'League of Legends' topping 2014's MMO chart
Inspired by a fan-made modification, "League of Legends" is on track to haul in over $1bn this year, while "World of Warcraft" gears up for a November expansion.
It's not an MMO in the most conventional terms -- though at the start of 2014 it was serving 67 million players each month, individual matches only accommodate two teams of five -- but the free-to-play "League of Legends" has hauled in $946 million and a market share of 11.9% between January and September 2014.
That's according to SuperData Research, which has provided both a top ten ranking and a map of global interest in the massively multiplayer online games genre.
Included in its assessment are several multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) titles, hence the appearance of "League of Legends" in top spot, "Dota 2" in ninth and, it could be argued, card battling game "Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft" in tenth.
"LoL" represents a cooperation between a US studio and a Chinese internet giant, with the California-based Riot Games filling it with optional cosmetic upgrades and characters to purchase, while Tencent ensures significant financial backing and worldwide reach.
Similarly, "Counter-Strike Online" is a collaboration between developers in North American and Asian developers, with Seattle's Valve Corporation steering the franchise as a whole and Seoul's Nexon Corporation adapting it as a free online shooter with monetized weapons and equipment.
Many other high-ranking games originate in South Korea, with fast-paced shooter "CrossFire," monster-hunting adventure "Dungeon Fighter Online" and stylized but simply presented "Maplestory" all available for free with various spending options contained within each game.
"World of Warcraft," from California's Blizzard Entertainment, retains its status as a subscription-based MMO, the largest of its kind, though even that has a fairly extensive free trial channel and is expected to attract a swell of players with fifth expansion "Warlords of Draenor" set for a November 13 release.
But by contrast, Blizzard's 2014 debutant "Hearthstone" offers the core part of its card-based play for free, designed as it is to offer both short-burst and extended sessions.
Top 10 MMOs by Worldwide revenue, market share (January - September 2014):
1. League of Legends - $946m, 11.9%
2. CrossFire - $897m, 11.2%
3. Dungeon Fighter Online - $891m, 11.2%
4. World of Warcraft - $728m, 9.1%
5. World of Tanks - $369m, 4.6%
6. Maplestory - $240m, 3.0%
7. Lineage I - $178m, 2.2%
8. Counter-Strike Online - $148m, 1.9%
9. DOTA 2 - $136m, 1.7%
10. Hearthstone: Heroes of Warcraft - $114m, 1.4%
Chart ranking courtesy of SuperData Research (superdataresearch.com)
