Throughout my time playing League of Legends I noticed a gradual decrease in fun that was inversely proportional to the increasing levels of "moderation" and community enforcement measures that were implemented.
I've also been playing since S1, and though it wasn't at release, I've still had this account for over 5 years. In that time, I've "quit League for good" more than once, it had nothing to do with the game itself, it was with the community and how toxic it was. Honestly, since the instant feedback system went online in August, I've reported maybe 25 people. Back in S2 when I played almost daily, I was reporting 5 people a night (in a span of about 3-4 games). I've been reporting people less since, well, people are a lot less toxic then they were in S1-5.
Videogames are an entertainment medium that are designed to be enjoyed as an escape from the stresses and responsibilities of real life.
I absolutely agree with you there. So why should my game be ruined by someone telling me to "drink bleach like the flying fucking Fa**** that you are and have your mom watch so she can be less disappointed in her son" (actual quote from an actual game). The quote that I shared with you is not an escape from stress or responsibility what so ever. And quite frankly, there is no reason for anyone to say something like that.
The tribunal system and terms of agreement that Riot enforces equate to what is essentially an oversensitive censorship campaign that fosters a cult mentality of politically correct hugboxing and backpatting that ends up destroying any form of creative fun or expression from the game. When I first began playing League of Legends chat was not an Orwellian monitored North Korean newspaper.
I disagree with you here. Just as what you say at school or work or whatever you do in your life outside of video games, has consequences. Just because you have anonymity on the internet, doesn't mean you get a free pass to say whatever you want to say within a community that has rules. There are other places where you can say what you want with no mods, no filters whatever, and if you chose to go there, more power to you. In this community however, there are rules put into place, and if you do not follow these rules you will get punished.
As far as saying there is no form of creative fun or expression from the game, again I have to disagree with you completely. There are plenty ways to be creative in this game, look at SivHD. He has made a lot of fun experiments in League without being toxic. Go into the Concepts and Creations page or the Story Art and Sound page, there is tons of creativity.
Games like Counter Strike, Dota 2 and H1z1 don't place the same limitations on players and still enjoy a health and active playerbase and community.
CSGO Dota2 H1Z1 all have one thing in common, the reputation of an inherently horrible toxic community. While I've had my struggles in each one (especially CSGO) these games weren't known inherently for their toxic community, League was and still is. All three of these communities are also not as big as League is, that's another contributing factor.
Suspensions and bans on these games are essentially only ever warranted through cheating or griefing intentionally in ranked matchmaking.
While that may be true for some, the vast majority of those who are permabanned usually quit.
The fact that chat restrictions result in suspensions and bans is a direct reflection of some misguided belief that in this world you have a right to not be confronted or offended.
I see several problems with this argument. The first is, the large assumption that people have the right not to be confronted or offended. No one is saying that what so ever, and as such their actions will have consequences.
The second problem with this argument is that with the assumption that you put into place, you are placing yourself as the God of League telling people what to do and what not to do. Why is that your responsibility?
The final problem (which I have already touched on) is the assumption that you make that what someone says in chat should have no consequences. This has been laid out by Riot and the community as being wrong.
As League continues to ban more players for an ever increasing margin of perceived "toxicity" and the playerbase grows tired of making new accounts maybe Riot will remember the purpose of their game and rethink their childish and overbearing community guidelines.
I've had this account since S1 and I've never had any chat restrictions or warnings. The fact that when you go onto twitch, the most watched game is League, and how big esports are getting, I have to disagree with you.
I'm sure many people have watched Dunkey's video where he announced that he was quitting League of Legends due to the frustrating and punishing aspects of League of Legends childish rules.
That's his choice. You can agree with Dunkey all you want, the fact remains that he was banned. If I had him in my games, I would have reported him. But that's just me.
The League of Legends business model is the most cancerous and intentionally manipulative model that exists within high population multiplayer games.
I completely disagree, I think CSGO is way worse in the manipulative model. Just because you don't think that players who are toxic shouldn't be banned, doesn't mean that Riot has a cancerous business model.
The terms of agreement and "community guidelines" that the game enforces are essentially a leveraging tool to graft more sales from a recidivist customer base. By being over zealous with their speech restricting mind police rule set they are able to obtain sales from secondary accounts and skin repurchases.
You can not spend a dime on this game and Riot will not care. Buying skins or boosts will not get you anywhere in this game. If Riot really wanted to be a cash cow, League would be a monthly subscription rate.
