League of Legends is owned by Tencent (China, HKEX: 0700), which acquired the brand on 16 December 2015.[1][2] League of Legends was founded in 2009 in the United States and was independent until 2015.
This ownership is reported in official statements but has not yet been matched to a regulatory filing.
League of Legends is free to play and funded by cosmetic sales, and its world championship fills arenas and draws viewing figures comparable to major traditional sports finals. It has been among the most played PC games for over a decade.
Tencent took full ownership of Riot Games, having bought a majority in 2011. It means League of Legends, among the most played PC games in the world for over a decade, and the Los Angeles studio that makes it have been Chinese-owned since. The price was not disclosed.
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Frequently asked questions
Who is the parent company of League of Legends?
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The parent company of League of Legends is Tencent, a publicly listed company headquartered in China.
Is League of Legends American or Chinese?
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League of Legends originated in the United States in 2009, but it is owned today by Tencent, which is headquartered in China. So League of Legends is an American-origin brand under Chinese ownership.
When did Tencent buy League of Legends?
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Tencent completed its acquisition of League of Legends on 16 December 2015, after announcing the deal on 16 December 2015.
Who owned League of Legends before Tencent?
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League of Legends was an independent company from its founding in 2009 until Tencent acquired it in 2015.
Is League of Legends still owned by Tencent?
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Yes. As of 8 September 2026, League of Legends is still owned by Tencent. The ownership record was last checked against primary sources on that date.
Sources (2) & corrections
Last verified . Every ownership fact above is backed by one of these primary documents. Numbers in brackets in the text refer to this list.