League of Legends (LoL) remains one of the most iconic free-to-play multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games on the planet. To put its scale into perspective, gamers have played it for more than 160 billion hours! The League of Legends Player Count always is on people’s mind.
What does that say about the number of active players today? In this guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about the LoL player base, including official and estimated figures, user demographics, viewership statistics, and more to paint the full picture.
How Many People Play League of Legends In 2025?
It’s hard to know the exact number of players in LoL because Riot Games keeps the real figures under wraps. However, the most recent “official figure” came in November 2021, when Riot reported 180 million monthly active players across LoL, Teamfight Tactics, and League of Legends: Wild Rift.
Since then, Riot hasn’t provided an updated figure on the number of active players in LoL. Instead, we’ve had to rely on third-party sources to estimate the size of its player base. The catch? Estimations are wildly inconsistent and may differ significantly from the true count.
Another problem is that third-party sites don’t share their methodology. As a result, it’s unclear if their estimations account for factors like inactive users, smurf accounts, and bots. It’s also unclear if those player counts are based on the number of registered players or actual LoL players.
ActivePlayer’s Count
According to Activeplayer.io, there were 47.3 million average monthly players and 9.4 million concurrent players recorded in LoL in the past month (Feb. 24-March 25, 2025). These figures reflect a +5.6% gain from the previous year and ~20% concurrency rate, suggesting there has been a steady uptick in the number of active players.
| Month | Average Monthly Players | Peak Daily Players |
| Feb 2025 | 46,086,421 | 9,370,906 |
| Jan 2025 | 48,660,564 | 9,894,315 |
| Dec 2024 | 46,180,564 | 9,390,048 |
| Nov 2024 | 47,829,426 | 9,725,317 |
| Oct 2024 | 46,941,942 | 9,544,862 |
| Sep 2024 | 47,968,467 | 9,753,588 |
| Aug 2024 | 46,730,119 | 9,501,791 |
| Jul 2024 | 46,990,040 | 9,554,641 |
| Jun 2024 | 45,357,181 | 9,222,627 |
| May 2024 | 48,047,862 | 9,769,732 |
| Apr 2024 | 46,387,200 | 9,432,064 |
| Mar 2024 | 47,527,869 | 9,664,000 |
Note: This data is via ActivePlayer. Active monthly players represent the number of unique users who log in and play once during a month; peak daily players is the highest number of players online at the same time on a single day within a month.
Priori Data’s Count
On the other hand, Priori Data has reported far greater figures while claiming that LoL is on a steady decline. In January 2025, they reported a monthly player count of 131.4 million active players and 13.3 million peak daily players, which is down from 151 million monthly and 10 million daily peak counts in June 2024.
| Month | Average Monthly Players | Peak Daily Players |
| Mar 2025 | Not available | Not available |
| Feb 2025 | Not available | Not available |
| Jan 2025 | 131,422,640 | 13,343,591 |
| Dec 2024 | Not available | Not available |
| Nov 2024 | 132,532,552 | 12,042,521 |
| Oct 2024 | 131,334,243 | 13,948,314 |
| Sep 2024 | 132,412,752 | 13,765,579 |
| Aug 2024 | 128,825,422 | 12,422,521 |
| Jul 2024 | 130,422,492 | 12,376,422 |
| Jun 2024 | 151,144,196 | 10,076,256 |
Note: This data is courtesy of Priori Data.
Google Trends Analysis
We can also gauge global interest using indirect (but reliable) tools like Google Trends. It doesn’t give us hard numbers, but it will show search volume for the game over time.
According to Trends analysis between March 24-30, 2025, the search term “League of Legends” scored an interest rating of 50 out of 100 over the previous 12 months. This indicates that the term’s popularity during that period was half of its peak, which occurred from Nov. 17-23, 2024.
While this doesn’t directly translate to LoL player numbers, it suggests that LoL has maintained significant global interest, even if it’s not at its all-time peak. It’s also worth noting that the November spike was around the end of Worlds 2024 and just before the release of Arcane Season 2 on Netflix.
Demographic Stats
In 2009, LoL launched in North America and Europe before quickly expanding to South Korea, China, Japan, Southeast Asia, Brazil, Latin America, Russia, Turkey, and many other regions soon after. Today, the game is played in over 145 countries worldwide, bridging different ages, genders, ethnicities, and cultures.
While it’s no secret that LoL has a massive global following, certain demographic factors stand out. Priori Data claims that LoL is primarily played by male gamers, who comprise 87% of the entire player base. This is followed closely by female (12%) and non-binary (1%) gamers.
As for regional dominance, South Korea stands out by having the largest player base, followed by other East Asian countries (Taiwan, Hong Kong, China). Countries in Europe, North America, and South America trail behind with relatively smaller but still significant portions of all current players.
How Does League of Legends Player Count Compare To Dota 2?
LoL shatters Dota 2 in terms of play count. Even if we take ActivePlayer’s conservative estimate of 43 million monthly players, it’s still much higher than Dota 2’s all-time peak of 1.3 million players from nine years ago, let alone its 431,748 concurrent players and 708,043 peak users reported in February 2025.
This kind of gap really puts LoL’s dominance into perspective. And to twist the knife a little more, LoL pulls in more players than many of Steam’s biggest hits combined, like Counter-Strike 2 and PUBG. It even trumps Fortnite’s all-time peak of 14.3 million players.
How Many People Watch League of Legends In 2025?
According to Twitch Tracker on March 25, 2025, LoL is the third most-watched video game on the platform. The average viewer count sits at 120,680 users, which is 5.3% of the entire Twitch audience. LoL trails behind Counter-Strike 2 (122,063 viewers) and Grand Theft Auto V (124,401 viewers).
In 2025 alone, LoL attracted over 266 million hours watched, with average concurrent and peak viewership figures of 133,040 and 640,034 viewers, respectively.
Month-By-Month LoL Twitch Stats
Want a clearer picture of LoL’s Twitch popularity? The table below breaks down key viewership statistics over the last year, showing exactly how hooked gamers are to its electrifying gameplay!
| Month | Avg Viewers | Peak Viewers | Hours Watched |
| Mar 2025 | 122,942 | 708,487 | 70.5M |
| Feb 2025 | 131,767 | 611,124 | 88.1M |
| Jan 2025 | 144,412 | 600,493 | 107M |
| Dec 2024 | 96,185 | 527,411 | 71.5M |
| Nov 2024 | 124,496 | 2,617,460 | 89.5M |
| Oct 2024 | 183,111 | 1,725,353 | 134M |
| Sep 2024 | 139,719 | 816,851 | 99.3M |
| Aug 2024 | 121,832 | 503,174 | 89.2M |
| Jul 2024 | 121,307 | 487,153 | 90.0M |
| Jun 2024 | 130,154 | 486,457 | 93.7M |
| May 2024 | 152,138 | 908,666 | 113M |
| Apr 2024 | 132,343 | 711,962 | 94.5M |
| Mar 2024 | 151,323 | 590,766 | 112M |
Note: This data is via Twitch Tracker and reflects monthly viewership statistics over the last year.
Looking more closely at monthly LoL Twitch stats, it’s clear there has been some drop-off. While peak viewer count increased by +19.9%, there was a sharp -37.1% drop in year-over-year hours watched and -18.8% drop in the number of average viewers watching LoL livestreams.
The overall highs also aren’t as pronounced as they were in 2021 and 2022, which typically saw over 200,000 concurrent viewers tuning in at a time. But don’t be mistaken. This doesn’t mean LoL is losing steam. It may instead reflect a shift in post-pandemic viewing habits.
And the numbers back it up. Compared to 2018 and 2019, viewership has returned to (and in many cases even exceeded) pre-pandemic figures of ~115,000-130,000 average viewers. This suggests that LoL has staying power and a strong magnetic pull on fans worldwide.
Who Are The Top League of Legends Streamers To Watch?
If you’re ready to explore all that Runeterra has to offer but aren’t yet sure who’s worth watching, we can help. Whether it’s high-level gameplay or pure entertainment, these are the LoL streamers topping the charts on Twitch:
Top Twitch Streamers By Watch Time
- Caedrel (11,526,468 hours)
- Kamet0 (4,515,659 hours)
- Thebausffs (2,663,474 hours)
- NoWay4u_Sir (1,735,724 hours)
- Knekro (1,382,799 hours)
- Ibai (1,310,219 hours)
- Rekkles (1,198,875 hours)
- Tikyjr (1,088,654 hours)
- Baiano (1,084,728 hours)
- Lol_nemesis (1,069,350 hours)
Note: This data is via Sully Gnome and reflects the total viewership hours (i.e., hours live x average viewers) between Feb. 25 and March 25, 2025.
How Many People Watch League Of Legends Esports Events?
LoL ranks as the all-time top esports game by viewership, with a monumental 6.9 million peak views as of March 28, 2025. It tops other major titles like Free Fire (5.4 million), Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (5.1 million), PUBG Mobile (3.8 million), and Counter-Strike 2 (2.8 million).
Between 2017-2024, the all-time peak viewership at big tournaments like the League of Legends World Championship (“Worlds”) and Mid-Season Invitational (“MSI”) has also skyrocketed, growing from 2.1 million to nearly 7 million. This is despite there being a huge drop in the total number of tournaments hosted.
A total of $113 million in prize money has been awarded across nearly 4,000 events, making LoL the fourth biggest esports game by total prize pool. These figures position LoL as a frontrunner in the esports scene and one of the top competitive PC games.
Who Are The Top Professional LoL Players To Watch?
The LoL esports scene is heating up in 2025, making it the perfect time to spotlight the top pros. These players are recognizable to Summoners worldwide and have earned their reputation through exceptional skill, mechanical mastery, adaptability, and flawless team coordination.
- Lee “Faker” Sang-hyeok (T1)
- Choi “Zeus” Woo-je (Hanwha Life Esports)
- Heo “ShowMaker” Su (Dplus KIA)
- Park “Viper” Do-hyeon (Hanwha Life Esports)
- Moon “Oner” Hyeon-joon (T1)
- Rasmus “Caps” Winther (G2 Esports)
- Yu “JackeyLove” Wen-bo (Top Esports)
- Kim “Canyon” Geon-bu (Gen.G)
- Bae “Caliste” Jun-sik (Karmine Corp)
- Jeong “Chovy” Ji-hoon (Gen.G)
Why Is League of Legends So Popular?
League of Legends has dominated the MOBA scene for over a decade now, and its popularity shows no signs of slowing down. There’s no single reason behind its success. Instead, all credit goes to Riot Games for building an ecosystem that keeps players coming back for more.
Let’s explore some of the factors behind its enduring success.
Regular Patch Updates
Riot never lets LoL go stale. Regular patches tweak champions, add new items, and shake up the meta. Whether you’re a casual player or a Challenger-tier grinder, you always have something new to learn. Even if you’ve taken a year off, you’ll likely think the game feels new when you return. That sense of reinvention is a major hook.
Huge Champion Pool
Then there’s the champion pool. With over 160 unique champions ranging from stealthy assassins to tanky frontliners, there’s a playstyle for everyone. Newcomers often find it easy to get hooked, especially with Riot’s beginner-friendly onboarding, bot matches, and tutorials. Despite its high skill ceiling, LoL is surprisingly accessible.
Free To Play
There’s no upfront cost to play LoL, and players can unlock most content simply by playing. Riot monetizes the game through cosmetics (skins, chromas, and emotes), which don’t affect gameplay. That’s a win for anyone who wants a level playing field. It’s also a smart move for Riot because the game pulls in millions in revenue without ever charging for entry.
No Cheating
Now, let’s talk about cheating—or rather, the lack of it. Riot’s anti-cheat systems are notoriously strict, and cheats that do pop up are snuffed out quickly. Combine that with a well-maintained report system and regular account bans, and you’ve got a competitive environment that actually feels competitive and fair (even at the highest levels).
Beyond Great Gameplay
LoL isn’t wholly defined by its gameplay. The game’s universe of Runeterra is jam-packed with deep lore and rich storytelling. Every champion has a backstory, and entire regions have their own political conflicts and cultural identities. And that narrative extends beyond the client—think cinematics, comics, and music videos from in-universe bands like K/DA and Pentakill.
A great example of this is Arcane. Riot’s animated series exploded onto Netflix and instantly became a global hit. It introduced millions of non-gamers to LoL’s world, and many of them ended up launching the game for the first time. It was easily one of the most successful crossovers between gaming and mainstream media to date.
Thriving Esports Scene
You can’t ignore its impactful esports scene. LoL is home to the biggest competitive scene in gaming history. Regional leagues like the LCS, LEC, LCK, and LPL run year-round, all leading into global events like the Mid-Season Invitational and Worlds.
Looking at the numbers more closely, it’s clear that Worlds is more than just a tournament. It’s a global spectacle. Since 2016, viewership has risen year-on-year, with 2024 being the most-watched edition ever (6.95 million peak views and nearly 191 million hours watched). The opening ceremony alone set a record of 4.2 million peak viewers.
Is League of Legends Dying Anytime Soon?
Hah! Definitely not! LoL consistently ranks among the top titles in terms of watch time, active users, and tournament engagement. Beyond that, the game has a commanding presence on Twitch and continues to outpace many of its competitors.
Considering the magnetic effect Worlds has on fans, it’s clear that LoL has tremendous staying power. The game is a cultural phenomenon, and adaptations like Arcane will further cement LoL’s legacy for years to come.
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