Is League of Legends ACTUALLY Dying?

Summary

The video discusses concerns about League of Legends' future following a lackluster new season rollout and a disappointing season cinematic that received significant backlash. Despite Riot Games' focus on other projects like Valorant and an upcoming MMO, the community remains hopeful for a turnaround. Riot acknowledges the discontent and promises more communication about their commitment to League's future, hinting at a higher budget for 2023.

Takeaways

• 😕 League of Legends is not dying, but it's facing significant dissatisfaction from players.
• 🤦‍♂️ The rollout of the 2023 season was poorly communicated and handled, leaving players frustrated.
• 😒 Riot did not provide timely updates about the season start, with players learning about it through a single tweet from a Riot employee.
• 😬 The 2023 cinematic release was a major letdown, consisting of a simple camera flyover of Summoner's Rift, lacking the excitement of previous years.
• 😡 The cinematic received 156,000 dislikes within 24 hours, further fueling players' frustrations with Riot's handling of the game.
• 🎮 Players feel that Riot has been focusing more on creating skins than developing new game modes or meaningful content for League of Legends.
• 💸 Riot seems to be diverting resources from League to focus on other games like Valorant, an upcoming MMO, and a fighting game.
• 💭 Riot promises that they are still investing in League, but players are skeptical due to the lack of visible improvements.
• 🕹️ Players are especially upset about the absence of holiday events or new game modes, which used to be a regular part of League's updates.
• 🌟 Despite the issues, some fans still believe Riot may turn things around, especially with the promise of a higher budget for 2023.

Q & A

What is the current state of League of Legends according to the video?

League of Legends is not dying, but it is facing issues. While it still has a healthy player base, recent updates and the 2023 season rollout have disappointed players, leading to concerns about the game's future.

What was the main issue with the release of the 2023 season?

The 2023 season rollout was poorly communicated, with delays in announcing the season start date and a lackluster cinematic. Players were unhappy with the minimal updates and lack of communication from Riot Games.

What disappointed players about the 2023 season cinematic?

The 2023 season cinematic was a two-minute video showing a simple flythrough of Summoner's Rift, which felt like a downgrade compared to previous years' high-quality, action-packed trailers. This was particularly disappointing given the lack of other updates.

How did Riot Games respond to the backlash regarding the cinematic?

Riot Games acknowledged the disappointment in a five-tweet thread, explaining that there were 'unprecedented circumstances' that led to the simpler cinematic. They admitted it missed the mark and promised to communicate future plans more effectively.

Has Riot Games shifted its focus away from League of Legends to other projects?

Yes, it appears that Riot Games has been focusing more on its other projects, such as Valorant, Wild Rift, an upcoming MMO, and a fighting game. This shift in focus has contributed to the reduced investment in new content for League of Legends.

Why are players upset with the lack of new game modes in League of Legends?

Players are frustrated because Riot has released over 100 skins per year in 2021 and 2022 but has not introduced any new game modes or significant in-game experiences. Players miss the variety and fun that past events and game modes provided.

How has the player base of League of Legends been affected recently?

The player base remains strong, but there has been a slight decline in viewership and engagement during the preseason, which is a normal trend. However, the community's dissatisfaction with recent updates could impact long-term player engagement.

What has Riot Games promised in response to player feedback?

Riot Games has promised to invest more in League of Legends and communicate their plans better. They claim that League has a bright future and that the game will receive more resources, potentially turning things around in 2023.

What does the lead gameplay producer say about the future of League of Legends?

The lead gameplay producer assured players that League of Legends is not in 'maintenance mode' and that they are working on bigger projects that will take time to release. He emphasized that these projects are for League of Legends, not Riot's other games.

What are players hoping for in future League of Legends updates?

Players are hoping for more variety in the game, including new game modes, special events, and perhaps the return of the winter map. They want more than just skins and are asking for experiences that provide fun and excitement beyond the standard gameplay.

Outlines

00:00

🔥 League of Legends Season 2023 Rollout Issues

The video begins by discussing whether League of Legends is truly 'dying.' While it’s not dead, it's seen better days, as the rollout of the 2023 season has left many players disappointed. Riot Games released little new content during the preseason, leaving players in the dark about when the season would begin. Only a tweet from a Riot employee revealed that Season 2023 would start on January 10th. Compared to other games like Fortnite, which offer countdowns and events to build hype, Riot's communication has been severely lacking, culminating in an underwhelming and poorly received cinematic. Historically, Riot released high-quality, champion-centric cinematics, but this year’s was a simple camera flyover of Summoner’s Rift, leaving many fans frustrated and feeling like Riot doesn't care about the game anymore.

05:01

❄️ League's Lack of New Content and Focus on Skins

The second section critiques Riot's priorities in recent years. Instead of focusing on new in-game experiences or events, Riot has been churning out skins—over 140 in both 2021 and 2022—but has released no new game modes. While other games celebrate the holidays with events and new features, League players only saw a few new skins. The video criticizes Riot's reasoning for discontinuing fan-favorite features like the winter map, arguing that independent modders have created high-quality maps that Riot could easily implement. The real issue seems to be that Riot is focusing more on monetization, developing skins that yield immediate profits, and shifting resources to other Riot projects like Valorant, their MMO, and fighting games. Despite these frustrations, the speaker expresses a hopeful belief that 2023, with its supposedly higher budget, might bring positive changes to the game.

Keywords

💡League of Legends

League of Legends is a popular online multiplayer video game developed by Riot Games. The game is a battle arena where two teams of five players compete to destroy the opposing team's base. In the context of the video, it is the central topic of discussion, with the script addressing concerns about the game's future and player satisfaction.

💡Rollout

A rollout refers to the process of launching or introducing a new product or feature. In the script, the term is used to describe the disappointing release of the game's newest season, indicating that expectations were not met and the community's reaction was largely negative.

💡Pre-season patch

A pre-season patch in gaming is an update released before the start of a new competitive season. It typically introduces new content to set the stage for the upcoming season. The script mentions the pre-season patch as a point of contention, as it was followed by a lack of significant updates.

💡Riot Games

Riot Games is the developer and publisher of League of Legends. The company is responsible for the game's updates, patches, and overall direction. The script discusses Riot Games' perceived lack of communication and commitment to League of Legends, suggesting a shift in focus to other games.

💡Cinematic

In gaming, a cinematic refers to a high-quality, often animated, video that is used to promote or showcase a game. The script criticizes the 2023 season cinematic for being underwhelming and lacking the excitement and quality of previous years' releases.

💡Dislikes

Dislikes are a way for users to express dissatisfaction with a video on platforms like YouTube. The script mentions the high number of dislikes on the 2023 season cinematic as an indicator of the community's negative reaction.

💡Investment

In the context of the script, investment refers to the resources and effort Riot Games is putting into League of Legends. There is speculation about whether Riot is investing enough in the game to keep it fresh and engaging for players.

💡Game modes

Game modes are different ways to play a game, offering variety in gameplay. The script discusses the lack of new game modes in recent years, suggesting that Riot Games has been focusing on creating skins rather than new gameplay experiences.

💡Valorant

Valorant is another game developed by Riot Games, a first-person shooter that has seen significant success. The script contrasts the perceived neglect of League of Legends with the thriving state of Valorant, suggesting a shift in resources to this game.

💡Community

The community in this context refers to the player base of League of Legends. The script discusses the community's reactions to various developments, highlighting the importance of player feedback and engagement in shaping the game's future.

💡Maintenance mode

Maintenance mode in gaming often implies that a game is being kept running with minimal updates or new content. The script addresses concerns that League of Legends might be in maintenance mode, suggesting a lack of innovation or significant development.

Highlights

League of Legends' newest season rollout was disappointing.

Riot Games introduced new jungle pet features but then went silent.

The start date of Season 2023 was announced via a tweet from a Riot employee.

Compared to other games, Riot's communication about the season start was poor.

The 2023 season cinematic received significant backlash from the community.

The cinematic had 156,000 dislikes within its first 24 hours.

Riot acknowledged the community's negative reaction and promised better communication.

Riot Games CEO mentioned that League of Legends would have its highest budget yet in 2023.

Riot has focused on creating skins rather than new game modes.

There was a lack of Christmas event content in League of Legends.

Riot appears to be allocating resources to other projects like Valorant.

Valorant's recent cinematic showcased higher quality than League's.

Riot is also working on a secret MMO and an upcoming fighting game.

Despite concerns, the player base of League of Legends does not seem to be dying.

Riot is expected to turn things around after hearing player complaints.

A Riot developer assured that they are investing in bigger things for League of Legends.

The developer confirmed that they were talking about League of Legends on PC, not other projects.

The community desires more game modes and variety in gameplay.

Transcripts

is League of Legends actually dying no

but it is on low Health ignited on five

stacks of Daria's passive and there's a

jinx rocket approaching it somewhere in

the distance so what's going on as of

making this video League just went

through a very disappointing rollout of

their game's newest season let's quickly

run through that every year they drop a

pre-season patch to introduce new

content into the game they gave us these

new little jungle pet things and then

radio silence no significant updates the

year ended and we still didn't know when

the next season would start which is not

normal three days into the year we

finally got an update season 2023 starts

on January 10th tweeted from a riot

employees account unless you were

following this one guy you would still

not know when the season starts you're

saying fortnite would announce the

season weeks in advance have a countdown

timer the season start they would have a

live Drake concert in fortnite we're not

even getting anything first of all it's

like they're updating the game they're

making a stage for a performer they're

not doing anything they didn't do

anything during pre-season just tell us

the time The Season's starting bro

please even before this season debacle

players had already been disappointed

seeing as it was clear that Riot may

have been showing more attention to

their other games we'll talk about that

soon because the straw that broke the

camel's back was the release of the 2023

season cinematic a two minute video

animation of a camera flying through a

high quality Recreation of summoner's

Rift that is it why because I can

[Music]

that's it no way

every year since 2018 Wright releases a

high quality cinematic and song hyping

up a new year of League of Legends these

videos have come to be very loved and

highly anticipated by players and so

after a period of barely any new content

and hardly communicating when the new

season would actually begin on January

10th they dropped the 2023 cinematic and

as we just mentioned it was not well

received

wow no dislikes the League of Legends

Community surely adores this masterpiece

obviously that's a joke but for those

interested if you use one of those bring

back dislikes extensions they say that

this video has 156

000 dislikes in its first 24 hours now

usual internet outrage aside compared to

previous cinematics it definitely does

look like a major downgrade and

releasing something so underwhelming

during a time when players aren't happy

makes it feel like Wright doesn't care I

mean I think it's always a meme when

someone says I could have done this

myself but this cinematic really could

have easily been fan made like just

three years ago the user Wayne s

uploaded a realistic Showcase of

summoner's Rift on Unreal Engine

basically the same thing let's take this

let's put the sound here and we got it

why

because I can now just a few hours after

the launch of the video Wright posted a

five tweet thread addressing the

community's reactions this year there

were some unprecedented circumstances

that had us choose an alternate approach

to the season 2023 video however we

believed that it could still embody

League's broad universe and competitive

Spirit while celebrating the start of a

new season but we've heard your feedback

and we want to acknowledge that brink of

infinity missed the mark for the

action-packed champion-led trailer you

expected and has led to further

speculation about our investment in

League honestly we should have been more

communicated we do believe that league

has a bright future and we are investing

in that but we can do a better job

sharing those plans with you we are

committed to giving you more details

about what that investment looks like in

the next couple of days that last bit

there could actually be true I was

recently planning on making a little

YouTube short about what to expect from

league in 2023 specifically focusing on

this statement from Riot game CEO who

said in 2023 League of Legends would

have their highest budget yet um

yeah it's been less than two weeks and

this already hasn't aged well however if

this tweet is anything to go by maybe

good days are on the horizon but okay

circling back to the big question is

League actually dying player base wise

it doesn't seem to be dying at all at

least not yet servers are healthy and

live streamed views are still going

strong declined a bit recently due to

the pre-season but that happens every

year however it may not be dying as a

product but it's clear that players

aren't entirely happy for the past

couple of years Wright has focused on

creating more skins than creating new

in-game experiences 2021 and 2022 both

had over 100 140 skins released and zero

brand new game modes even recently while

every game celebrated some sort of

Christmas event League of Legends really

didn't do anything most players would be

hoping for some sort of event new game

mode maybe the return of the winter map

but instead Riot just released a couple

skins and called it a day to be fair I

am biased here as I'm still salty that

Riot pretends that their reason for no

longer making the winter Rift is because

it would be too difficult to create

meanwhile there's these random modders

creating these high quality map skins

for players to use at the end of the day

I think right has just been unwilling to

sacrifice resources on anything that

won't generate large profits why put

devs to work on a new game mode when

they could work on skins that could

bring immediate returns additionally

what's also going on is Riot clearly

taking resources away from league and

focusing them on their other projects

while players contemplate whether or not

league is dying valorent is thriving and

if we want to talk about cinematics they

just recently released a new valorent

cinematic at the Quality that you would

expect from League the whole cinematic

team of Riot just migrated to valerant I

guess and valorent isn't the only game

keeping Riot busy at the same time

they're in the background building their

secret MMO wild Rift and the upcoming

fighting game however all of this aside

I still don't think League will ever die

and maybe I'm huffing on copium but I do

kind of believe that Riot is going to

turn things around this year they've

heard our complaints these past few

years and the confirmation of League

having a higher budget should mean that

good news is coming after the backlash

from The Cinematic the lead gameplay

producer at League of Legends left a

comment on Reddit responding to a user

asking what his thoughts were on the

sentiment that League is on maintenance

mode I mean I can understand why people

would draw that conclusion though I can

assure you that we are not means saying

it isn't going to convince anyone of

that though also we have been investing

into bigger things that won't ship for

quite some time a user in another thread

questions if these bigger things are

referring to League or other games at

Riot the dev then responds to that

comment as well stating that he was

talking about League of Legends on PC

specifically not other projects

personally my selfish opinion I just

want more game modes I don't care if

they're not the greatest thing in the

world and they get stale in a week or

two something fun where I can play my

favorite champions in outside of

summoner's Rift would be refreshing

every once in a while kind of like it

used to be alright thank you for

watching and let me know what you think

take care

no bro what was there's nothing cool

about it it was literally the [ __ ]

map