'League of Legends' championship brings together noisy fans and players focused on the R$ 115 prize in São Paulo.

The setting is a mix of television studio and sports stadium. Holding coveted R$100 tickets, the 140 fans in the stands watch the matches with shouts, armed with noisy pairs of inflatable batons. To complete the picture, the commentary follows the style of football announcers, complete with commentators, reporters, and real-time statistics, all to create an intense live show—like in the good old variety shows.

A game of "League of Legends" is frantic, packed with information and decisive moments. The game consists of a contest between two teams of five members, each with a position on the field. The objective is to destroy the enemy base, and each match lasts about 30 minutes.

The players' dedication is remarkable. They're all focused on the final prize in April, which will consist of R$115 and a spot in the Mid-Season Invitational (MSI), the first international tournament of the season, in Chengdu, China. Meanwhile, other rounds will take place at the CBLol Arena.

On Saturday, there were five matches, pitting teams like Fluxo, Furia, Kabum, and others unknown to the general public against each other. But the audience at the Arena knows them all and pays close attention. Cell phones only come out of pockets to take photos with the e-athletes or to check their bets—that is, the common digital football betting, which is also available here.

Unlike stadiums, there is no physical division between fan groups. There's banter, but without the aggression often seen in football. The fans who make the CBLol Arena tremble are those of PaiN, who stand the entire time and sing non-stop.

The atmosphere of camaraderie and healthy banter contrasts sharply with the reputation of "LoL." Since its creation, the game has carried the reputation of being a toxic breeding ground for the worst of human behavior in the digital world.

"The community has evolved," says Diego Martinez, Riot's manager in Brazil.

The game now features penalties and tools to curb bad behavior during matches, a trend seen in popular competitive titles.

"These are more people who genuinely want to invest their time in the game, not to engage in disruptive behavior," explains the executive.

At almost 15 years old—a sort of Methuselah in video game terms—"League of Legends" impacted digital culture right from its release because of its price: free. The developer, Riot Games, makes money by selling virtual outfits for the characters.

Today, this model is commonplace. Video games don't have one culture, but rather cultures, in the plural. Games are constantly being released, forming communities and, not infrequently, being discontinued. With over one hundred million players, "LoL" consolidated the mix of game, competition, and media.