Is League actually dying, though?

Sèx Craved Eve·Apr 23, 2017·33 votes·3,523 views

6 minute wait time for a normal game... Picking fill.

53 Comments

RenownedWheat42Apr 23, 201718 votes

I've found some games in 10 seconds, others in 10 minutes. Shit happens. The game isn't dying.

BlåbæretApr 23, 20176 votes

It is, slowly but surely.

EedatApr 23, 20175 votes

It's actually not. It's still growing.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/insertcoin/2016/09/13/riot-games-reveals-league-of-legends-has-100-million-monthly-players/#487f7e675aa8

RenownedWheat42Apr 24, 20176 votes

People just like to argue it is because "but my friends list tho." As if people ONLY leave, and no one new ever joins.

deadlychuckApr 24, 20175 votes

You're right, but there's only so many people who will be willing to come back, and only so many gamers which have any interest in playing the game.

What this does show however, is that the old community and players have left the game. So they've clearly stopped retaining old players with their new content.

RalanrApr 24, 20171 votes

That doesn't mean the game is dying, just changing in a way that older players don't like.

Older players are pretty much a static number while newer players can be an increasing number.

AMYS GRAVEApr 24, 20171 votes

But it is the older players who teach the newer players why the game is worth sticking with. Without longevity in the playerbase the steep learning curve of the game means that many new players wont keep playing to create a new playerbase as the old trickles out. If i didn't have friends who played i would never have played more than half a dozen games at most. My friends who i learned the game with have quit, and with them much of my engagement with the game.

And i don't introduce new players to the game who don't already play, but that's perhaps beside the point.

MetalGearTeemuApr 24, 20172 votes

is this a "we counted all the smurf accounts constantly being made as legit user install base" episode?

The respectability of the professional scene certainly isn't getting anywhere, it remains a distant 3rd behind CS:GO and Dota as far as that goes.

AMYS GRAVEApr 24, 20171 votes

Number of monthly players can go up while number of monthly games goes down, if the people who play 10 games a day get bored/frustrated/whatever and quit. Number of monthly players isn't the end all be all of a healthy growing game.

InfinitexMortalApr 23, 20179 votes

Dying for the hardcore gamers growing for the casuals. More money in Rito's pocket so they dont care how bad they destroy them core game.

Chromatic EagleApr 23, 20173 votes

How is it dying for the hardcore players?

BlåbæretApr 23, 20177 votes

{quoted}

Dying for the hardcore gamers growing for the casuals. More money in Rito's pocket so they dont care how bad they destroy them core game.

I'd say it's the other way around.

deadlychuckApr 24, 20173 votes

agreed. Riot is pigeonholing players in to play styles, which is reflective of a competitive game, not a causal game.

SirΤeemοApr 23, 20178 votes

riot said they have 100 million ACTIVE players.. yet we need autofill + wait 5+ minutes to find a match.. 100 million players hm.. seems legit

Zone of EndlessApr 23, 20171 votes

{quoted}

riot said they have 100 million ACTIVE players.. yet we need autofill + wait 5+ minutes to find a match.. 100 million players hm.. seems legit

Did they mention 100 million active world wide?

DrCyanideApr 24, 20173 votes

The source is a little dubious (Forbes cites Polygon who cites Rift Herald who cites Polygon again, and apparently Rift Herald was launched by Polygon...), but the stat is 100 million monthly players (presumably world wide).

SirΤeemοApr 24, 20172 votes

even world wide , what? everytime i to log in to the game i get that queue because the server is overloaded from people. yet i need to wait 5 minute to find a match WITH AUTOFIL

Zone of EndlessApr 24, 20171 votes

{quoted}

even world wide , what? everytime i to log in to the game i get that queue because the server is overloaded from people. yet i need to wait 5 minute to find a match WITH AUTOFIL

World wide is important because they take the population of all the server. Some server will have more people than other server so Q time will be different for everyone.

So for example Oceania server have less people than China so chances are Oceania's Q time will be typically higher than China.

hhaavviikkApr 24, 20171 votes

{quoted}

riot said they have 100 million ACTIVE players.. yet we need autofill + wait 5+ minutes to find a match.. 100 million players hm.. seems legit

pretty sure riot said the majority doesn't play ranked

La Belle SauvageApr 24, 20171 votes

Many things seem one way but rarely ever are.

NickssaaApr 23, 20176 votes

Whilst I wont say its dying, I will say that it is more than likely on the decline, and the 100 million that Riot boasted last year is complete bullshit. I'd say 50 million active is a much more realistic number

The Real MugatuApr 24, 20172 votes

Do you have any sources for stating that Riot's stats (for which they have credibility) is - as you say - complete bullshit?

deadlychuckApr 24, 20172 votes

It's probably active accounts.

NickssaaApr 24, 20171 votes

There isn't direct proof, but when put along side other stats and information that are confirmed true, then the 100 million simply makes 0 sense. For instance, LCS viewership is at an all time low, and yet the game has more player than it did in season 3? Not to mention, if the 100 million players is true, then the viewer to player ratio would be the lowest of all esports.

Scary DoorApr 24, 20176 votes

"Dying" is not the adjective I would use to describe League. It depends upon what aspect of the game you're looking at as well I suppose. For example, the e$ports portion is doing very well. Millions of new, unique users watched the World championships last year and e$ports in general are definitely growing across the world. E$ports generate significant revenue and are ostensibly free advertising for League of Legends or any game that participates as news services and streaming companies are more than happy to report and document (respectively) the goings on.

The Free-to-Play business model is the new normal in gaming. Selling various aesthetic features is profitable and is basically a bottomless cash well. So the business portion of the game continues to do just fine FOR NOW.

On the other hand, there is absolutely no question that certain regions of the world have seen a marked decline in players; and I'd argue that the total time spent playing by those still engaged has likely lowered. This mainly applies to North America and Europe. In NA, ranked participation is at it's lowest ever, only around 1.4 million TOTAL accounts this season, many of which are smurfs/duplicates. I would argue that there may be less than 1,000,000 that have played ranked in Season 7 in NA.

A number of factors contribute to the hemorrhaging of players; unpopular changes to game modes, champion updates, Riot's poor PR tactics/lies and botched features (such as Dynamic Queue, Autofill, etc), the poor matchmaking system and the horrendous community of toxic individuals have all contributed to the slow decline.

Naturally the game won't be growing at all seeing as how the new player experience is a plate of hot garbage served in a freshly defecated toilet.

So, in the short term, League is okay, especially because the Asian regions (Korea in particular) will keep it afloat. But there are several compartments that are breached and taking on water... unlike the great Titanic, League won't founder completely, it will just never be what it once was.

Darius StradaApr 23, 20174 votes

No it ain't. I has never been this strong, with aerounf 100million daily logins.

GlîtchyApr 23, 20171 votes

{quoted}

No it ain't. I has never been this strong, with aerounf 100million daily logins.

Agreed, btw I still haven't gotten that icon you have PTZekrom69, may you remind me what the conditions were for it?

A Swarm of KoalaApr 23, 20171 votes

I believe you have to gift one of the new champs.

HalcyonDwellerApr 23, 20171 votes

No, that particular one requires 2 games as one of them with the other in the same game.

Darius StradaApr 23, 20172 votes

{quoted}

Agreed, btw I still haven't gotten that icon you have PTZekrom69, may you remind me what the conditions were for it?

Play 2 games as Rakan with Xayah on your team or play 2 games as Xayah with Rakan on your team. The outcome doesn't matter, you may loose. Not available in custom games

YoungFarmerApr 24, 20171 votes

{quoted}

No it ain't. I has never been this strong, with aerounf 100million daily logins.

I'm pretty sure it was 100 million per month.

KONO RUBICK DAApr 23, 20174 votes

https://i.gyazo.com/e8927e74cf14174da325fd98ee5c7215.png

i legit can't find any games without waiting 10 min and you can ask the people i play with: malicious metal, tidal tyrant meanwhile in s6 i found a normal game in up to 2 min (10 sec in season 2)

EUW league is a fcking dead game, picking support in normal games and i can't find a game, fun

MannnyApr 23, 20172 votes

Not dead, just your specific MMR isn't active.

Sèx Craved EveApr 23, 20171 votes

{quoted}

Not dead, just your specific MMR isn't active.

Honestly, I don't remember. Something to do with "though" being at the end of a sentence. I haven't been in an English class in a very long time.

sirwaterflesApr 24, 20171 votes

I played a normal with 1 other friend at 22:00 with mid/top and top/jungle and we had a game in 12 sec. I just had a 2 week break thanks to tons of work lately :c but the game before that i remember i had a couple of 5 min timers with exactly the same conditions. It varies and just 1 personal impressions dont say that much.

La Belle SauvageApr 24, 20171 votes

I have yet to wait more than 4 minutes ranked or otherwise in the last four or five months, with a couple of exceptions when there were multiple dodges in a row.

KrullyApr 24, 20171 votes

[{quoted}](name=Negan fanboy124,realm=EUW,application-id=3ErqAdtq,discussion-id=HJxBzJFi,comment-id=0005,timestamp=2017-04-23T18:38:10.222+0000)

https://i.gyazo.com/e8927e74cf14174da325fd98ee5c7215.png

i legit can't find any games without waiting 10 min and you can ask the people i play with: malicious metal, tidal tyrant meanwhile in s6 i found a normal game in up to 2 min (10 sec in season 2)

EUW league is a fcking dead game, picking support in normal games and i can't find a game, fun

you sure ? i never have 3 minute waits when i go queue up for mid

Darth StepVaderApr 24, 20174 votes

I wouldn't say dying as much as getting less and less fun to play. People seem forced to play these days just to avoid decaying, instead of logging and q'ing with friends in order to try crazy off-meta team combs or simply laugh with each others mistakes instead of flamming for missing a skirmish. Most of the fun is gone with the forced meta direction Riot has adopted since last year.

ShadòwApr 23, 20173 votes

short queues:

waaaaah matchmaking is bad

long queues:

waaaaah queues are so long

ˉˉˉˉˉˉApr 23, 201711 votes

Only problem is, matchmaking is bad either way. If it was longer queues for better matchmaking nobody would be complaining.

Sèx Craved EveApr 23, 20175 votes

{quoted}

Only problem is, matchmaking is bad either way. If it was longer queues for better matchmaking nobody would be complaining.

How'd you get your name like that?

ˉˉˉˉˉˉApr 24, 20172 votes

I typed it in

AmazoXApr 24, 20173 votes

Owned. Kappa.

SlimegoonApr 24, 20172 votes

Aren't we all dying from the day we're born?

Amumu

EunsonApr 23, 20171 votes

Why is there a , in the title

Lux Is Mai WaifuApr 24, 20171 votes

Player experience in NA shows signs of a game that is slowly bleeding out (which it is in NA according to Google search interest for the region); the stats in Forbes show it is still growing internationally.

deadlychuckApr 24, 20171 votes

The tone seems to be that it's growing in terms of hyper competitive focused players, but heavily bleeding players who want a fun gaming experience.

So growing ranked play, shrinking normals.

SkorchApr 24, 20171 votes

Well the reason you have a 6min queue entirely depends on what your queuing into, at what MMR, at what time. 6 Min is a little long, but not too surprising.

To my knowledge there is actually a bug where the matchmaking system just flat out forgets you exist for like 5min. Its fixed by requeuing.