Does League of Legends increase intelligence?

The question of the day is does League of Legends increase intelligence?  According to a scientific study, there’s a strong correlation between intelligence quotient (IQ) and performance levels in League of Legends.  Since this is a game that requires strategic thinking, as well as the ability to cooperate with fellow teammates, the better the player is at problem-solving skills the more successful they will be in a game like LoL.  There’s also the need to be able to retain lots of information.

Much like the game of chess, games like LoL have become just as complicated as one of the world’s most challenging board games of all time.

University of York’s Professor of Psychology, Alex Wade had a team perform two different studies.  The first study had researchers perform IQ tests on fifty-six seasoned League of Legends players and compared their scores to their Matchmaking Ranking (MMR).  This is what’s used to determine the ratio of games you’ve won compared to games lost.  From there, it assesses your player performance.

The second study had the team collect age and performance data from thousands of MOBA and first-person shooter gamers.  This data was used to determine if MMR and IQ varied similarly with age.

IQ Tests & LoL

It was discovered there was a strong correlation between performance in League of Legends and performance on IQ tests.  They were also able to show that MOBA player performance and IQ shared a similar pattern of variation across different age groups.  It was shown that the ability to think quickly and retain information increases steadily until we reach our mid-20s.  After that, a slow decline begins.  According to this study, this math also applies to performance in MOBAs like League of Legends.  

As for players active in first-person shooter games, this was not the case.  The pattern was quite different as it focused on speed and target accuracy.  MOBA games rely more on memory and the ability to exercise strategic thinking.

It should be noted while the study showed a correlation between high intelligence and success levels in MOBAs, it doesn’t mean playing video games makes you smarter.  The research merely showed players with a higher IQ level had a strategic edge compared to the rest of the MOBA players.

History has repeatedly demonstrated people with good strategy skills in games tend to score higher on IQ tests.  The recent publication of PLOS ONE’s journal laid out a great FAQ sheet with open datasets that digs deeper into the subject of intelligence and how it ties to games like LoL.  (SOURCE: OSF)

LoL Logic

League of Legends is a video game that tests a player’s ability to think strategically.  Does this increase intelligence?  If anything, it teaches logic skills that can be learned by players of all ages.  According to science, players under the age of twenty-five have a learning advantage.  However, this doesn’t mean players older than twenty-five aren’t capable of learning a few new tricks.  Does it increase their IQ, though?  No.  And no, even players under the age of twenty-five won’t have increased IQ points, either.  

It boils down to adaptability and a person’s willingness to learn.  In school, there can be two students with identical IQ levels. Yet, one consistently earns top honors while the other has difficulties getting their homework completed on time.

Adaptability, logic, and perception are what define a person.  Does LoL make a difference when it comes to those three traits?  The answer to that question is yes.  Again, however, it doesn’t make a difference when it comes to levels of intelligence.  The ability and willingness to learn as you go are what make all the difference in the world.