At first glance, League of Legends is a competitive online game defined by rapid-fire matches, calculated mechanics, and a fierce ranked ladder. For years, it was easy to assume that the game’s champions were nothing more than vessels for gameplay—colorful avatars wielding spells and weapons, fighting on a map called Summoner’s Rift.
But beneath the surface, a much richer world exists. The real question isn’t does League of Legends have a story, but rather how deep does it go?
A Game First, a World Later
When League of Legends launched in 2009, its focus was clear: fast-paced multiplayer action. Lore, if it existed at all, took a backseat. The original narrative framework was fairly minimal: champions were summoned by powerful spellcasters called Summoners to fight for control over political conflicts in a land called Valoran, a continent on the world of Runeterra.
This early attempt at lore was light and mostly disconnected, designed more to justify in-game mechanics than to tell meaningful stories.
But as the player base grew into the tens of millions, so did demand for a more immersive universe. Players wanted to know: Who are these champions? Why do they fight? Where do they come from?
Retconning the World
In 2014, Riot Games made a decisive shift. They scrapped the original “Summoners” premise entirely and shifted the narrative focus to develop the existing world of Runeterra into a more cohesive and narratively rich universe. With this came detailed histories, political systems, cultures, and conflicts spanning a full continent—and beyond.
This wasn’t just lore for lore’s sake. The decision reflected a broader ambition: to create a universe that could support not just a video game, but comics, music projects, cinematic shorts, and eventually, television.
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Champions with Backstories
Today, every champion in League of Legends has a personal story. Some, like Yasuo and Yone, are trapped in tragic sibling rivalries. Others, like Vi and Jinx, represent chaos and order in the lawless city of Zaun. Demacia, a kingdom rooted in honor and tradition, stands in ideological contrast to the shadowy, magic-wielding nation of Noxus.
Freljord, Piltover, Bilgewater—each region adds a new dimension to the game’s world-building within Runeterra. These backstories are accessible in the game client, on Riot’s official Universe website, and in various external media. Some champions’ stories even intersect, creating dynamic and evolving relationships across regions and timelines.
The Arcane Effect
In 2021, the Netflix series Arcane changed everything. Set in the twin cities of Piltover and Zaun, the show focused on the origins of Vi, Jinx, Jayce, and Viktor, among others. Its success proved what Riot had long suspected: people cared deeply about these characters—beyond their win rates and skill combos.
Arcane didn’t just win awards. It legitimized League of Legends as a storytelling platform, showing that years of lore development could be distilled into emotionally resonant, world-class entertainment. For many, Arcane was their first exposure to Runeterra—and an invitation to dig deeper.
A Living Universe
Unlike games with fixed campaigns or linear plots, League of Legends unfolds its story slowly, across multiple formats. Cinematic trailers drop at the start of each ranked season, teasing major events in Runeterra. Champion reworks are often paired with updated lore, reflecting their evolution in the story.
Comics explore side characters, while novels and RPGs are expanding the mythos even further. This transmedia approach means the lore isn’t static. It evolves over time, sometimes sparking real-time fan theories and debates. The game itself, while not narratively driven, remains the entry point into a sprawling universe.
Conclusion: Yes, And It’s Just the Beginning
So—does League of Legends have a story? Absolutely. It’s one of the most expansive and ambitious worlds in modern gaming, even if you never see a single cutscene during a match. What began as background noise is now a central pillar of Riot’s strategy. Whether you’re a lore enthusiast, a Netflix viewer, or just a curious mid-laner, Runeterra has a story to tell. And Riot is just getting started.
Written by:
Christian