11/09/25 written – 11/10/25 posted

I should probably get off this snow motif with my titles, but it does feel nice to have a through line with these posts. This will likely be the last of this snow theme. These blog posts aren’t always going to be weekly progress updates like the first few. This is my journal after all so I can write whatever I want. I’ll explain why further down, but today it feels fitting to talk a little about League of Legends (LoL).

League of Legends originally, and mainly still is, an online 5v5 computer game. But it’s grown into so much more since it first released in 2009. Riot Games, the creators, are continuing to  produce S tier content; original music and cinematic videos, award winning original animation series Arcane, a flourishing eSport, the brand new TCG Riftbound, and various other projects set in their original universe, Runeterra. In totality, it’s easily my favorite current content IP. This is an original universe that I’ve seen grow and evolve ever since I first started playing in 2012. Although I’ve gone stretches of time without engaging with any LoL content, I inevitably find may way back somehow. Whether that’s playing with my brother, watching Faker (one of the greatest sports players ever) continue to dominate the professional scene, try a new game they’ve release, or watching dope video they’ve produced. There’s always something that comes down the Riot pipeline within their original universe that keeps me invested and wanting more.

I don’t even play the original game anymore, only playing an easier and more casual game mode occasionally. If you’re reading this as someone familiar with online gaming spaces, you might already be aware of League’s toxicity reputation. I’m not going to refute any of that. The game and its players can be extremely toxic and tilting. Which is primarily why I no longer play. But the mechanics and game-play are fun, so I always seem to come back eventually. Usually what prompts me to return is watching professional games, specifically the yearly World Championship tournament.

With a few exceptions, I’ve fallen out of watching traditional live sports. I can’t stand the current state of advertising as it continues to move in a worse direction. eSports largely solves this problem, the adverts can much more easily bypassed and they simply don’t interrupt the action like traditional physical sports. But eSports are unequivocally sports and the professionals who compete at the highest levels are athletes. To believe otherwise is simple ignorance. The League of Legends pro scene has one of the most dominant sportsmen ever, across all sports – Faker. His dominance over the sport can only be compared to Wayne Gretzky of the NHL. Like all geniuses, it’s a privilege to be alive an able to enjoy his talent. I have him in the same category as Max Verstappen and Shohei Ohtani, other generational all-time athletes currently sharing their genius with the world. Long story short, Faker won his 6^th World Championship today, his 3^rd in a row. So watching that VoD this morning is one of the reasons writing this post got delayed.

The other reason is my continued play and enjoyment of their playing card game – Riftbound. I was able to get together with my brother today and play several games over a few hours. I also went to my local game stores (lgs) weekly casual event where I had a good time playing with some strangers. Riftbound has become sort of a springboard for me to ease into social interactions with something I’m knowledgeable about. This game is hopefully something I can continue grow along with and then branch out into other tabletop experiences, specifically D&D. I’d be surprised if an official RPG setting within Runeterra isn’t currently in development.

I haven’t even begun to talk about the multiple award-winning animation Arcane. Which is simply a storytelling marvel, both visually and in its narrative. The animation that Fortiche put together is pure art, every frame a painting.  I implore anyone to watch the documentary series about the making of the first season – here. It’s an extremely interesting and creatively inspiring view into the creation of a modern animation classic. Gushing about this series would probably be a whole post on its own, so I won’t do that now. But for someone with minuscule artistic talent, the show and its doc-series are a fount of inspiration. Learning and playing Riftbound has also inspired me for edits and tweaks to my Prophecy card game

Riftbound and just League of Legends as whole is helping me re-engage with a space I’ve known existed and that I enjoy. But, never explored in my adult life due to my anxiety.

Be well, be intentional, and make something,

Uncle Dump