Market Analysis done for Riot Games

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A Market Analysis for
Riot Games
Jeffrey Hutto
Full Sail University
Project & Portfolio II: Business and Marketing
4/28/2020

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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
This report will provide plenty of analytical data about the current state of the Auto Chess
genre, as well as where Riot Games is as a company. Their current success leads them to venture
into another genre, so providing what they’re assets are to carry over will be discussed as well.
There is research using financial records, data on player demographics and the industry
competition’s current state including demographic and reception. To be specific, there are plenty
of players currently playing a Riot Games’ IP, so analyzing what can carry over to their new
game would give insight into lying a foundation.
This report gives plenty of data to back up Riot Game’s proposition into the Auto Chess
genre. While the road ahead of them is unknown, there is plenty to analyze to help guide them
forward in the right direction. Recommendations in the report include the use of content creators
to advertise and educate players, carrying over characters from their current game to keep the fan
base, and focusing on community communication like that’ve done with League of Legends.

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OBJECTIVE
Riot Game’s is in the process of developing more games than their 10 year running
Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) League of Legends. In order to break out into new
genres, Riot needs deep research on current audience needs and competitions, as well as a plan
moving forward into something new. Their first venture will be in the Auto Chess genre, where
the market is already big and diverse. Research will show where the current market is in order to
create a unique spin of their own in the Auto Chess scene.
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
All information provided is from credible external sources. In order to give Riot Game’s
a clear vision of the Auto Chess genre, all research done was on outside sources such as the
market of the industry and the state of other competitor’s games. Research was done in April of
2020 and is sourced below both in-text and full citations. Anything financial is current, and all
sources are within 3 years of relevance. All information also relates to things that Riot Games are
already participating in (such as Esports), or things similar to what Riot does through League of
Legends.
RESEARCH AND KEY FINDINGS
Riot Games offers one of the biggest games in not only the MOBA genre, but the gaming
industry as a whole. They’ve nailed a game that keeps players coming back for years to come
even if they don’t play competitively. (RankedKings, 2019) Even with this major success they
find, they’ve decided to expand and enter a new genre. This doesn’t come easy, however, as they
are entering an entirely new market to them. This research should help them understand where
they’re headed and provided facts and statistics to help them start to move forward.

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Above screenshot shows the current time concurrent players for DOTA 2. (Steamcharts, 2020)
First on their list is the Auto Chess genre, whose competition isn’t bountiful, but
powerful. Auto Chess is a turn based strategy game where you place autonomous units on a
board, all while managing resources such as items, more unites, and money. After the time limit,
you are pitted against 7 other players while your units control themselves in a battle. (Tack,
2019) The main and only competitor a company like Riot would run into would be the Valve
Corporation’s DOTA 2 Auto Chess. DOTA 2 brought in 11.19 million concurrent players in
2019, which is an impressive feat being the number one game in the steam marketplace. (Gough,
2019) On April 28, 2020 DOTA 2 had 313,200 players playing at 9 PM, offering insight to a
daily number rather than a yearly one. (Steamcharts 2020)

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Above screenshot is a chart showing demographics from League of Legends. (Celianna, 2019)

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The market is there, and if Riot can cater their already huge League of Legends
community, then they can find success in this new genre. They bring in 115 million concurrent
players with League, 87% being male and 42% of all players playing several times a week.
(Celianna, 2019) (RankedKings, 2019) This gives a glimpse of the current market of their own
genre and the genre of their future competitor.
Above screenshot is from popular Auto Chess game DOTA 2. (Gilliam, 2019)
Auto Chess will be a new industry for Riot Games to enter, but one with many
opportunities for them as well. How will Riot showcase their game to those that may not know
about this genre? There are plenty of content creators who play this genre, so if Riot was to
partner with streamers such as Hyped, Saintvicious or Hafu, they could spread the word with the
Riot IP. (Issa, 2019) Another way they can do this is keeping their IP (Intellectual Property) in
the game. I think Riot Games has well established components for the Auto Chess genre, the

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main one being the characters from League of Legends. If they want to appeal to their already
huge (and growing) audience from their MOBA, keeping characters and elements from that
game that players already love will be an easy way to gain new followers in Auto Chess.
(Yabumoto, 2017)
CONCLUSIONS
Riot Games has been met with huge success with their game League of Legends, so
venturing into uncharted territory in a new genre comes with a lot of risks. This analysis shows
that Riot Games does have the makings of the Auto Chess Genre, with a huge financial backing
to comfort any worries. Of course, hiring staff that know what they’re doing (engineering,
concept leads, etc.) will go a long way.
With the demographic for the genre being set by DOTA 2, Riot knows who they need to
appeal too. With that, they also know what works for their current demographic with League of
Legends, so shifting that to this new game will help overlap concurrent players to both games. In
the future, Riot has the opportunity to set the bar for the Auto Chess genre, and with this research
they have the tools necessary to lay groundwork towards that goal.
RECOMMENDATIONS
This is uncharted waters for Riot Games. There are many different roads that lead to
different outcomes. However, those roads are narrowed when looking at research. With the
demographic of the game, I would suggest moving forward with advertising through content
creators. The amount of views on twitch that streamers get for the Auto Chess genre are huge
and starting the game with those viewers would not only raise awareness of the game but teach
those the genre that may not know about it before the game comes out. If given in a beta

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environment, this could also help track progress of their game and give valuable data to use
moving forward with a formal release.
A second recommendation given through the research would be to merge the characters
in the existing League of Legends game with this new one. The concurrent players with League
of Legends is a huge number that could be capitalized on. If you bring these characters to life in
another game that players already have an attachment and understanding of, then it would be
easy to gain new players through this method. It would make development easier as well, as you
already have an established foundation for a huge part of the new game.
One final recommendation that research would back up would be to keep up player
communication, but separately. If you lump your community communication with this game and
League of Legends, then players would feel left out or feel they aren’t important enough to be
heard over the massive voice that is League. Riot Games prides themselves on making their
games communications with players and making the game what players want, so keeping that
consistent with the Auto Chess game will be a huge step in the right direction at earning new
players trust and respect.

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REFERENCES
Gough, Christina. (March 7, 2019) Defense of the Ancients 2 – Statistics & Facts) March
Retrieved on 4/28/2020 from https://www.statista.com/topics/4268/dota-2/.
Celianna (2020) League of Legends Demographics. Retrieved on 4/5/2020 from
https://imgur.com/a/X6iR4WE.
Steamcharts (2020) Dota 2. Retrieved on 4/5/2020 from https://steamcharts.com/app/570.
RankedKings. (March 27, 2019) How Many People Play League of Legendsin 2019) Retrieved from
4/9/2020 from https://rankedkings.com/blog/how-many-people-play-league-of- legends.
Tack, Daniel. (January 14, 2019) What is DOTA Auto Chess and Why is Everyone Playing it?
Retrieved on 4/28/2020 from https://www.gameinformer.com/2019/01/14/what-is- dota-
auto-chess-and-why-is-everyone-playing-it.
Issa, Amine. (July 5, 2019) Learn from the Best TFT Players on Twitch. Retrieved on
4/28/2020 from https://mobalytics.gg/blog/top-10-tft-streamers-to-learn-from/
Yabumoto, Jeff. (July 25, 2017) Why Don’t Game Companies Create More New IPs? Retrieved
on 4/28/2020 from https://www.gamecrate.com/why-dont-game-companies- create-
more-new-ips/16769.
Images:
Celianna (2020) League of Legends Demographics. Retrieved on 4/5/2020 from
https://imgur.com/a/X6iR4WE.
Steamcharts (2020) Dota 2. Retrieved on 4/5/2020 from https://steamcharts.com/app/570.
Gilliam, Ryan. (April 29, 2019) Dota Duto Chess adds familiar faces in new patch. Retrieved
on 4/28/2020 from https://www.polygon.com/2019/4/29/18522915/dota-auto- chess-
dazzle-io-new-chess-patch-notes.