After an age of warfare, the superpowers of the land of Valoran have come together to form a governing body that will settle all disputes behind the closed doors of the Institute of War. Their task is a noble one — to lift the impossible weight of bloody war off the shoulders of the world and place it upon a select few — The League of Legends. On the Fields of Justice, legendary Champions forge alliances and resolve their differences in battle arenas. In the League there is one rule that reigns over all else: Winner rules all.

In League of Legends, players take on the role of a persistent Summoner avatar that gazes upon the battlefield from above and influences battles by taking command of a chosen Champion. During each online multiplayer play session, gamers will choose one of dozens of unique Champions wielding diverse skills and abilities, and engage in fast-paced team-oriented combat to bring their foes to ruin. Champions will gain levels, items, and abilities that enable them to slay their opponents and augment the strength of their allies by battling with enemy minions, foul beasts, deadly turrets and enemy Champions. Players also advance their Summoner’s rank and power to gain new abilities and items, assisting their Champions in battle.

League of Legends emphasizes team-oriented gameplay and players must work together in order to defeat the opposing team. Players will be able to communicate easily through in-game lounges and chat rooms, and forums will act as a conversational hub for a wide variety of discussions amongst community members. League of Legends will feature custom-built multiplayer support including matchmaking, stat tracking, clan support, anti-cheat systems, dedicated in-game ladders and Leaverbuster technology. In addition to extensive multiplayer features, League of Legends will include a single-player mode where players can learn how to play and practice new strategies by engaging robust Bot-AI.

Although still nascent in western markets, Riot’s session-based, free-to-play, virtual item-based business model is by far the most popular business model for monetizing games in Asia. While most North American and European publishers continue to prioritize a packaged goods model, Riot has embraced the “games-as-service” model, which it believes is undoubtedly the future of games and a major global opportunity.

“Riot is fortunate to have such a strong and diverse group of investors who support our vision of combining triple A quality gaming content with the emerging free to play business model,” said Brandon Beck, CEO, Riot Games. “With our focus on delivering and operating core games as premium, live services that constantly adapt to our customers’ needs, we have a unique opportunity to build global franchises. This new investment comes as Riot prepares the worldwide launch of its flagship League of Legends title, and further positions the company as a leader in next-generation online games.”

Key Features :

• Play as dozens of unique Champions with diverse skills and abilities while engaging in fast-paced team-oriented combat.
• Compete in a variety of highly stylized and unique handcrafted battle scenarios.
• Create your own persistent Summoner avatar and customize your appearance through achievements that you earn in game.
• Advance your Summoner in rank and power to gain skills and abilities that give you an edge in battle.
• Join clans and teams to compete with other players in tournaments and organized leagues.
• Assemble Legendary items for your Champion by forging together basic items you obtain on the battlefield. Choose from over 200 uniquely crafted items to augment your Champion's power.
• Robust matchmaking and detailed stat tracking help to ensure balanced games for new players and veterans alike.
• Unlock new content through persistent gameplay and mastering the game.
• Integrated LeaverbusterTM technology helps ensure people stay for the whole game!
• Participate in the creation of League of Legends through our Suggestion Engine the community will have an unprecedented voice in what new content is created and implemented into the game.
  And much, much more...

League of Legends is being designed by a decorated group of developers with credits that include PC & console blockbusters, as well as part of the team that created the popular Warcraft 3 mod DotA-Allstars. Riot will invite players into the League of Legends beta in 2009.