League of Legends Declared Toughest Video Game in New Ranking

A recent analysis has ranked League of Legends as the most challenging video game, achieving a perfect difficulty score of 10 out of 10. This assessment, conducted by the video game asset marketplace Chicks Gold, analyzed completion times and player dropout rates from data sourced from howlongtobeat.com. The findings reveal that online multiplayer games dominate the list of the hardest games, with eight of the top ten requiring significant time investments to master.

The study examined over 7,500 games, evaluating factors such as the time needed to finish the main story, complete side quests, and achieve full completion. It also considered the percentage of players who began but did not finish the game. For games without traditional storylines, such as Dota 2 and League of Legends, the ranking relied on alternative metrics, including the time necessary to unlock all champions or reach a high level of mastery.

Top 10 Most Difficult Games

The results place League of Legends at the top, with players typically investing an average of 1,144 hours in competitive play. Dedicated players can spend more than 3,224 hours mastering the game, while 34.6% of players ultimately abandon it. Following closely is Aura Kingdom, which ranks second with a difficulty score of 9.97. Completionists require an astonishing 9,341 hours to finish this MMORPG, with 36.6% of players failing to complete it.

In third place is Dota 2, earning a score of 9.89. This competitive MOBA demands a time investment of 850 hours to reach main goals and 2,285 hours for those seeking full completion, with a dropout rate of 36.8%. Azur Lane ranks fourth, with a difficulty score of 9.85 and the highest dropout rate among the top ten at 37.8%.

Insights into Player Experience

Fifth place is claimed by War Thunder, a free-to-play vehicular combat game, which has a difficulty score of 9.82. Players need about 4,627 hours to master its extensive range of over 1,500 vehicles. World of Warcraft, a long-standing MMORPG, follows with a score of 9.81. It requires 5,802 hours for 100% completion, equating to almost two years of daily play.

In seventh place, World of Tanks Blitz has a difficulty score of 9.78 and boasts the lowest dropout rate in the top ten at 23%. The engaging gameplay appears to keep players committed, despite the substantial investment of 3,500 hours required for completionists.

Tied for eighth are Football Manager 2015, Clicker Heroes, and osu!, each receiving a score of 9.69. Notably, Football Manager 2015 has the highest dropout rate at 38.4%. The ranking concludes with NGU Idle and Team Fortress 2, which earned scores of 9.68 and 9.60, respectively.

These findings shed light on the substantial time and effort players must invest in mastering these games, illustrating the dedication required to succeed in the competitive gaming landscape.