League of Legends Player Estimates It Takes 882 Hours to Unlock A New Champion

 In Short:

• The latest update to League of Legends has increased the difficulty for free-to-play players to unlock champions
• Players and content creators have stated that unlocking a new character can take upwards of 800 hours after finishing a Battle Pass
• The grind in League of Legends is noticeably different from Marvel Rivals’ free updates and Dota 2’s approach of making all characters available for free

 

League of Legends has been a huge success since its debut in 2009. Thanks to its availability on Microsoft’s Game Pass and the massive popularity of the Arcane animated series, the franchise is arguably at its peak popularity.

Even if you are looking forward to trying this game, especially as a free-to-play player, you might want to reconsider.

A recent update has made unlocking new champions (characters) a lengthy process, with players estimating it could take hundreds of hours.

 

That’s Nearly 37 Full Days of Playtime

First highlighted by a League of Legends content creator on YouTube and later mentioned on Reddit, it appears that free-to-play players would need to invest 882 hours to unlock a new champion.

 

The 2025 update introduces a Battle Pass system that allows players to earn 24 champion crystals and 28,500 Blue Essence annually. The cost of champions in Blue Essence can differ, with some of the more sought-after ones priced at $6,300.

We can take the case of a player maximizing all his opportunities; he can accumulate 50 Blue Essence for every level beyond 50 in a single pass. This adds up to roughly 900 hours of gameplay required to unlock a new character.

The calculations suggest that the game is becoming tough for new players or those who don’t want to spend money. However, Andrei van Roon, head of League Studio, responded on Twitter, stating that “unlocking new champions through Blue Essence wasn’t meant to be more difficult” and assured that the issue is being investigated.

One user commented on Reddit, “The biggest problem with this game is that it’s not welcoming to new players. Every patch they release just makes the issue even worse.”

Other users have advocated for making champions free for everyone, similar to the model in Dota 2 and Marvel Rivals.

While it remains uncertain whether any changes will be implemented, it’s clear that fans are hoping for substantial adjustments in the near future.

Arcane Writer Shares League of Legends Region They’re Interested to Explore Next

Although Arcane has just wrapped up, the popular animated series based on League of Legends has already sparked multiple spinoffs. A detailed analysis on that has been shared by the eminent writers regarding its upcoming shows.

League of Legends presents a huge world with varied and unique regions, each with its intriguing history.

Arcane explored the sharp differences between Piltover and Zaun, with Piltover, known as the “City of Progress,” being a center of upgraded technology.

Zaun, in contrast, happens to be a polluted city, rife with crime, hardship, and monstrous champions.

 

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Arcane Writer Shares League of Legends Region They’re Interested to Explore Next 

Its residents are focused on daily survival. One Arcane writer shared his intention to shift to a different region for the spinoffs, leaving Zaun and Piltover behind.

In an interview with GamesRadar, Arcane writer Amanda Overton discussed the future of the spinoffs and expressed interest in exploring the region of Ionia.

This is what she preferred to share with the outlet, “I’m excited to explore Ionia because it brings an Eastern-inspired narrative and visual style, which is a completely different direction from what we saw in Season 1 of Arcane.”

She further added that she wanted to take the upcoming story to a new region. Having already featured Noxus prominently in Arcane, she felt it was time to take the show in an entirely new direction. “We incorporated a lot of Noxus into Arcane,” she explained. 

She further added, “For me, it’s about doing something entirely fresh.” Christian Linke, co-creator of Arcane, had earlier revealed that as many as 3 spinoffs were in the works following the end of Arcane, each set in one of three regions: Demacia, Ionia, and Noxus.

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What Overton Shared?

Beyond choosing her preferred region, Overton shared her appreciation from different areas and their distinct narratives. She was especially drawn to the female leaders of Freljord, a cold, icy land inhabited by tribal communities.

She continued, “There’s a wealth of amazing champions and rich regions to explore. I’m excited about the idea of showcasing a matriarchy, especially in Freljord, because I don’t think we’ve seen that on TV before I thought, ‘Yes, this is something new.'”

The writer pointed out that Runeterra is home to numerous distinctive and intriguing characters, implying that fans can anticipate additional stories beyond the 3 spinoffs.

Please note that Overton picked Ionia, as it stands out to be one of the most visually captivating regions in League of Legends. Its peaceful forests, enchanting temples, lush landscapes, and ancient ruins make it a truly striking place.

Ionia carries a serene, dreamlike essence, where magic and spirituality intertwine. The people there aim for peace and balance, offering a contrast to the chaos seen in Arcane.

The region is basically a harmonious blend of combat, magic, and life. Further, ionians are deeply rooted in their spiritual practices, with martial arts and meditation being central to their cultural identity.

There are some growing tensions that can be seen with Noxus and internal conflicts that add depth. It’s a region full of magic and beauty, yet with enough intrigue and struggle to provide all the action and drama. Now, moving the story to Ionia would certainly offer a refreshing shift from Arcane.

 

Arcane 

Developed by Christian Linke and Alex Yee, Arcane is basically an animated series set in the League of Legends universe, exploring the conflict between the cities of Piltover and Zaun.

The debut season follows the intertwined tales of characters like Jinx, Vi, Jayce, and Viktor as their destinies unfold within these two significant locales.

 

Showrunner	Alex Yee, Christian Linke
Directors	Arnaud Delord, Pascal Charrue
Franchise(s)	League of Legends
Streaming On	Netflix
Writers	Alex Yee, Christian Linke
Seasons	2
Cast	Mick Wingert, Reed Shannon, JB Blanc, Harry Lloyd, Toks Olagundoye, jason spisak, Katie Leung, Kevin Alejandro, Ella Purnell, Hailee Steinfeld
Release Date	November 6, 2021

 

 

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