Guest Post: Is Playing League of Legends Good for You?

To my fellow LoL addicts,

We can probably think of nothing better than playing a competitive game of League, and have subconsciously convinced ourselves that we are becoming better human beings by doing so. But is it really any good for us?

Since it’s already what we believe, we should first discuss the benefits. While there are many, the one that seemed the most impressive was a study carried out by surgeons who played League of Legends (obviously not while in surgery). Results showed that 27% of surgeons were faster and made 37% less errors than surgeons who did not play LoL. I know, most of you aren’t surgeons and this is not applicable, but it’s the principle behind this statistic which is outstanding, that playing of League was able to enhance concentration! As all LoL players are familiar, it takes a high degree of concentration, one that is not matched by any other game, so much so that the concentration translates to other aspects of life. Great, huh? While the next statistic is fairly generalized, it applies nonetheless; gaming reduces stress levels by 17%. Yes, League of Legends is a game, so it does apply. There is nothing better than coming home from a stressful day at work and unwinding by screaming at teammates, telling them that they do not know what they’re doing. That’s the life.

Now to the segment we had all been dreading. I could pretend that there aren’t any cons and we could all live in our peaceful and delusional world but alas – I cannot. I’m sure the most common disadvantage of League is that it’s time consuming. After a few games, hours have flown by. Although this is all down to the player, it is extremely easy to lose track of time, especially with the inability to see the time on the monitor while in game. Riot Games has managed to put out a very polished final product, which they were kind enough to make free to the public. The irony is that their graciousness comes at a price. The implementation of riot points has made it almost impossible to be successful at the game without spending any money. Whether through champions or runes, you will end up purchasing something in game.

Although I wasn’t able to cover all areas of pros and cons, I hope this overview gives you a great enough insight as to whether or not League of Legends is good for you, as long as you play in moderation, I’ll allow you to make that conclusion yourself.

Written by Jamal Asskoumi. All facts and figures from http://www.cie-cnc.ca/health-benefits-from-playing-league-of-legends/