League should start using phone registration for season 8.

Bârd·Dec 12, 2017·5 votes·989 views

With clash on the way, it makes sense.

It would be a fairly simple system.

Before you are allowed to play ranked, you register your phone number with Riot. After confirming that it is indeed your number, you are allowed to play ranked (or Clash) on the account you registered your number with.

You may not register multiple accounts under the same number.

You will be periodically required to re-confirm your number. If you change regions, you will be required to do so immediately.

This makes smurfs in ranked and account buying a non-issue.

36 Comments

Sona PingDec 12, 20178 votes

No. Riot does not need more personal information nor do they need to force people to opt into another expense just to play their game.

It's legitimately scary that people are so okay with things like this.

BârdDec 12, 20172 votes

If you are part of the tiny demographic that has a PC, but not a phone, you'd still be able to play. Ranked would be disabled, but normal games of all types would work.
It's best not to pretend your personal info is a secret anymore. Google and Facebook know things about you that you didn't know.
It's not "another expense". You already have a phone. If you don't have one, you're also not very likely to be a League player. It's only "another expense" if you insist on using Smurfs (which Riot doesn't like in the first place).

Sona PingDec 12, 20172 votes

{quoted}

If you are part of the tiny demographic that has a PC, but not a phone, you'd still be able to play.

Ranked would be disabled, but normal games of all types would work.

I should not have my actions restricted because other people have irrational, smurf paranoia.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

In the upcoming Clash mode, you have to buy/earn tickets to participate.

If they're going to add something like that, the possibility of a gold level bracket being ruined by a diamond smurf is unacceptable.

Sona PingDec 12, 20171 votes

{quoted}

In the upcoming Clash mode, you have to buy/earn tickets to participate.

If they're going to add something like that, the possibility of a gold level bracket being ruined by a diamond smurf is unacceptable.

I am already aware of Clash.

{quoted}

Before you are allowed to play ranked, you register your phone number with Riot. After confirming that it is indeed your number, you are allowed to play ranked (or Clash) on the account you registered your number with.

{quoted}

If you are part of the tiny demographic that has a PC, but not a phone, you'd still be able to play. Ranked would be disabled, but normal games of all types would work.

It's best not to pretend your personal info is a secret anymore. Google and Facebook know things about you that you didn't know.

It's not "another expense". You already have a phone. If you don't have one, you're also not very likely to be a League player. It's only "another expense" if you insist on using Smurfs (which Riot doesn't like in the first place).

However, that's not what you are arguing.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

It's a problem in both. Diamond players in Bronze solo queue is bad, but isn't a huge issue due to low stakes. Smurfs presence in Clash would be unacceptable, so they'd need a way to stop them.

If you're going to fix it, why not fix it all the way?

SciFi ScrivenerDec 12, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Sona Ping,realm=NA,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=GK1hp3h8,comment-id=000100000000,timestamp=2017-12-12T03:12:59.985+0000)

smurf paranoia.

Is it still paranoia if the data backs it up? Because, it is obvious, that if Riot is spending time and money on developing this, they have found that smurfs cause a major disruption to the competitive nature of League matches.

BLACK REALM GODDec 12, 20172 votes

i play league and dont have a phone. the odds of this are not "unlikely". not having a phone has many benefits - one of which is not having to deal with daily harassment. i deal with that enough on league.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

An anecdote does not a trend make. You may not have a phone, but this does not change the fact that almost everyone does.

Only 5% of the population doesn't have a phone.

100% of those 18-29, 99% of those 30-49, 97% of those 50-64.

Unless you're either 65+ (80%) or under 18 (couldn't find recent data), you are anomalous in your lack of a phone.

Source

BLACK REALM GODDec 12, 20172 votes

the irony of phone polling people without phones...

im sure there's no way that their data is at all biased.

source

http://www.pewresearch.org/2017/05/15/what-low-response-rates-mean-for-telephone-surveys/

The SoulforgedDec 12, 20177 votes

What about people w/o phones?

invisiblecat1Dec 12, 20174 votes

This^

BârdDec 12, 20172 votes

It's 2017.
If you have a PC, you probably have a phone.

Winek ChanDec 12, 20171 votes

Got a phone, but I have no interest in getting phone numbers.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

You have a phone without a number?

Why?

Gear KittyDec 12, 20171 votes

I'm in that bucket too.

Smart Phone but no SIM Card, so no cell plan. I use it entirely on WiFi to access Skype/Discord/Email, though 98% of its usage is for app games (woooooo, Tharja victory!).

I'm housebound disabled. I go farther than my mailbox about once every 3-4 months. Everyone I would EVER need to contact is either living with me or accessible via one of those messengers. Anything official or important that requires a phone number is done through a family member's. Seeing as how I can't transport myself, it's better to have them set appointment times and such, considering it's their schedules being affected.

So, y'know, kindly go sit on the pointy end of a spear.

[slayer-jinx-unamused]

Winek ChanDec 12, 20171 votes

Listen to music.
Know the time.
Play some games.
Have an alarm the morning.
Watch my sexy phone backgrounds.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

Fair enough, but at that point why not get an I-pod touch (or android equivalent) instead?

Winek ChanDec 12, 20171 votes

Because I don't have the luxury of it to buy more stuff for no reasons.

I already got that phone, why would I need anything else? xD

vgamedudeDec 12, 20174 votes

This is a horrible idea and I sincerely hope you're trolling.

A NunuDec 12, 20172 votes

No phone. [zombie-nunu-bummed]

Winek ChanDec 12, 20172 votes

I don't have a phone.

UnboundHadesDec 12, 20172 votes

I dont understand how people can afford a pc but not a phone.

Unker139Dec 12, 20173 votes

{quoted}

I dont understand how people can afford a pc but not a phone.

My son plays and does not have a phone.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

I can only think of three scenarios.

Pre-teens. Old enough that their parents would allow them to play, young enough that their parents don't feel the need to let them have a phone.
Old people. People who mostly used their PC's for e-mail and facebook, but they got a LoL account to play with their grand kids (or something of the like). They could get a phone, but they don't feel the need.
Hipsters. They just don't want to get a phone because everyone else has one.

Bronze 5 TeetoDec 12, 20172 votes

Then what do all the 12 year olds do? :) That's like half the player base.

JooshBoxDec 12, 20171 votes

Why should this affect the ranked queue? You want to give Riot your info so you can play Clash that's fine but I shouldn't be forced to give Riot information just to play the game. Don't tell me to just play normals and arams either, that's bull. Also if someone is deadset on smurfing you don't think they could get another phone number? Use a sibling's or a friend's? Bad idea bro.

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

Eliminating smurfs is a necessity for Clash, but would be beneficial to regular ranked, as it guarantees that everybody is the skill level they say they are.
This system makes smurfing a pain in the ass. You can't just enter a buddy's number and forget about the confirmation. You have to actually HAVE the phone to confirm, and you'd have to borrow it again every couple months to reconfirm. Yes you COULD do it, but it's no longer as simple as making a throwaway email.

WaffIeMakerDec 12, 20171 votes

even if this was a thing you know there's programs for pc that generate phone numbers and people would still find a way

GG Its YiDec 12, 20171 votes

im fine with having to register it to play clash, but it sohuld not be applied to ranked. Who cares if you play against a random smurf every now and then. People forget that shit like that goes both ways. Sure u may go against a smurf, but at somepoint you will have one on your team. Yes, it kinda ruins it, but it all evens out in the end. If real money is at stake, I agree it should be monitored. But disabling ranked is kinda much to impose on people who have no interest in clash. It would prob be a better system to ban accounts that see a flurry of activity of games being played after a prolonged break and/or accounts that have like an 90% WR

HalcyonDwellerDec 12, 20171 votes

I'm on board in theory. But in practicality there are some complications that make it harder to pull off fairly.

What exactly is the purpose of adding this feature? Would it be to stop smurfing in ranked?

LF AnnieDec 12, 20171 votes

honestly this is just a headache and solves nothing.

you can get more than 1000 numbers routed to the same phone, so no purpose there, and what are you verifying? that its not a bot?

/thread

BârdDec 12, 20171 votes

Would you be willing to pay for that many extra phone numbers?

LF AnnieDec 12, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Would you be willing to pay for that many extra phone numbers?

there are more free phone app's than there are sluts on pearl street trying to make money. pay for what?

SciFi ScrivenerDec 12, 20171 votes

This is a good start. I just hope Riot does something about smurfs in ranked play.

ChaddyFantomeDec 12, 20171 votes

I hate phone requirements for anything and eberything in teneral, so no. Not everyone has or likes using those things. People shouldnt have to have a conpletely unrelayed device just to play a damn game.