Understanding Technical Language Use in Competitive League of Legends

Abstract

League of Legends (LoL) is an online competitive strategy game that necessitates a constant sharing of information between five teammates. The game is the largest part of the esports industry with more than 100 million monthly players. Professional “gamers” play in competitive matches that last anywhere from twenty minutes to an hour and require constant communication of details and strategy between the five teammates. This study was done to better understand the role of technical language within competitive LoL teams. What tools do they utilize to communicate in this high stress environment? What does their ‘technical’ communication look like when it’s broken down?