Riot, are you TRYING to kill Flex Queue right off the bat?
Before I sound too crazy, lets look at what options are available to those who currently play Normal Draft but woke up today finding that queue removed from their server. For the sake of simplicity, lets only consider the Solo player for now.
- Play Blind Pick instead
- Faster queue times, not ranked
- No role designation, no bans, no counter picks, mirror matchups allowed
- Play Ranked (Solo/Duo) instead
- Role designation, bans, counter picks
- LP on the line
- Play Ranked (Flex) instead
- Role designation, bans, counter picks
- LP on the line
- Transfer to a server with Normal Draft
- Normal Draft just like you've always had it
- Monetary costs to transfer, higher ping, potential language barriers.
- Quit League
- Hope some hybrid normal queue comes out soon?
Options 4 and 5 both reduce the population of a server which was already small enough that the queue times were effected, which obviously isn't great for anyone left there.
Option 1 - Blind Pick is loathed by many because of their bad experiences in the past with it. I personally love Blind Pick, but it's not for everyone. Many Instalockers moved to Normal Draft where they could get their role with less effort, but without Normal Draft this queue will be worse because of their return.
Option 2 - Solo/Duo Queue is what many have wanted desperately this whole year, a return of Solo (and Duo) Queue. This is their gem, the one thing above all else that they're going to treasure. This is where they'll go to play when they're bringing out their best champions, not some pick they've never tried before.
Which leaves us with one last option available. Option 3 - Flex Queue. Those same people who spent a year waiting for Solo Queue to return despise Dynamic Queue, considering it a mockery of ranked. Where do you suppose they'll go to practice new champions, unfamiliar positions, or crazy builds? They won't do it in their precious Solo (/Duo) Queue, and they won't do it in Blind Pick, which leaves only Flex Queue.
So you've got this situation where some people are trying to make Flex Queue work, while others are treating it like Normals because their ranking there doesn't matter to them. It doesn't matter how fast they get into Flex Queue, because the match itself is going to be worse as long as people are treating it like Normal Draft.
As someone who has primarily played ranked Solo this season, I want to play Flex Queue seriously. People who want to bring their 4-man into Ranked are desperately hoping there are enough people like me to enable them to queue up together. Don't make the experience worse for those like me in EUNE or other regions just to save a few minutes per game.
