Local League of Legends
November 5, 2014
Challenger, Master, and Diamond are not easy to achieve in League of Legends. Only a handful of people in the U.S. hold these prominent ranks. In Diamond Bar High School, senior John Yoo (username kMSeunG) and junior Tommy Sok (username CantCarry) were able to attain the distinguished ranks of Master and Diamond, respectively.
For the past couple years, the online video game, League of Legends, has been gaining immense popularity. When the game started in 2010, this Multiplayer Online Battle Arena created a standard ranking system, known as ELO rankings, using numbers ranging from 1400-2100. This would indicate a players’ rank or tier. The higher the number, the more skilled a player was.
Two years later, at the beginning of Season 3, new tiers came out: Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Challenger. Each had sublevels from V to I, representing the skill level within each tier.
“Back when I started in Season 1 and 2, I was ranked around 2000, which is the equivalent to the Platinum Tier,” Yoo stated. “It was more for fun and friends than anything.”
During Season 4, the Master Tier was introduced to those who were not included in Challenger’s 200 players queue. Even though Yoo was one of the many who were unable to be included in the 200 spots for Challenger, he was still included in the Master Tier.
“When the Master Tier came out, I really wanted that icon; I played two to three hours a day to achieve this rank,” Yoo said.
After obtaining the Master Tier in Season 4, Yoo stopped playing seriously and dropped back down to Diamond I due to the lack of participation in the required ranked games. The game implements a system that causes players’ ranks to slowly decay after inactivity.
Master I is already a rank of high honor and prestige. However, achieving Diamond I is also a great feat. Sok obtained the rank of Diamond I about one year ago. It took him about two years to earn this tier due to lack of determination, until Season 3.
To achieve Diamond I is not an easy task; however others go above and beyond, dedicating hours to reach the rank of Challenger. Certain requirements are needed to maintain this honorable status, such as devotion and skill.
“To become a good player, you try to look at the pros and try to learn from them,” Sok said. “You keep practicing in game to get better.”
Although Yoo and Sok hold such high ranks, neither of them plans on making a career out of league.
