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Boycott League of Legends on the opening day of Season 8.

FRüIT··3 votes·633 views

As the title suggests, boycott League of Legends on the opening day of Season 8 in your respective regions. This is in response to what I feel is a complete inability from RIOT to appropriately deal with the overwhelming number of toxic, abusive and down right foul people ruining the League of Legends experience.

It's quite simple really. I love the game itself, I think as a game it's great. But the experience of playing LoL is an awful one and that's purely down to the frequency that myself, my teammates and my opposition are taking abuse. I'm not talking passive aggressive comments, I'm talking serious abuse that no-one deserves to take. Things like being told to go die, or get cancer, over and over for 45 minutes in a game is ridiculous and I cannot understand how people think this is acceptable behaviour.

The worse thing is, and speaking from experience, a lot of people play games to escape. I've known friends who've had relatives losing their fights with cancer, thinking they would play a game of league to take their minds off things, only to be told repeatedly to die of cancer because of something trivial. Can you imagine how that affects the person? It doesn't do them any good that's for sure. I've personally had my own fights with mental health issues, do you honestly think being given abuse game after game, hour after hour, is really helping anyone with these sorts of issues? I leave a game of League feeling angry, frustrated and upset. I start to question my own self worth because 45 minutes of being told "you are useless go die" is not going to help anyone's mental state. It's not healthy at all and the message RIOT is sending sounds like it's okay to be abusive, that's part of the game because clearly these people are still allowed to play. This all flows back into real life, people are suppose to be having fun, playing a game, escaping from reality for a bit and in all honesty, most will feel worse for it.

So back to the original title, I suggest people boycott playing the game on the opening day of the season and let RIOT know that they must do more to tackle the levels of abuse in this game. It might be a good start to be more cut throat with banning people. I appreciate games can be frustrating at times and people get a little hot headed, but the frequency this happens in League is beyond anything else I've seen anywhere and it goes beyond frustration, you wouldn't speak to people like this in person so why is it acceptable over a game? Let RIOT know that the experience of playing League is a terrible one and we've had enough.

I believe Season 8 starts 16th January.

Thank you for reading,

Craig

14 Comments

Zombie Gerbil5 votes

I think I'll pass. I'll stick with the simple mute method of dealing with toxic players.

FRüIT1 votes

Understandable decision, but don't you think that's more papering over the cracks?

Zombie Gerbil3 votes

No, because Riot deals with those problems after you report them. The problem is that players leave toxic players unmuted which makes them have to endure them longer. Most players want to leave these players unmuted either to see what they have to say or they want something to complain about. When the game's mute function is as simple as one click and can easily fix any problem. That's why there's a saying here on the board.

Mute. Report. Move on.

FRüIT2 votes

Do they though? That's my question, the game is festered with them so I personally don't feel they do deal with them. In regards to muting, sometimes I just forget, normally I do mute, but again muting an abusive player doesn't stop the issue of the game being full of abusive players, doesn't deal with the root problem. RIOT allowing abusive players to play the game is almost supportive of abusive players, gives them a cop out. Whether or not there is a mute button, abusive players should be banned. Thanks for you reply.

Zombie Gerbil6 votes

Look at Players Behavior Board. Players get banned every day. Also, no one forgets to mute. You only decide not to mute. Because if you really did not like what you're seeing and not enjoying the experience you're having, there's no excuse for clicking the tab and click the mute function on that player. So once you see a player being toxic, mute them then report them.

FRüIT1 votes

My response to this is simple, do you think people who give abuse but don't get banned are on these boards? N they are not, why would they be. Only people who got caught are on here and im not disputing that people don't get banned, I just don't feel it's enough. Again back to the mute button, saying all I have to do is mute them is fine in the short term, but what is that doing to tackle the toxicity and abuse in the game? I think you are missing the point, there's too many people playing the game that feel it's acceptable behaviour, when it's not, regardless of a mute button this isn't how the game should be, that's my feelings at the moment.

Zombie Gerbil2 votes

Regardless of your feelings and what you may think is fair, doesn't change the fact that you cannot fix your own problems. Riot is doing their job and doing great at it. You're just going to have to accept the mute/report function and move on. Unacceptable behavior is being dealt on Riot ends. You have two jobs in this game. To enjoy this game (not at anyone's expense) and report the players who are ruining that experience. The latter isn't even a priority. Move on.

As for your point, nothing about it is logical. You're looking for some sort of self-standards justice. Your whole thing on boycotting, is just simply silly. Get over it and play the game. If not, then move on if you're not having fun with the game. There are plenty of other out there.

FRüIT1 votes

Again with the mute button. By muting someone you've either a) already taken enough abuse to warrant muting, or b) instantly muted everyone pre-emptively because you expect abuse, but by doing so disadvantage yourself by not having any communication with your team.

I think the mute button argument is flawed. It's a short term solution sure, it doesn't help with the situation that the game is festered with abusive players. Yes I'm sure RIOT are tackling unacceptable behaviour, but given the amount of abuse in game and players attitudes I'm questioning whether they are doing enough? That's literally the whole point of this post. I'm not convinced they are doing enough and it's effecting the playing experience. The boycott idea was just that, an idea, something to get RIOTs attention. Clearly too many people on here are more concerned about some random poster commenting on RIOT then they are about abusive players. As always, cheers for the response. I'll leave it as that, enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Umbral Regent4 votes

Take a half-hour to browse the Player Behavior boards, tell me how many posts you find about players getting straight-up 14-day banned for telling others to kill themselves - whether as a woefully poorly thought-out joke, or as a serious, abusive remark.

I have a feeling you'll find quite a hefty handful or two.

FRüIT1 votes

Yes they are people on here complaining about being banned, and if it was deserved then great. But I know that in 10 games I'll play I'd say at least 6/7 are full of abusive players, do I get 6/7 messages saying this player was banned, no I don't. I might get one, at most. Again back to the whole point of this, the game is full of abusive players.

The other point I'm tying to address is I want to know what RIOT are acutely doing? Because from where I'm sat too many people are getting away with the abuse. This isn't a I hate RIOT thread, I just don't feel they are doing enough because how can it be this frequent?

And I'm sorry but 14 day ban for telling someone to kill themselves? Would you speak like that to someone in real life? Say you went to he shop and they mistaking short changed you a few cents, or didn't say thank you, would you respond with go die kill yourself? How does this behaviour not warrant more than that is what I'm asking, because they will do it again sadly.

Umbral Regent2 votes

But I know that in 10 games I'll play I'd say at least 6/7 are full of abusive players, do I get 6/7 messages saying this player was banned, no I don't.

Well, here's the thing, the Instant Feedback message saying "a player you have reported has been punished!" seldom ever actually shows up. It only occurs if your report was the very first in a match where the triggered review resulted in the actual punishment. And, even then, I doubt it'd actually show up half the time.

You're relying heavily on unreliable information to make assumptions about stuff you don't see happening.

Again back to the whole point of this, the game is full of abusive players.

You'll find abusive players in quite a lot of games, but I'm willing to wager that League of Legends is one of the few who actively tries to combat abusive players.

This isn't a I hate RIOT thread, I just don't feel they are doing enough because how can it be this frequent?

Your main post is clear enough about it not being hate against Riot.

Again, though; it's frequent because, unfortunately, in competitive games, a lot of people, for one reason or another, let the worst come over them. This isn't to excuse them, by any means, but it's just the correlation of excessive human pride and competitive games.

That said, though, Riot hasn't been kind to that nature for quite some time. We may not see it happening a lot, but we can at least be certain that players are getting punished.

And I'm sorry but 14 day ban for telling someone to kill themselves? Would you speak like that to someone in real life? Say you went to he shop and they mistaking short changed you a few cents, or didn't say thank you, would you respond with go die kill yourself? How does this behaviour not warrant more than that is what I'm asking, because they will do it again sadly.

Firstly, I'm the wrong person to be asking that question.

Second, a 14-day ban is the harshest feasible punishment the system has that still allows room to reform. It's one misstep away from a permanent account ban, which, if they do tell someone to kill themselves again, you can bet that they'll be on the boards here talking about how they got banned for saying "kys" or something of the like.

The point of the system is reform - and you can't really reform if your very first punishment straight out of the gate for hate speech is a permaban. And, at the same time, Riot knows that a chat restriction of either tier (10-game/25-game) is too lenient for something they view as zero-tolerance. Which is why they settled on 14-day bans.

It tells them; "look, in no universe was what you said okay. You're barred from playing for a few weeks for this, and if you slip up again, this account will be gone for good." - Lenient enough to allow reform, yet still harsh enough to get the message across.

And if people don't take that warning seriously - well, tough 8r8k when they lose their account.

FRüIT1 votes

Well, here's the thing, the Instant Feedback message saying "a player you have reported has been punished!" seldom ever actually shows up. It only occurs if your report was the very first in a match where the triggered review resulted in the actual punishment. And, even then, I doubt it'd actually show up half the time.

You're relying heavily on unreliable information to make assumptions about stuff you don't see happening.

The assumptions I'm making are from playing the game for the past 2 years. The feedback message was just an example, I'm aware it's not absolute. The information I'm basing this on is just how often it's happening in games.

You'll find abusive players in quite a lot of games, but I'm willing to wager that League of Legends is one of the few who actively tries to combat abusive players.

You are quite right, you do. But I'm not talking about other players, and finding abusive players in other games does not make it acceptable behaviour. They do try and combat it, but again I'm questioning whether they could do more.

Your main post is clear enough about it not being hate against Riot.

Again, though; it's frequent because, unfortunately, in competitive games, a lot of people, for one reason or another, let the worst come over them. This isn't to excuse them, by any means, but it's just the correlation of excessive human pride and competitive games.

That said, though, Riot hasn't been kind to that nature for quite some time. We may not see it happening a lot, but we can at least be certain that players are getting punished.

Actually the most logical response I could ask for. At least you understand what I'm trying to say. I know people get frustrated on games and it doesn't excuse their actions at all. I think I'd just like to see something more just to give me the confidence that I know that these players will get punished. If it wasn't as often I probably would be more confident but the amount it happens does make me think, "Okay, how many players are slipping through the net".

Firstly, I'm the wrong person to be asking that question.

Second, a 14-day ban is the harshest feasible punishment the system has that still allows room to reform. It's one misstep away from a permanent account ban, which, if they do tell someone to kill themselves again, you can bet that they'll be on the boards here talking about how they got banned for saying "kys" or something of the like.

The point of the system is reform - and you can't really reform if your very first punishment straight out of the gate for hate speech is a permaban. And, at the same time, Riot knows that a chat restriction of either tier (10-game/25-game) is too lenient for something they view as zero-tolerance. Which is why they settled on 14-day bans.

It tells them; "look, in no universe was what you said okay. You're barred from playing for a few weeks for this, and if you slip up again, this account will be gone for good." - Lenient enough to allow reform, yet still harsh enough to get the message across.

And if people don't take that warning seriously - well, tough 8r8k when they lose their account.

I agree, players should be allowed the chance to reform, learn form their mistakes and understand that that sort of behaviour is not acceptable in any medium, whether on a game or not. I'm sure when one person is caught they do get a last chance to reform, after their 14 day ban. I just feel too many slip under the radar, why that is I'm not sure but I just find it hard to believe given the frequency.

Either way, thanks for the response. I guess I just feel the game is ruined too often by abusive players and I want to feel like these people are being picked up quickly by RIOT. It'd give me more confidence if it was something they talked about more and if people do repeat offend then stronger punishments are handed out. Thanks for your time, enjoy your weekend.

alasarcher4 votes

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