Wield cards in the land of Runeterra

Posted by Umar Ibrahim November 21, 2021 in OpEd

Ever since VersusNG held its first event in 2016, I’ve been dying to host another card game event, but with so many titles out there, I’ve been spoilt for choice.

While Hearthstone was our first, the anime-centric Shadowverse quickly came and stole our hearts. Then there was Gwent with all its numerous iterations, then Elder Scroll Legends, and many more. Yet, now as I fondly boot up Legends of Runeterra (LoR) on my phone, I am forced to accept that I’ve never loved a card game quite like this before.

Riot Games’ foray into several different genres of titles set in the League of Legends (LoL) universe has turned it into a household name in places it wasn’t before. This is particularly true of homes like mine where multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games were relatively unknown.

For staunch esports fans, LoL has been at the forefront of the industry with regard to spectacle, prizing and viewership since its inception. The game has spawned a multimedia empire that branches into music and even animated film. Those that know the brand well simply await the next big expansion we all know is coming.

Thus, it was easy for LoR to catch the attention of this card game loving rogue. The game has got lots of characters, epic stories, lower reliance on RNG (luck) and best of all, it isn’t pay to win. All free-to-play players are able to, with the right amount of dedication, earn every card in the game without spending a kobo. Of course, the developers do need to get paid but monetisation is a lot more friendly than other more popular games played in Nigeria.

In essence, LoR is the perfect esports created for countries like ours where stable electricity and super fast broadband are expensive and hard to come by. So if you’re looking for a simple yet complex esports title to lay your hands on, why not try LoR. In fact, VersusNG has got plans to run more than a few tournaments for the title. All you really need to participate are a mobile phone or PC.