League of Legends is a free-to-play team strategy game (a MOBA) made by Riot Games for PC and Mac. Two teams of five pick champions, push down three lanes and fight over neutral monsters. You win by destroying the enemy team's Nexus, the crystal at the heart of their base, before they destroy yours.
What is League of Legends?
League of Legends (often shortened to LoL or League) is a multiplayer online battle arena, or MOBA. Riot Games developed and published it, and it first launched on Windows on October 27, 2009, with a macOS version following in 2013. It has been free to play from day one: Riot earns money from cosmetic skins and passes, not from selling power.
Each player controls one champion, a hero with four abilities plus two summoner spells. The roster is large, with well over 170 champions, but a new account starts with a small pool and unlocks more by playing. As of October 2026 the live version is patch 26.20, released on October 7 as the patch used for the 2026 World Championship.
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Developer and publisher | Riot Games |
| First release | October 27, 2009 (Windows) |
| Platforms | Windows and macOS |
| Price | Free to play, cosmetics are paid |
| Genre | MOBA (team strategy) |
| Main map | Summoner's Rift, 5 vs 5 |
| Current patch | 26.20 (October 7, 2026) |
If you are new to the genre, our page with every game explained compares League with the other games we cover.
What is the objective of League of Legends?
The long-term goal in League is to get better and, for many players, to climb the ranked ladder. Inside a single match, the goal is simpler: break into the enemy base and destroy their Nexus.
Summoner's Rift has three lanes, called top, mid and bottom, with a jungle in between. Each lane is guarded by turrets and an inhibitor, and each Nexus is protected by two more turrets. Waves of computer-controlled minions march down every lane on their own. You earn gold and experience by killing minions, monsters and enemy champions, then spend the gold on items that make your champion stronger.
Teams usually split into five roles: Top, Jungle, Mid, Bot (the main ranged damage dealer) and Support. Neutral monsters such as the Drakes and Baron Nashor give team-wide buffs, so fights often break out around them. A match can be as short as about 15 minutes if one team surrenders early or as long as an hour in a close game.
How do you win a match in League of Legends?
Every mode on Summoner's Rift ends the same way: the first team to destroy the other team's Nexus wins. Kills, gold and towers only matter because they help you get there. Here is how the main modes compare as of October 2026.
| Mode | Team size | How you win |
|---|---|---|
| Normal games on Summoner's Rift | 5 vs 5 | Destroy the enemy Nexus first |
| Ranked Solo/Duo | 5 vs 5 (queue alone or with one friend) | Destroy the enemy Nexus; a win earns League Points (LP) |
| Ranked Flex | 5 vs 5 (queue in a group) | Destroy the enemy Nexus; tracked as a separate rank |
| ARAM | 5 vs 5 on one long lane | Destroy the enemy Nexus with randomly assigned champions |
| Arena (rotating mode) | 8 teams of 2 | Be the last pair standing after round-based fights |
| Co-op vs. AI | 5 players vs bots | Destroy the bot team's Nexus; good for practice |
A team can also win when the other side votes to surrender. Rotating modes come and go during the year, so check the play menu for what is live this week. ARAM and its Mayhem variant both received balance changes in patch 26.20, which shows they are active right now.
How does ranked work in League of Legends?
Ranked opens once your account reaches summoner level 30 and owns at least 20 champions. Five placement games set your starting rank, and from then on wins add League Points while losses remove them. At 100 LP you move up a division. Ranks run from Iron through Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Emerald and Diamond, each with four divisions, then Master, Grandmaster and Challenger.
Riot splits each ranked year into three seasons, and ranks fully reset only once a year, in January. Our League of Legends ranks explained guide covers LP, decay and placements in detail, and our list of the best champions to climb solo queue helps you pick a small, reliable pool. You can find every LoL article on our League of Legends guides hub.
Beginner tips to win more
- Learn one role and two or three champions. A small pool lets you focus on the game instead of your buttons.
- Last-hit minions. Gold from the killing blow on minions is the steadiest income in the game, often worth more than kills.
- Look at the minimap every few seconds. Most deaths for new players come from an enemy they could have seen coming.
- Play around objectives. After a won fight, take a tower, Drake or Baron instead of chasing for one more kill.
- Buy wards and place them. Vision of the jungle tells you when it is safe to push.
- Do not give up early. A single good team fight late in the game can still end it, because the Nexus is all that counts.
- Mute and move on. Arguing in chat costs focus and rarely changes a teammate's play.
How can Boosting Games help with League of Legends?
Boosting Games offers fixed-price League of Legends services. The prices below are starting prices as of October 2026, and the exact price for the option you choose shows before checkout. Every option is listed in our League of Legends services collection.
| Service | What you get | Price |
|---|---|---|
| League of Legends Account Leveling to 30 | We level your account to 30, the level Riot needs for ranked. | From $15 |
| League of Legends Ranked Ready Bundle | Leveling to 30 plus your first 5 ranked placement games. | From $79 |
| League of Legends Champion Mastery | We raise mastery on one champion you choose. | From $19 |
| League of Legends VOD Review Pack | A Master-tier coach sends timestamped notes on your recorded games. | From $36 |
Honest risk note: Riot's Terms of Service forbid sharing your account and forbid letting someone else play it for you, and Riot actively looks for boosting. Piloted orders, where a booster logs in to your account, carry the most risk, including ranked restrictions, suspensions or a permanent ban. Duo play carries less risk, and coaching or VOD review carries none because you keep playing yourself. Please read our account safety notice before you order. We never sell accounts, Riot Points, skins, cheats, scripts or mods.
Get help with League of Legends
Choose a service, see the exact price before you pay, and follow each session on your private order page. Our how it works page explains every step.
See League of Legends servicesAsk Boost Up AIWant the full list of LoL options in one place? Visit our League of Legends boosting page.
Related reading: LoL Ranks Explained: Every Tier, LP and Reset (2026), Best Champions to Climb Solo Queue in LoL, our beginner guide What Is Dota 2 and how do you win, and What Is Teamfight Tactics and how do you win.
League of Legends FAQ
Is League of Legends free to play?
Yes. League of Legends has been free since it launched in 2009. You can play every mode and unlock champions by playing. Riot sells cosmetic skins, passes and other extras with its premium currency, but none of them make your champion stronger in a match. You only need a Riot account and a Windows or Mac computer.
How long is a League of Legends match?
A game on Summoner's Rift usually lasts somewhere between about 15 minutes and an hour. Short games happen when one team is far ahead or votes to surrender early, while close games between evenly matched teams can run long. ARAM games on a single lane tend to be quicker, which makes ARAM a good choice when you only have a little time.
What is the best mode for beginners?
Start with the tutorial and a few Co-op vs. AI games to learn the controls without pressure. Then move to normal games on Summoner's Rift, where you pick a role and learn how lanes, the jungle and objectives fit together. ARAM is fun and fast, but it skips laning and jungling, so it teaches less about the main game.
When can I play ranked in League of Legends?
Ranked unlocks when your account reaches summoner level 30 and owns at least 20 champions. Free rotation champions do not count toward that number. After that you play five placement games in Solo/Duo or Flex to receive a starting rank, and each queue keeps its own rank for the rest of the year.
How do you win in League of Legends?
You win by destroying the enemy team's Nexus before they destroy yours. To reach it, your team has to break at least one lane of turrets and its inhibitor, then the two turrets guarding the Nexus. Kills, gold and objectives like Baron Nashor help, but they are only ways to make that final push easier.
Is buying a League of Legends boost safe?
No boost is risk-free. Riot's terms ban account sharing and boosting, and a piloted order can lead to a suspension or a ban. Playing duo with a booster carries less risk because you stay on your own account, and coaching or VOD review carries none. We explain the trade-offs on our account safety page before you choose.
Sources: League of Legends: How to play, League Wiki: Patch 26.20, Dot Esports: LoL patch 26.20 notes, Hotspawn: LoL 2026 season and ranked reset, League Wiki: Game modes, Wikipedia: League of Legends.