Thank You Riot (A Sincere Post of Gratitude)

I don't think this post is going to very popular.

I also understand all the snide remarks and poking fun at everything, including this post. It's the gaming culture, and it's awesome.

But I just wanted to take the time to say thank you, because all it seems people do is complain about the game.

I want to say thank you to the two founders of League, because they had to work really hard, for a really long time, and risk their own careers and quality of life to make a great game a reality. And all the Riot employees.

I want to thank them for making the game free (it's FREE, like actually free, how can you complain about it?) for kids everywhere who don't have the $10 to afford a game they want to play, and college students who need to save the $15 every month so they can buy 6 more cans of soup to eat (at one point during college I actually only had dried beans left in my cupboard, which my girlfriend and I ate -- I could still play League though).

And because it's free, I want to thank them for making it possible for me to relax and spend time with people and have some fun at the end of the day. Making it possible for introverts like me who have a hard time making IRL friends. Making it possible for me to actually play a sport with people and not be judged on how I look or talk or think or feel.

I also want to thank them for creating a platform that allowed me to find one of my best friends, who I have never met in person, who I have been friends with for more than 4 years.

I think if I didn't play League I would be a different, more unhappy person. When I play League it takes me out of the grind of day-to-day life and allows me to gain some perspective and not become depressed from stress and boredom. I feel refreshed after I play (more refreshed after a win haha ), and more willing to work on my goals and be there for the people who are important to me in real life.

When I started playing the game I wasn't even into skins that much and I didn't really want to buy them. But I bought them anyway, because they didn't force me to pay anything for the game if I didn't want to, which made me feel like they understood me and my situation. Made me feel like they actually care, which I think they did. And still do.

I don't think anyone should be put on a pedestal, but I also don't think anyone should be demonized. Sure, the founders have a lot of money right now, but you know what? They could have taken their money and left, but what are they doing? They are still working to make the game great.

And I really do hope they continue to make it great, for the next 5, 10, 15, or 20 years. Because I still prefer to play it over any other game out there right now.