Why is League of Legends So Toxic?
League of Legends has seen an enormous rise in its player base in the last two weeks. The primary factor between this spike is Riot Games introducing their first-ever animated series called Arcane. It is perhaps the best thing on Netflix right now, so do give it a watch as you don't need to worry about any lore-related stuff while enjoying it. Unfortunately, these new players will have to go through significant amounts of toxicity at first because they have no idea of how to play the game properly.
It won't be wrong to say that the players' behavior has progressively worsened over time, and Riot Games haven't identified the proper measures to counter it. They are experimenting with different means. One of the most productive methods of dealing with toxic players in LoL has been to add the instant player feedback mechanism.
Instant Feedback for Reporting Toxic Behavior and Honoring Great Allies in League of Legends
This started off allowing players to essentially upvote and down-vote any and all players. However, this must have led to lots of rage reports due to poor skill more than behavior because they changed the system and eventually removed the up-voting ability entirely. They replaced it with the ability to nominate one team member for special accommodation and promoted this by granting all team members extra XP if all players voted on their team. There have been minor tweaks to their reporting and honor system over time. One recent test conducted by Riot was to eliminate All Chat between teams in order to reduce the taunting, abusive behavior. Yet, this was met with very mixed feedback from LoL players.
While some players complain that reporting does nothing, it definitely can have an immediate impact. We have seen reports get confirmed by message popup within minutes of some of the most toxic behavior. The severity and timeliness of the punishment for toxic behavior in League of Legends is like due to the type of behavior reported and the number of players reporting the player at the same time. If all players report one toxic League player for something severe, then it's almost guaranteed that they will face a consequence or at least be flagged for review.
With that in mind, help Riot create a positive, non-toxic community. Don't report players for playing poorly or having an off-match. It can be hard to come back from a few misplays early. At the same time, report abusive, toxic, and griefing players. No one wants to play with someone who ints or who harasses others. If you don't report them, Riot won't know better, and they may end up in your next match on your team.
Try to Look Past the Bad Players at the Many Great Ones
It would be wrong to say that every League of Legends player is toxic. The problem at hand is that most of the players take time out of their hectic schedules to play the game they love. If one person decides to throw the game intentionally, it ruins the whole gaming experience for all of them! There is no way a single player can carry the game entirely on their own, and that's why sometimes you might get flamed by better players.
The solution to your problem is how you let these games affect you, and we have the perfect mindset for you to adopt and have fun while playing the game!
How to deal with toxic griefers and flamers in LoL?
If you are new to competitive multiplayer games, then it might seem a little weird to you at first. Every mistake you make might tilt a fellow player, but it's okay if you are actually trying your best and not intentionally trying to lose the game for your team. A good approach is to talk to your team like civil beings in chat and tell them that you are trying your best. If they are having a bad day and still not being reasonable, the great idea is to mute all chat and focus on your own game.
If you have tried your best and another teammate is intentionally throwing the game, then it's the perfect time to remember the season-end win rates. The best ranked League of Legends players in the world also only win around 50% of their games, and a bad day or game shouldn't worsen your mental health. You can take a break and accept that there are people out there going through some problems, and this game is their escape from life.
The best idea is to have fun while playing League and get the best out of the time you are investing in the game. You should focus on the fundamentals and improve your own game rather than focusing on what your teammates are doing. We, humans, are constantly striving for control, but it's time you accept that a single person can't control league of Legends. The best approach is to manage your behavior and treat others like how you want to be treated.
We hope you can enjoy your time with League of Legends and deal with toxicity with this mindset.
Images Courtesy of Riot Games.