Why are game modes removed?

Elyika·Jul 24, 2014·5 votes·1,475 views

Riot in my opinion is fearful of what will happen to the new game modes after they are left out for a prolonged amount of time, because how dominion was received by the community. So in result they make their new game modes available for two weeks and that's it. They disappear into the vaults the community unknown if they will ever return. Many a time players who enjoyed these game modes cried in outrage wanting to play them again.

So why not bring them back in a rotation? Like how Champions are on a weekly free rotation, why can't the maps be in said different rotation? I may be talking out of my ass here but bringing these game modes back once in a while won't hurt summoners rift.

12 Comments

GranspearZXJul 24, 20143 votes

But... they did say that they were doing game modes in a rotation... :I

It's just that the game modes aren't on a public rotation list. Probably several reasons for that. Imagine if people were absolutely sure that URF mode was next on the rotation, and then Riot surprised people with some newer idea instead. Now people are LIVID because they didn't get what they expected. No sense in dealing with that sort of inevitable drama if it can be avoided.

akaYoungYoukJul 24, 20141 votes

In the long run though, I think they should at least go through the rotations once more :/

GranspearZXJul 24, 20141 votes

Agreed; it would be nice if they'd roll back to 'existing' one-off game modes in the interim. I wonder if it's because Riot doesn't feel like they have enough for a full rotation or what...

SilverclawJul 24, 20143 votes

Let's assume that every Featured Gameplay Mode is on a one-month rotation. Here's a list of currently revealed modes:

All for One 1b) All for One - Howling Abyss
Snowdown Showdown
Hexakill
URF
Doom Bots

That's 5 (maybe 6) months of gameplay modes - enough for half a year. There's nowhere near enough gameplay modes for a full season yet. We'd be bored of hexakill and URF by season's end.

PhoenixUnrealJul 24, 20142 votes

They've already stated that URF and OFA will be returning beyond a shadow of a doubt. They also said that they're looking for ways to improve them.

MalikCaesar777Jul 24, 20142 votes

Could be a balance issue. Every cycle could bring a new way to break said game mode.

Then there are bug fixes that need to happen.

Riot isn't exactly on the ball in therms of balancing SR so having more game modes on the side that probably wouldn't really get looked at is a poor implementation.

Quality versus quantity I guess

Hoi Im TemmoJul 24, 20142 votes

Riot has said this on a few forums, but i dont want to go find them :P

A) no matter how fun it is, play DROPS at some point, and it loses all the coolness and fun. B) If Urf was still here, how well do you honestly think people would have tested something like All-For-One Howling Abyss? Removing them allows unbiased testing of other game types. C) they can bring them back later if they are truly that popular, when the testing of other game types is over.

ManaricelleJul 24, 20142 votes

I'd like to believe it keeps the interest and demand high in conjunction with they are also balancing the gameplay and mechanics. When Dominion was introduced it was crazy popular and demand was high and when it was pulled for a few days and everyone was wigging out. Look at where Dominions stands nowadays, I'm not sure of numbers, but I'd like to make the assumption that it's not as popular as it used to be and I'm guessing that a much smaller percentage of the playerbase actively engage in the mode.

If you say they can't have it, they want it more. It builds up hype. More than likely though, I'm sure it's because they are trying to make a more balanced and fair mode before it comes back.

o brigid oJul 28, 20141 votes

Personally, I really like that Featured Game Modes are just that: Featured for a couple weeks.

It keeps the modes very novel and exciting, much like game events. While they aren't publicly scheduled or set in a stone rotation, it is exciting to anticipate your favorite modes coming back.
By keeping a mode to two weeks, it makes it easier for players to assimilate back into Rift mode (that is, I'm assuming everyone else binges like crazy on featured modes like I do and then feels super rusty going back to Summoner's Rift. I felt god awful after Urf mode ended and my sense of mana conservation went out the window).
By not having a set rotation of previous modes, it leaves room for new features and modes and improvements on old ones. I'd hate for Riot to feel rushed or avoid fixing imbalance/a new feature in URF mode just because they promised to bring it back at a very specific time.

IslosskJul 31, 20141 votes

some people are like me and do not enjoy normal SR at all, i play this game nonstop when the modes are out and aram

o brigid oJul 31, 20141 votes

it's awesome that you enjoy aram and featured modes. and i mean that in the most sincere/non-sarcastic way. i don't pretend to be an expert on riot or their intentions, but you have to admit that SR is their main focus and almost has to be without spreading themselves too thin. Ranked play (for the most part although 3's can be ranked too) and LCS all revolve around the Rift and major resources are required to update it and keep the play balanced. so while it's an absolutely positive thing that players such as yourself enjoy the other modes, it's still very understandable why they are only featured.

this isn't a post to argue with your opinion or make little of it. it's just an "i think i understand why riot does what they do in this case" post.

still, like i said, i really do like that they offer featured modes and other styles of play on the side.