Watch 10,000 League of Legends Games in 30 Seconds

In League of Legends, one of the world's most popular video games, two teams of five players fight for control of a square battlefield. While each match is complex, the same patterns emerge over time.

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The video above aggregates the movements of 100,000 players in 10,000 games, as recorded by a gaming site, showing over six years of cumulative player time.

The game progresses as a miniature hero's journey: Players begin as weak characters, working in separate areas to build strength and defeat monsters. By the end of the game, superpowered heroes are fighting together in team battles.

Early Game Teams split up to gather resources. A clear line of battle is established.

Mid-Game Players group for skirmishes and to complete missions like fighting the dragon.

Late Game Teams fight large battles. Destroying the enemy base awards victory.

The game is won when one team destroys its opponent's base, which usually takes 30 to 40 minutes.

Selecting from a pool of more than a hundred heroes with diverse skills, players wage pyrotechnic war as knights, robots and ninjas. At peak hours, up to eight million people are fighting to raise their rankings. Global competition is intense and, over time, specialized roles have evolved as millions of players collectively find optimal strategies.

Roles in the Game

The Carry

A weak hero with high potential who is "carried" by the team early on, until he or she is strong enough to “carry” the team to victory.

The Support

A hero who protects the carry and supports the team.

The carry and the support over 10,000 games

The Mage

Powerful in the mid-game, a damage-dealing champion who usually begins in the center lane.

The mage’s movement

The Tank

In large team battles, the tank shields the rest of the team from damage while staying on the front lines.

The tank’s movement

The Jungler

A resilient champion who roams the jungle between players. The jungler adds tension and suspense, appearing suddenly to kill an enemy or help an ally in trouble.

The jungler’s movement