In a thrilling showdown at the grand finals of the 2023 League of Legends World Championship, South Korea’s powerhouse team, T1, emerged victorious last weekend, further cementing the MOBA giant’s status as the world’s most beloved game. With an astonishing total viewership, LoL has eclipsed the likes of Dota 2 and MLBB, securing its position as the most-watched esports event of the year.
This triumph underscores the enduring popularity of the 14-year-old MOBA, with a massive player base showing unwavering enthusiasm both in the real world and across various social media platforms. Aided by an annual array of captivating events, Riot, the game’s developer, has effectively enticed players to make the switch to the LoL universe. However, not everyone is captivated by the allure of League of Legends, as evidenced by the candid sentiments of Team Spirit’s star, Ilya “Yatoro” Mulyarchuk.
According to recent reports from Russian media, cybersport, the two-time champion of Dota 2 The International openly admitted to dabbling in LoL on several occasions but ultimately refrained from continued play, citing a lack of the exhilaration he regularly experiences in Dota 2.
“I’ve played it a couple of times, but it’s all garbage!” he exclaimed. “I don’t know how anyone can play LoL seriously. It looks disgusting. There are team fights, like, in Mobile Legends. I came across clips on TikTok, and people were commenting on the game: ‘Wow, what just happened!’ And I look – [nothing] happened. There’s no Black Hole, no Echo Slam. There’s just some heroes going at it.”
Beyond critiquing the gameplay, Yatoro argued that, visually, LoL fails to captivate and falls short in comparison to Dota 2, which he believes boasts superior graphic settings. This sentiment aligns with his previous stream commentary, where he expressed a preference for CS:GO 2 over Valorant due to its superior graphics.
The ongoing debate between LoL and Dota 2, spanning mechanics and technicalities, has captivated the gaming community for years. Notably, opinions from professionals like Yatoro offer intriguing perspectives. Nonetheless, other influential figures in the Dota 2 scene, such as Janne “Gorgc” Stefanovski and Sebastien “Ceb” Debs, once sung praises for LoL and expressed a keen interest in becoming part of the game’s vibrant community.
