How League of Legends makes money from its players

"If you’re really into cars, you don’t mind spending $50,000 to soup up your Honda. That’s the player we’re tapping into."

- Riot Games president and co-founder Marc Merrill The New York Times has a new article about Riot Games, League of Legends, and its Championship Series and eSports efforts -- and it's a great pace to get reacquainted with the successful online game company even if you already know about it. One key point: How this free-to-play game gets money out of its players. Merrill's quote above is one piece of the puzzle; the following quote, from pro player Joedat "Voyboy" Esfahani, is the other: "There are regular updates to the game. That forces everyone to rethink their strategy and figure out the optimal way to play. It’s a race to innovate. The best teams are the ones that are constantly evolving along with the game." Other interesting facts from the story: Coca-Cola and Korean Air are Championship Series sponsors, and the company is seeking more; the Championships are a money-loser, but the company sees them as essential to building the game's audience; last year, more people watched the League of Legends finals than the final game of the NBA finals. You can read the New York Times piece if you want to know more.