Riot trying to define everything

Since season 4 Riot has made an increasing amount of effort to define everything - this works like that and for that, that works like this and for this, we feel the Gameplay of that should be shifted to more of this to fulfil this fantasy and this role..and so on.

Before I think that Riot used to say that they did not intend on enforcing any specific meta, however now it seems to be the opposite - they have classes, subclasses, every champion is to adhere to one of these classes or subclasses and the functionality and roles that they can fulfil will be limited by, and shoe-horned into what Riot envisions.

What I feel is one of the more disappointing things about this is that the champion pool of League already lacks a lot of variation - most champions fit into an archetype, and champions within each archetype are largely interchangeable, with the defining factor of what is picked over what mainly just being preference. This is both a good thing - it allows you to play what you want, allows one tricks to exist, and doesn't force you to pick X to deal with Y when in champion select. But on the flip side, it comes with a lot of built in restraint - things can't be too unique, because if they are, then something equally unique will be required to counter them. Riot however seems to have doubled-down on the whole archetype thing even further, to the point where not only are champion kits and play styles similar, but the ways that they're built and their options of play style are becoming increasingly constrained.

I think that the result of this is that a lot of champions have been pigeon-holed into a certain role, a lot of alternate play styles and builds have been killed off, and overall I feel that the game has lost a certain sense of ingenuity, with each passing season I feel that your ability to install your own piece of creative flair onto the champions and play styles you use is diminishing.

I.e, remember that guy who used to play AD Malzahar Jungle? Remember how Brand Jungle used to be a thing? AP Rengar? Karthus Jungle used to be a lot more viable too. Remember when Shyvana used to appear in the Top Lane? Hecarim, too... There was also a point in time when at least 80% of the champion pool could jungle - sure it would be to varying levels of success, but it was still feasible and possible. Compared to now... Champions also used to Jungle differently...some would disappear in their jungle for 20 minutes, others would only farm a few camps between ganking, some would only take a camp when smite was up, and others would barely farm their jungle at all - all these different play styles existed at the same time, and were supported by the jungle, compared to now where pretty much every champion can be a farming and ganking bot at the same time because of how respawn timers work and how the jungle is easy for specific, and only specific champions to clear.

Remember when TP was the choice, not the norm? Like, top laners could stay top without feeling pressured to roam...and so on...I'm pretty sure you get the general idea by now..