"You lost the game because...."

"....you picked Kog'Maw"

Is this really how we want the game to be played? I'm not saying meta picks guarantee a win but they certainly have a higher chance of winning. However, when a game becomes conditional such as Jhin or Caitlyn botlane or we'll probably lose it not only loses diversity but loses the fun.

I'm going to make an example of good game design but I want to set it up in a way where I'm not trying to say that League should be this way. Dark Souls 3 came out early 2016 and their PVP is unlike anything I've experienced. It's not a MOBA but it is the closest thing to balanced gameplay I've ever experienced. It doesn't matter what class you start out with, or what points you invest in (sure there is a fundamental basis of investing in endurance, and dexterity regardless of class) there is still a way to out play your opponent. The outplay is entirely mechanical and strategical. It requires many times rolls and parries but it is 100% fair and justified [unless you have shitty connection]. There is a diversity of weapons and spells that can be utilized to defeat your opponent and in many cases several opponents.

League is quite the opposite. There are meta items, meta picks, meta strategies ( I'm talking to you junglers that level 3 gank botlane). When the game becomes conditional like this there is less incentive to play outside of the 25 meta picks in order to win. The question that I always ask myself is, "Why would I play Kog'Maw when I could play Caitlyn and easily dominate. If I fall behind its not to worry because there is a chance to recover." This recover only pertains to meta champions though there may be a few outliers. I don't think this is the right mentality to play the game. The meta we are currently in epitomizes the wrong direction of which a game should go.

To further my point I want sort of go back to the fundamentals of gaming. The simple game Rock, Paper, Scissors is the epitome of balanced gaming. The items completely counter act the previous but lose to the following. There is never a point in the game in which the actually items determine who wins, the player has to decide which item to use to "outplay" their opponent. It's often mind games and understanding patters.

So now imagine if Rock was buffed quite a bit for the heck of it (Rito this one is for you) and simply picking Rock will definitely beat scissors but when put up against paper its not longer an instant loss but a flip of the coin. So now only is Rock no longer countered, he has a possibility of winning against paper. That is unfair.

I hope I gave pretty good examples, sorry if they're confusing!