forums that Riot found one skin selling for more than $1,000.

If you find yourself stuck with a legitimate skin code that you haven't yet redeemed, you have until July 23 to submit a ticket to League of Legends customer support with info verifying authenticity. Visit the skin code FAQ page to learn more.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqLeague of Legends retires skin codes to fight scam artists originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 14 Jul 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmacpcriot-gamesscamskinsMon, 14 Jul 2014 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Riot Games offers new hires 'cash to quit']]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/21/riot-games-offers-new-hires-cash-to-quit/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/21/riot-games-offers-new-hires-cash-to-quit/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/21/riot-games-offers-new-hires-cash-to-quit/#comments League of Legends developer Riot Games has announced a new company initiative called Queue Dodge, which allows new North America hires to receive 10 percent of their annual salary if they leave the company within 60 days. "Basically, we're offering new hires cash to quit," the company stated.

Riot notes that this doesn't mean they want to actively push employees out or "dare them to leave," but that instead, the move is aimed at helping new hires who feel the company isn't the right fit for them find a "well-lit, safe exit path." Judging by the picture Riot chose to headline their announcement, it is also an exit path filled with memes and shiba inu dogs.

Additionally, Riot hopes to strengthen company culture. "We operate on a foundation of shared mission, values, passion, trust, and mutual respect," Riot stated in the news post revealing Queue Dodge. "If someone gags on the unique flavor of our culture, they'd be doing themselves and the company a disservice to hang on just for the paycheck."
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqRiot Games offers new hires 'cash to quit' originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 21 Jun 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>businessleague-of-legendsriot-gamesSat, 21 Jun 2014 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Illinois college offering scholarships to League of Legends players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/19/illinois-college-offering-scholarships-to-league-of-legends-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/19/illinois-college-offering-scholarships-to-league-of-legends-play/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/19/illinois-college-offering-scholarships-to-league-of-legends-play/#comments Robert Morris University in Chicago put out a call recruiting League of Legends players to its first varsity eSports team earlier this month. According to Riot Games, RMU will become the first university to offer a competitive team at the varsity level, and will offer scholarships to players "of up to 50 percent tuition and 50 percent room and board."

RMU is in the process of recruiting its team to join the Collegiate Star League (CSL) in the fall quarter, beginning in September. The CSL consists of teams from 103 educational institutions, including Arizona State, George Washington and Harvard, though RMU is the only one currently offering scholarships for competition. Robert Morris University's team comprises one varsity team and two practice teams.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqIllinois college offering scholarships to League of Legends players originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 19 Jun 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>esportsleague-of-legendspcriot-gamesrmurobert-morris-universityscholarshipsvarsityThu, 19 Jun 2014 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Riot Games summoning update to League of Legends' 5v5 map]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/07/riot-games-summoning-update-to-league-of-legends-5v5-map/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/07/riot-games-summoning-update-to-league-of-legends-5v5-map/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/07/riot-games-summoning-update-to-league-of-legends-5v5-map/#comments

Like an enemy champion leaping out from tall grass, Riot Games has revealed that League of Legends will be getting an overhaul to its 5v5 map, Summoner's Rift. According to a post highlighting some of the changes, the update is focused on five main tenets: clarity and readability, visual fidelity, gameplay, thematic cohesion and performance. So what does that mean for you?

For one, the map is getting new textures and a new color palette. The bright, saturated hues in the current map have been toned down, making minions, monsters and champions stand out more against it. The map is also being redesigned so that north and south sides more closely mirror one another, and the camera angle is being tweaked.

Monsters in the game's jungle areas are being redesigned and, in some cases, replaced with completely new ones. A frog-like creature named Gromp, for example, is a new enemy with a powerful ranged attack. Beasts also make animated entrances when players come within range, instead of instantly appearing when revealed on the map.

The Summoner's Rift update is in pre-beta, meaning it's still a ways away from being playable on either the public beta test or live game servers.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqRiot Games summoning update to League of Legends' 5v5 map originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Jun 2014 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmacpatchpcriot-gamesupdateSat, 07 Jun 2014 14:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends takes a top spot on ... iTunes?]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/04/league-of-legends-takes-the-top-spot-in-itunes-metal-albums/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/04/league-of-legends-takes-the-top-spot-in-itunes-metal-albums/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/04/league-of-legends-takes-the-top-spot-in-itunes-metal-albums/#comments Proving that you don't need to be real to earn real success, the debut album from Pentakill, a band made up of five League of Legends characters, is currently sitting at number one on the iTunes metal charts.

Look, we'd be clever and throw in a pun or two here, but this news really speaks for itself, don't you think? A real album from a fake band made up of not one, not two, but three undead - one of whom is undead because the guitarist shred so *bleep*ing hard on his axe that he went berserk and killed him - is sitting at the top of iTunes. What more can be said at that point? Here, just read the lore behind the band's legendary guitar:

Continue reading League of Legends takes a top spot on ... iTunes?

JoystiqLeague of Legends takes a top spot on ... iTunes? originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 04 Jun 2014 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>itunesleague-of-legendsmetalmusicpentakillriot-gamesseriouslysmite-and-igniteWed, 04 Jun 2014 17:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Fans watched 2.4 billion hours of eSports in 2013]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/fans-watched-2-4-billion-hours-of-esports-in-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/fans-watched-2-4-billion-hours-of-esports-in-2013/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/06/03/fans-watched-2-4-billion-hours-of-esports-in-2013/#comments Got some spare time on your hands? Apparently so, according to a recently-unveiled report from IHS Technology, which claims that people tuned into eSports-themed video programming for a total of 2.4 billion hours in 2013.

Just in case that slipped by, that's billion. With a B. Which is roughly 273,973 years.IHS expects this trend to continue, predicting that we'll watch a combined 6.6 billion hours in 2018.

Another number on the rise: advertising dollars. According to the report, eSports generated more than $32.8 million in online advertising revenue in 2013, and IHS expects that number to grow by more than 250 percent over the next four years.

League of Legends was the most-watched competitive game in 2013, followed by Dota 2 and StarCraft 2. The largest audiences for top competitive games were found in China, with silver and bronze for number of spectators going to the USA and South Korea.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqFans watched 2.4 billion hours of eSports in 2013 originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 03 Jun 2014 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>blizzarddota-2esportsihs-technologyleague-of-legendsriot-gamesstarcraft-2studyvalveTue, 03 Jun 2014 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Unity, Riot Games co-founders join AIAS board of directors]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/21/unity-riot-games-co-founders-join-aias-board-of-directors/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/21/unity-riot-games-co-founders-join-aias-board-of-directors/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/21/unity-riot-games-co-founders-join-aias-board-of-directors/#comments David Helgason, CEO and co-founder of Unity Technologies, and Brandon Beck, CEO and co-founder of Riot Games, have joined the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences' Board of Directors. For those just catching up, Unity is engine behind everything from garage development games to the upcoming Pillars of Eternity, while Riot Games is the studio behind highly-successful MOBA League of Legends. Helgason and Beck's addition to the AIAS is effective immediately, as is the promotion of Nexon America CEO Min Kim to Chairman.

Ted Price, CEO and founder of Insomniac Games and AIAS vice chairman, congratulated all three men on their new titles. "Min's industry experience, his ability to tackle tough problems creatively and his collaborative approach to leadership will help propel the AIAS forward as it tackles more and more ambitious goals," Price said in a press release."

"Furthermore congratulations and welcome to our newest board members David and Brandon. Whether it's through putting games development at the fingertips of every aspiring creator or delivering co-operative and competitive play on an unmatched global scale, Brandon and David have driven major change in our industry. We're honored that they're joining our team and we're excited to work with them in furthering the Academy's mission."
[Image: Unity/Riot Games]

Continue reading Unity, Riot Games co-founders join AIAS board of directors

JoystiqUnity, Riot Games co-founders join AIAS board of directors originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 21 May 2014 12:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>academy-of-interactive-arts-and-sciencesaiasbrandon-beckdavid-helgasonmin-kimnexon-americariot-gamesunityWed, 21 May 2014 12:25:00 EST<![CDATA[How to win more in League of Legends: play as blue team]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/20/how-to-win-more-in-league-of-legends-play-as-blue-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/20/how-to-win-more-in-league-of-legends-play-as-blue-team/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/20/how-to-win-more-in-league-of-legends-play-as-blue-team/#comments Would you believe that a team's color can influence how often they win or lose? If you're shaking your head and thinking 'of course not," The Daily Dot has some data to show you regarding wins vs. losses in League of Legends. According to the Dot's data sampling, in ranked matches with draft pick rules, the blue team won a solid 15 percent more than red team. (Note: We'd say it's more of a "byzantine magenta" than red, but to each their own.)

What's particularly interesting about the data is that the Dot attempted to eliminate as many variables as possible from its numbers, and even found data that would logically suggest blue should be losing more games. For example, the red team killed more Dragons than the blue team, and often killed Dragons before the blue team. This should give the red team a boost to their gold, allowing them to buy items and become stronger faster than their opponents. Yet clearly this didn't happen, as blue team won more often against teams ranked lower than them and against teams ranked higher than them.

There's no solid answer as to why this is happening. And while we could spend all day looking at bar graphs, it's important to remember that correlation does not imply causation. Just because it looks like the rain in Howard County, Missouri causes people to get hit by a railway train doesn't mean that's what actually happens. Likewise, there's probably more to this data than a first glance would suggest.

Or, maybe blue is just a more powerful color, like how the Green Lantern used to be weak to the color yellow. Who knows!
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqHow to win more in League of Legends: play as blue team originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 20 May 2014 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>dataleague-of-legendspcriot-gamesstatisticsTue, 20 May 2014 20:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Build your dream League team with Fantasy LCS]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/17/build-your-dream-league-team-with-fantasy-lcs/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/17/build-your-dream-league-team-with-fantasy-lcs/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/17/build-your-dream-league-team-with-fantasy-lcs/#comments

Haven't cracked the realm of League of Legends play that'll let you earn thousands of dollars from competing in the League Championship Series? Neither have a lot of other people, but that doesn't mean you can't enjoy watching the world's best compete! Riot Games is launching the beta of Fantasy LCS this summer, which will let players construct imaginary team-ups between contestants from the North American and European LCS Leagues.

Players can either join a pre-existing Fantasy LCS league or create one and invite their friends. Once a league is completely filled, players can begin selecting their roster. Teams include seven starters, which cover the top, jungler, mid, support and marksman positions in League matches, along with one extra flex player for any desired position and one real-life, non-imaginary LCS team. Participants will also pick three alternate players to sub for those in starter positions, but only starters will earn points in a league.

Starting lineups can be modified each week, allowing for reactions to a LCS player's real-world performance or to just heed gut instincts. Players that weren't selected by anyone in a league can also be swapped in from a free agent pool. After starters are decided for the week, a player's team will be matched against a competitor's in their league, earning points for the abilities of their roster both on an individual LCS player and general LCS team level. The highest-scoring team wins a week's matchup, with the overall best record earning bragging rights for a league's top player at the end of the season.

There's a fair amount of interest in Fantasy LCS, which has led to stability issues for the service, but everything is operating as normal at the time of this writing.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqBuild your dream League team with Fantasy LCS originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 17 May 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>esportsfantasy-lcsfantasy-sportsleague-championship-seriesleague-of-legendsriot-gamesSat, 17 May 2014 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Joystiq Streams: Lessons with the League of Legends voice cast [UPDATE: Relive the stream!]]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/08/joystiq-streams-lessons-with-the-league-of-legends-voice-cast/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/08/joystiq-streams-lessons-with-the-league-of-legends-voice-cast/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/05/08/joystiq-streams-lessons-with-the-league-of-legends-voice-cast/#comments

Jungling. Running your bottoms and mids. Bait, aggro, duo lane, facecheck, leash, solo top, gank, and Wota. What?

For the uninitiated, League of Legends is intimidating enough thanks to its population of roughly 30 million daily players but that's just the beginning. Standing firm between neophytes and sweet MOBA action are layers of language, rules, and skills necessary to conquer their foes. The Joystiq crew is only partially equipped for play, so we've enlisted both our own experts and the voice cast of League of Legends to help teach everyone else the ropes.

Starting at 4PM EST right here on Joystiq.com and at the Joystiq Twitch channel, we're streaming a League of Legends boot camp for new players. Joystiq's own Richard Mitchell, Sam Prell, and Jess Conditt will face off against Legends actors Danielle Macrae (Karma the Enlightened One), Cia Court (Vi the Piltover Enforcer), and Erik Braa (Vel'Koz, Draven, and Jax). Our good friend Adam Harrington of Legends and The Wolf Among Us fame will be hanging in the chat cheering on his fellows, while other members of the Joystiq crew come along for the ride. Come hang out, learn some weird stuff, and talk to some very cool people.

Joystiq Streams broadcasts every Tuesday and Thursday at 4PM EST right here on Joystiq.com and at Twitch.tv/Joystiq.

Adam Harrington can be found online at Twitter.com/HarringtonVO and on his show with Erik Braa, In the Booth. Erik Braa can be found on Twitter.com/ErikBraa, on Facebook, and YouTube. Cia Court can be found on Twitter.com/VoxGoddessVO, at her website, and at About.me/VoxGoddess. Danielle McRae can be found on Twitter.com/DanielleMcVO and at her website.

[Images: Riot Games]

JoystiqJoystiq Streams: Lessons with the League of Legends voice cast [UPDATE: Relive the stream!] originally appeared on Joystiq on Thu, 08 May 2014 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>joystiq-streamsleague-of-legendsmacpcriot-gamesThu, 08 May 2014 15:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Beefcake Braum is League of Legends' next champion]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/23/beefcake-braum-is-league-of-legends-next-champion/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/23/beefcake-braum-is-league-of-legends-next-champion/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/04/23/beefcake-braum-is-league-of-legends-next-champion/#comments

League of Legends' next champion will be the beefy barbarian Braum, developer Riot Games has revealed. The Freljord native will take up his massive shield to block projectiles and soak up damage from enemy champions. The official League of Legends site has more details on this magnificently mustachioed man, who is, according to Riot, the game's "first true tank support" character.

Braum is a support champion, meaning he won't be dealing out much damage of his own, but rather helping his teammates survive and taking the hits for them when he can. That doesn't mean he won't be useful in a fight, though. His "Winter's Bite" ability shoots a line of ice out from his shield, dealing magic damage and slowing those it catches. The "Stand By Me" ability causes Braum to leap to a nearby ally, positioning himself between them and the nearest enemy champion. This move also grants both Braum and the ally a boost to armor and magic resistance. His "Unbreakable" ability lifts Braum's shield and causes projectiles coming contact with it to be destroyed. Lastly, Braum's ultimate ability, "Glacial Fissure," sends out a long-range attack that knocks enemies into the air and slows them.

Braum is currently available on the League of Legends beta servers, and is expected to make his way to the main game soon.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqBeefcake Braum is League of Legends' next champion originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 23 Apr 2014 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendslolmacmobanew-characterpcriot-gamesWed, 23 Apr 2014 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[More Sony departures: Justin Richmond now at Riot, Seth Killian left in December]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/28/more-sony-departures-justin-richmond-now-at-riot-seth-killian/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/28/more-sony-departures-justin-richmond-now-at-riot-seth-killian/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/28/more-sony-departures-justin-richmond-now-at-riot-seth-killian/#comments Former Naughty Dog game director Justin Richmond announced he's decided to leave the company to join League of Legends studio Riot Games, while former Capcom marketing director Seth Killian revealed this week he left Sony Santa Monica back in December 2013.

Richmond's departure from Naughty Dog follows that of Uncharted writer and creative director Amy Hennig, who parted ways with the company earlier this month. While Hennig has stayed silent on her departure and the circumstances surrounding it remain unclear, Richmond gave his best wishes to his former employer in a statement to IGN.

"I have in fact made the decision to leave Naughty Dog," Richmond, who was working on Uncharted 4 as a game director, told IGN. "I love the company and the people and know that they will continue to create awesome games going forward. On a happier note, after careful consideration and exploration I have joined Riot Games. There is some really innovative stuff going on here that I can't wait to be a part of."

Killian's departure from Sony Santa Monica appears to precede the layoffs that occurred at the Californian studio last month. God of War 3 creative director Stig Asmussen has since left the studio, and it's speculated he was overseeing a AAA sci-fi project that was canceled after several years of development. As for Killian, the Street Fighter guru said he left Sony on "great terms" to pursue his own project, having joined Sony Santa Monica back in 2012.

"Hi guys, I chose to leave my Sony family back in [December] and on great terms. I was inspired by their amazing indies to do my own thing," Killian tweeted this week. "You'll see the games I had the privilege to work on at Sony soon - Santa Monica Studio has a stellar lineup coming. As for what I'm up to, stay tuned..."
[Image: Sony Computer Entertainment]

JoystiqMore Sony departures: Justin Richmond now at Riot, Seth Killian left in December originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 28 Mar 2014 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>justin-richmondNaughty-Dogriot-gamesseth-killiansonySony-Computer-Entertainmentsony-santa-monicaFri, 28 Mar 2014 08:45:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends Team Builder beta starts March 3 - trust falls not included]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/02/league-of-legends-team-builder-beta-starts-march-3-trust-falls/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/02/league-of-legends-team-builder-beta-starts-march-3-trust-falls/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/03/02/league-of-legends-team-builder-beta-starts-march-3-trust-falls/#comments Riot Games' League of Legends is built on a relatively simple premise: you and four other players each pick a character, assign yourselves a role (tank, support, etc) and use your unique abilities to destroy the enemy team and their base. But what happens when you and someone else on the team want the same role during a match? Human sacrifice, cats and dogs living together; mass hysteria, that's what! Thankfully, Riot is rolling out the Team Builder beta starting tomorrow, so we can put down the pitchforks - for awhile, anyway.

Team Builder works by having players select their champion, role and position for a match, and then attempts to match them up with other players using Team Builder until a balanced team can be formed. Theoretically, this will lead to less fighting about who plays who, goes where and does what. The Team Builder queue will be separate from others, and will only be available for unranked 5v5 matches.

Team Builder won't be sticking around forever. League players will have 48 hours from the time the beta goes live in their region until Riot closes off access. The beta will be a staggered launch, starting March 3 on the RU and EUNE servers. To see when your region is live and learn more about Team Builder, you can check out the official FAQ page.
[Image: Riot Games]

JoystiqLeague of Legends Team Builder beta starts March 3 - trust falls not included originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 02 Mar 2014 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>betaleague-of-legendsmacmid-or-feedmobapcriot-gamesteam-builderSun, 02 Mar 2014 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends to receive new champion and game mode]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/15/league-of-legends-to-receive-new-champion-and-game-mode/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/15/league-of-legends-to-receive-new-champion-and-game-mode/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/15/league-of-legends-to-receive-new-champion-and-game-mode/#comments League of Legends will be getting a new champion and game mode, developer Riot Games has announced. The new game mode, Hexakill, adds another player to each team, turning the game's typical 5v5 match into a 6v6 affair. Hexakill is part of Riot's featured gameplay modes, where players can experience experimental twists on the usual LoL formula. This also means, however, that Hexakill will only be available to play for a limited time, from February 20 to March 2.

Meanwhile, if League of Legends' next champion were in your yearbook, he'd be the kid that was always a little too into the dissection labs in Biology class. Vel'Koz, Eye of The Void, is a tentacled horror that comes to the Fields of Justice from a dimension known as The Void, where it exists as a living font of knowledge and learning. Oh, and he's here to destroy you. So yeah, just like that kid.

Continue reading League of Legends to receive new champion and game mode

JoystiqLeague of Legends to receive new champion and game mode originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 15 Feb 2014 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>character-revealleague-of-legendslolmacmobanew-characterpcriot-gamesSat, 15 Feb 2014 11:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Game Developers Choice Awards honor Anita Sarkeesian, Riot founders]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/11/game-developers-choice-awards-honor-anita-sarkeesian-riot-found/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/11/game-developers-choice-awards-honor-anita-sarkeesian-riot-found/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/02/11/game-developers-choice-awards-honor-anita-sarkeesian-riot-found/#comments Organizers of the 14th annual Game Developers Choice Awards have named this year's Special Award winners, honoring Riot Games founders Brandon Beck and Marc Merrill alongside Feminist Frequency creator Anita Sarkeesian at an upcoming ceremony event.

The event's Pioneer Award will go to Beck and Merrill for their work on the genre-defining League of Legends, an online multiplayer game that reports 27 million players daily. League of Legends has spurred exponential growth within the eSports arena, and attracts a dedicated viewership on streaming services like Twitch.

Sarkeesian will receive the GDCA's Ambassador Award, a prize honoring individuals who help the video games industry "advance to a better place" through advocacy or action. Sarkeesian promoted widespread discussion regarding video game gender roles in her Kickstarter-funded Tropes vs. Women in Video Games video series, and regularly addresses related social issues within gaming communities.

The Game Developers Choice Awards will be held on March 19 at the San Francisco Moscone Center, as part of the upcoming Game Developers Conference.

[Image: Riot Games]

Continue reading Game Developers Choice Awards honor Anita Sarkeesian, Riot founders

JoystiqGame Developers Choice Awards honor Anita Sarkeesian, Riot founders originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 11 Feb 2014 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>anita-sarkeesianesportsgame-developers-choice-awardsgame-developers-conferencegdcaleague-of-legendsriot-gamesTue, 11 Feb 2014 15:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends boasts 27 million daily players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/27/league-of-legends-boasts-27-million-daily-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/27/league-of-legends-boasts-27-million-daily-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/27/league-of-legends-boasts-27-million-daily-players/#comments Riot Games reports that its League of Legends userbase has skyrocketed to 27 million players daily, more than doubling the 12 million daily players it reported in 2012.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Riot Games additionally confirmed that up to 7.5 million users are playing League of Legends at the same time during peak hours, up from a high of 5 million concurrent users reported in March of 2013. League of Legends earned over $624 million in microtransaction revenue throughout 2013.

League of Legends enjoys continued popularity via streaming services like Twitch, and its widespread popularity led international players to be classified as professional athletes by the US government.

JoystiqLeague of Legends boasts 27 million daily players originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 27 Jan 2014 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmobapcriotriot-gamesMon, 27 Jan 2014 13:30:00 EST<![CDATA[UK porn filter blocks League of Legends update for 'sex' in file name]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/24/uk-porn-filter-blocks-league-of-legends-update-for-sex-in-file/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/24/uk-porn-filter-blocks-league-of-legends-update-for-sex-in-file/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/24/uk-porn-filter-blocks-league-of-legends-update-for-sex-in-file/#comments The anti-pornography firewall run by the UK's four top internet providers has blocked the latest League of Legends update because it happens to contain the letters "s," "e" and "x" in a row in two of its file names, The Guardian reports. The filter dings the following two files, forcing the update to fail with a "file not found" error (emphasis added):
  • XerathMageChainsExtended.luaobj
  • VarusExpirationTimer.luaobj
Reddit user LoLBoompje first reported the file error, and The Guardian says that the only recourse for those affected is to contact their internet providers and switch off the filter. The firewall is a new program and this problem should be contained to anyone who has signed up for a new ISP this month only.

JoystiqUK porn filter blocks League of Legends update for 'sex' in file name originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 24 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>firewallleague-of-legendspatchpcpornriot-gamessexukupdateFri, 24 Jan 2014 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends patch 4.1 eases the way for new players]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/15/league-of-legends-patch-4-1-eases-the-way-for-new-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/15/league-of-legends-patch-4-1-eases-the-way-for-new-players/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/15/league-of-legends-patch-4-1-eases-the-way-for-new-players/#comments Patch 4.1 for League of Legends has arrived, bringing with it a multitude of alterations and refinements. There are tons of changes to champions, items, maps and abilities, so get your cries of "RIP, <insert your favorite champion here> is nerfed!" and "<insert your most-hated champion here> is OP!" ready. The patch also adds a static roster of champions for new players, which means newcomers are no longer chained to the free-to-play rotation of playable champions. This new roster isn't live yet, though - it's set to be turned on at a later date.

According to Chris Tom, handler of Player Relations & Communications, the new roster will help get newbies accustomed to the ins and outs of League. "Our goal is to improve the way players learn to play League of Legends when they're first starting out," he writes in the patch notes. "These champions were picked because of how easy they can be learned and how enjoyable most new players find them."

Unfortunately, neither Tom nor Riot revealed which champions will be part of the static roster. That being said, it's not completely outside of reason to speculate that the selection would include champions with the "Recommended" attribute. For those unfamiliar with League, those champions are Garen (a knight), Katarina (an assassin), Nunu (a kid riding a yeti), Ryze (a sorcerer), Sona (a magic musician), Soraka (a divine healer), Taric (another knight), Tristana (a steampunk cannoneer) and Warwick (a werewolf).

JoystiqLeague of Legends patch 4.1 eases the way for new players originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 15 Jan 2014 22:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmacpatchpcriot-gamesupdateWed, 15 Jan 2014 22:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Report: World of Warcraft designer now at Riot]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/14/report-world-of-warcarft-designer-now-at-riot/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/14/report-world-of-warcarft-designer-now-at-riot/http://www.joystiq.com/2014/01/14/report-world-of-warcarft-designer-now-at-riot/#comments Greg "Ghostcrawler" Street has taken the long road to Riot Games, joining the studio in the pivotal role of lead game designer, Joystiq sister-site WoW Insider reports based on multiple sources. Street had previously held the position of lead systems designer on World of Warcraft at Blizzard, a job that gave him visibility as a franchise spokesperson and one that he vacated over five years later in 2013.

Prior to his time at Blizzard, Street spent nearly a decade at Ensemble Studios as a designer on the Age of Empires franchise. Street was the lead designer on Age of Empires 3, the last version of the game Ensemble independently developed before being shuttered in 2009.

Riot Games has only one game under its belt, but it's a big one: the wildly successful (and popular among lead designers) League of Legends, which launched in 2009.

JoystiqReport: World of Warcraft designer now at Riot originally appeared on Joystiq on Tue, 14 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Greg-StreetRiot-GamesTue, 14 Jan 2014 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Limited edition League of Legends skins making a comeback]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/13/limited-edition-league-of-legends-skins-making-a-comeback/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/13/limited-edition-league-of-legends-skins-making-a-comeback/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/13/limited-edition-league-of-legends-skins-making-a-comeback/#commentsVintage League of Legends skins making a comeback Thirty-four vintage League of Legends champion skins that had been removed from the in-game store will be making a comeback, developer Riot Games has announced. The entire set will be made available over the course of several months, with previously-retired Halloween skins coming this month, Christmas and winter skins in December, Winter Olympics skins in February, and soccer World Cup skins in June.

Of the 34 vintage skins, the most common, Bewitching Nidalee, appears once every 971 games in North America. The least common, Ice Toboggan Corki, appears once every 116,586 games in North America. "We think it's important to solve this, especially since we believe skins are primarily about self-expression and fun, not exclusivity," the company stated in its announcement.

Players who already own the skins will be compensated in several ways: they'll receive a number of Riot Points equal to the amount they originally paid for the skin, a special visual effect on their champion's image during match loading, and an exclusive summoner icon.

To see all the skins which will be re-entering the Fields of Justice, check out the official post. If you have any questions you want to ask Riot regarding the skins, they'll be holding an AMA on Reddit October 15, starting at noon, Pacific.

JoystiqLimited edition League of Legends skins making a comeback originally appeared on Joystiq on Sun, 13 Oct 2013 22:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmacmobapcriot-gamesskinsSun, 13 Oct 2013 22:30:00 EST<![CDATA[SK Telecom T1 sweeps League of Legends World Championship]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/05/sk-telecom-t1-sweeps-league-of-legends-world-championship/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/05/sk-telecom-t1-sweeps-league-of-legends-world-championship/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/10/05/sk-telecom-t1-sweeps-league-of-legends-world-championship/#comments
Korean team SK Telecom T1 (SKT) swept Chinese opponents Royal Club (RYL) 3-0 to win the League of Legends World Championship and claim the $1 million prize last night. The Grand Finals were held at the Staples Center in front of 13,000 live fans and, according to a tweet from GameSpot's Rod "Slasher" Breslau, more than 1 million concurrent viewers online, not including viewers from China or South Korea.

Despite the pre-game analysts desk all picking favoring RYL to come out on top, it was SKT that dominated. While the first two games in this best-of-five set went 30 minutes or beyond, the final blow that saw SKT crowned champions came in at just under 21 minutes.

The entire world championship can be watched via the YouTube embed above, but if you want to skip the pre-game chat and speculation, the first match starts at 1:54:20, the second match starts at 2:47:54, and the final match begins at 3:53:00.

Update: The original text of this article stated that "all" of the analyst's desk had picked RYL to win. This was referring to the desk of player analysts moderated by Joe Miller, and did not factor in votes from the analyst desk at the Staples Center. The article has been updated for clarity.

JoystiqSK Telecom T1 sweeps League of Legends World Championship originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 05 Oct 2013 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>chinaesportskorealeague-of-legendsmobapcriot-gamesrylskttournamentworld-championshipsSat, 05 Oct 2013 10:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends semifinals crown Royal Club, SKTT1 as top two]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/30/league-of-legends-semifinals-crowns-royal-club-sktt1-as-top-two/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/30/league-of-legends-semifinals-crowns-royal-club-sktt1-as-top-two/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/30/league-of-legends-semifinals-crowns-royal-club-sktt1-as-top-two/#comments The League of Legends semifinals concluded with two teams on top: Chinese team Royal Club and Korean team SK Telecom T1. Royal Club and SKTT1 will fight for the $1 million grand prize in a best-of-five match on October 4 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles. This is the third season of the League of Legends Championship Series, and it's a sold-out event with 11,000 fans registered to attend.

Last year, Taiwan team Taipei Assassins won the series trophy, amidst a few scandalous delays. In July, the US government recognized pro League of Legends players as professional athletes, granting visas to international players.

Continue reading League of Legends semifinals crown Royal Club, SKTT1 as top two

JoystiqLeague of Legends semifinals crown Royal Club, SKTT1 as top two originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 30 Sep 2013 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>championshipleague-of-legendsleague-of-legends-championshipspcriot-gamesMon, 30 Sep 2013 21:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends' next champion is Jinx, you owe her a soda]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/28/league-of-legends-next-champion-is-jinx-you-owe-her-a-soda/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/28/league-of-legends-next-champion-is-jinx-you-owe-her-a-soda/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/28/league-of-legends-next-champion-is-jinx-you-owe-her-a-soda/#commentsLeague of Legends' next champion is Jinx, you owe her a soda Jinx, the Loose Cannon, will be the next addition to the League of Legends roster, developer Riot Games announced on Thursday. The Joker-like criminal loves mayhem, as evidenced by a wanted poster on the League of Legends site which lists some of her crimes: "murder," "making fun of the peace," "murder again" and "forging of official wanted posters."

Jinx is a marksman champion, meaning she uses long-range weaponry to deal physical damage to her enemies. Her "Switcheroo!" ability swaps between her two equipable weapons, Fishbones the rocket launcher and Pow-Pow the minigun. Her "Zap!" ability damages and slows the first enemy it hits, and her "Flame Chompers!" ability lays down incendiary grenades which root champions who walk over them to the ground. Jinx's ultimate ability, "Super Mega Death Rocket!," can travel across the map and deals damage to the first champion it hits, as well as all nearby enemies based on a percentage of their missing health.

Jinx is currently in beta, with no set date as to when her mischievous hi-jinx will go live.

JoystiqLeague of Legends' next champion is Jinx, you owe her a soda originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 28 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>championjinxleague-of-legendslolmacmobanew-characterpcriot-gamesSat, 28 Sep 2013 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[EVE Online lead designer summoned to join League of Legends]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/07/eve-online-lead-designer-summoned-to-join-league-of-legends/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/07/eve-online-lead-designer-summoned-to-join-league-of-legends/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/09/07/eve-online-lead-designer-summoned-to-join-league-of-legends/#comments EVE Online lead designer Kristoffer Touborg announced on his Facebook page yesterday that he will be abandoning the CCP Games ship, as he prepares to join forces with Riot Games to work on League of Legends.

"It's been an incredible five years, working for a company I love, on a game I love," Touborg wrote. "Not a lot of people get that opportunity, but I did and I'll always be grateful that CCP let me work at a place where I'd get up every morning and be happy to go to work."

Touborg didn't specify what position he would be holding with Riot, nor when his time with CCP officially ends and his time with Riot will officially begin, but he did mention the massively successful MOBA's competitive scene as a driving interest. To all the star-crossed EVE lovers Touborg leaves behind, he wrote he would "happily do it all over again."

JoystiqEVE Online lead designer summoned to join League of Legends originally appeared on Joystiq on Sat, 07 Sep 2013 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ccp-gameseve-onlinekristoffer-touborgleague-of-legendspcriot-gamesSat, 07 Sep 2013 19:30:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends American Express debit cards get RP for purchases]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/12/league-of-legends-american-express-debit-cards-get-rp-for-purcha/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/12/league-of-legends-american-express-debit-cards-get-rp-for-purcha/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/08/12/league-of-legends-american-express-debit-cards-get-rp-for-purcha/#commentsAmerican Express rolling out League of Legendsbranded credit cards American Express is launching League of Legends-branded pre-paid debit cards that give customers Riot Points, in-game currency, with their use. It's kismet - Riot Games wants to make it easier for you to spend money in League of Legends, and American Express wants to make it easier for you to spend money period, as long as that cash comes from its accounts.

Card holders will get 1,000 RP for signing up, 1,000 RP the first time they load up $20, 10,000 RP with the first direct deposit of $20 or more and 1,000 for their first 10 purchases. League of Legends cards come with images of Teemo, Vi, Lux, Twisted Fate, the Summoner's Cup or the game's logo. Ads for the cards will start popping up on Wednesday on the League of Legends Championship Series website, The New York Times reports.

This isn't American Express' first foray into the digital gaming world - in November it launched a program that rewarded account holders for finishing Halo 4. And you thought Steam was the only reason to hide your wallet in the freezer.

JoystiqLeague of Legends American Express debit cards get RP for purchases originally appeared on Joystiq on Mon, 12 Aug 2013 22:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>american-expressdebit-cardleague-of-legendspcriot-gamesMon, 12 Aug 2013 22:55:00 EST<![CDATA[Pro League of Legends players are professional athletes, says US government]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/12/pro-league-of-legends-players-are-professional-athletes-says-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/12/pro-league-of-legends-players-are-professional-athletes-says-us/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/07/12/pro-league-of-legends-players-are-professional-athletes-says-us/#comments There may not be eSports stadiums popping up in American cities just yet, but competitive gaming has gotten one step closer to official recognition. Specifically, the US government has begun issuing visas to international League of Legends players, designating them "professional athletes."

Speaking to GameSpot, Riot Games eSports manager Nick Allen discussed the new development. "The United States government recognizes League of Legends pro players as professional athletes, and awards visas to essentially work in the United States under that title," he said, calling the visas "groundbreaking for eSports." Organizing international tournaments is now "a much easier process, because [players] are actually recognized by the government. This is a huge thing."

Getting the visas issued was a "lengthy process," Allen said, with Riot going back and forth with the government until enough proof was provided and the visas were finally issued.

Oh, and about those stadiums, the League of Legends Season 3 Championship finals will be taking place October 4 at Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Continue reading Pro League of Legends players are professional athletes, says US government

JoystiqPro League of Legends players are professional athletes, says US government originally appeared on Joystiq on Fri, 12 Jul 2013 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendsmacpcriot-gamesFri, 12 Jul 2013 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[League of Legends' new Champion is a witchy woman]]>http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/league-of-legends-new-champion-is-a-witchy-woman/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/league-of-legends-new-champion-is-a-witchy-woman/http://www.joystiq.com/2013/05/01/league-of-legends-new-champion-is-a-witchy-woman/#comments
Lissandra the Ice Witch, League of Legends' newest Champion, is now available as part of the game's ongoing battle for the Freljord. Lissandra's abilities favor swift movement and crowd control over excessive damage output, though she seems entirely capable of the latter when need be. The new Champion's Bloodstone skin is on sale for 1462 Riot Points (down from 1950) until the end of the weekend.

As far as the devious role Lissandra the Ice Witch plays in LoL's vast mythos, you'll have to scope out the story trailer frozen beyond the veil. In related news, the "Howling Abyss" map added last month is now included in the game's "All Random All Mid," or "ARAM" matchmaking system. A new rerolling mechanic has also been introduced, which allows players a second chance at randomly selecting a character, provided they've earned enough points in previous Howling Abyss matches.

Continue reading League of Legends' new Champion is a witchy woman

JoystiqLeague of Legends' new Champion is a witchy woman originally appeared on Joystiq on Wed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>league-of-legendspcriot-gamesWed, 01 May 2013 04:00:00 EST