Hello, my name is Hiru Fernando and I’m a senior at BASIS Independent Silicon Valley. I’m working on a humanities research project that focuses on culture from the perspective of League of Legends. I’ve played video games such as League of Legends and Valorant, and I’ve become interested in these games and how Riot Games operates them, not just from an active playing perspective but from other avenues that allow these games to remain relevant and at the forefront of gaming, even for those not necessarily playing them. Over time, League of Legends has changed from being just a game into something more, influenced by factors like esports, media, and culture which allow individuals to remain engaged without actively playing.

In order to conduct this research, I first plan on conducting library and internet research on this topic and focusing on academic and cultural views on this perspective. Then, I’ll conduct qualitative research, specifically by conducting semi-structured interviews with around twelve to twenty individuals per convention who are fans of League of Legends, and then drawing from these views to analyze and understand the overall theme that emerges from these views on this game. The final product will be a ten to twelve-page analytical research paper based on all of my findings.