Should ranked be fun?

T RexHasTinyArms··1 votes·126 views

So I want to have a discussion with the community bc I think it impacts how we play the game based on what people think about this. I had a game recently where I struggled early and when mid started fussing I asked them to calm down bc it is hard to focus and want to win if the team is raging and the game isn't fun any more. They responded by saying it's ranked and you don't play to have fun, you play bc it's competitive and so shut up and enjoy the free LP when they carry.

That strikes me as a strange perspective, but it's one I've seen from a number of people in discussions on boards. "Ranked isn't about having fun, it's a competitive mode where the only goal is winning." Personally I think this is wrong, but I'm hoping some people who agree with it will start a discussion here and we can go back and forth on the merits of the idea. IMO ranked is a more competitive mode than normals and is where you play what you're comfortable w/ rather than champs you're practicing, or something you're weak on but enjoy playing even though you lose often. However, ranked is still a GAME mode. I play games to have fun. I'm not paid to play test, compete, review, stream, or anything else that would generate income or other benefits besides enjoyment from playing the game.

Where did the idea that enjoyment isn't a core element of ranked come from? Winning should be the goal, but what logic exists to make winning a more important goal than enjoying the game and having fun w/ the people you're playing with? Obviously diamond+ level this starts to become less true because you have people who make a living streaming, coaching, playing, or whatever else I forgot, but below diamond there's almost no one who streams for a living (even in diamond they're mostly former challenger/masters players who are on smurfs or play less serious champs for the viewers) so why is there the belief that ranked should be played if it isn't fun?

5 Comments

Archon X1 votes

winning is fun.

losing is not fun.

If your opinion differs from this, get out of ranked.

T RexHasTinyArms1 votes

So there are no other factors than that and no need to justify why those are the only factors? If you have a race and I let you race against 3 snails so you are guaranteed to win no matter what happens to you, but you have to race through barbed wire while I shoot you with bb guns and you're covered in fire ants, why is it still fun when you win?

Archon X1 votes

Because with a team I was able to overcome the barbed wire and guns, and those snails have proven themselves to be competent racers by being at the same elo as me.

I'm a support main bro, I live and die by the victory of my team, there's no mad lcs plays where I carry 15/3 and lose because my teammates fed so I can post on the forums that rito pls why is my team trash. Instead, I build and play complete utility to respond to the strengths and weaknesses of each team in order to prove that our team was better on that day.

T RexHasTinyArms1 votes

Okay so the goal is winning even if it means adjusting to multiple jerks on your team and building around them and providing utility plus placating their egos to get them to work together. I suppose I can see the working together w/the pain to overcome the enemy thing as a goal. I'm still curious if this is the majority opinion for people who share your view. Personally I like support style champs better (jungle utility is so fun to bring to the team), but past a certain point of not enjoying the game I'd rather just have to make up the win later bc I know if I'm actually doing well enough I'll help my team win enough times to climb even if I drop a game or two where multiple people are raging and being unpleasant. Might be a personal thing though that pushing through that in the short term is less tolerable to me than pushing through more games to grind out the climb in the long term.

Archon X1 votes

Well here's where I differ a bit from the rest of the community. Someone can say pretty much anything they want in-game and it won't bother me. Basically the worst that can happen is for the adc to tell me I'm a trash support and gtfo his lane, and tbh I'd probably roam mid and continue with the game without incident.

However, what really, really pisses me off is to be on a team that does not pursue objectives. Teams that just want to teamfight, or chase, or dive without a plan, and not take open turrets or the open dragon, or the available baron. This is why I get reported in maybe 1 out of 100 rift games - if that - and about 1 out of 8 aram games. I just cannot handle it if people will not try to win.

The absolute worst thing anyone can say to me, which will make me saltier than any profanity, racial slur, or insult of my mother, is that they "aren't tryharding."

If you're not going to try hard to win a game, then holy shit thanks for wasting my fucking time.

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