With the release of a new update, Riot Games has made a modification to ranked descents, much to the dissatisfaction of LoL players. The arrival of LoL patch 14.6 this Wednesday brings a change to ranked play that has stirred significant controversy within the community.
Bi-Weekly Updates and Ranked Focus
Every two weeks, League of Legends receives a new update, ushering in a slew of content and changes to the server. If you’re keen on exploring all the novelties brought forth by patch 14.6, you can do so here. However, this time around, our focus lies on ranked play, also known as “rankeds.”
In recent months, Riot has been attentive to its ranking system and has already begun implementing adjustments. Notably, they recently reduced LP (League Points) gains below the Emerald tier. Now, with this new patch, another change to ranked play has been introduced, much to the chagrin of the LoL community.
This patch, we're:
– Reducing LP gains below Emerald from gaining and losing 28 LP on average >>> 25 LP on average in these tiers.
– Making it slightly easier to demote from tiersWhy higher gains?
– At the start of the season, we wanted to increase LP gains below Emerald so… pic.twitter.com/znysdwEfXl— Matt Leung-Harrison (@RiotPhroxzon) February 22, 2024
The Controversial Change to Ranked Play
In patch 14.6, Riot Games decided to adjust players’ LP when they descend in ranks. Typically, losing a match at 0 LP would result in demotion to a lower division (or tier), leaving players with 75 points, placing them on the brink of promotion once again.
However, now players will find themselves with 50 LP each time they descend in rank in their ranked matches. “Descents are too lenient, causing some players to be a tier above their current skill level, resulting in negative LP gain,” explained Riot.
While the developer attempted to justify their decision, the community did not take kindly to this change and made their discontent clear across social media platforms.
Saddle up to Patch 14.6! 🌵
New High Noon skins, the return of One for All, plus Crystalis Indomitus Kha’Zix! https://t.co/ZdGaUmnpvs pic.twitter.com/WMeuygPJ9J
— League of Legends (@LeagueOfLegends) March 19, 2024
Final Thoughts and Potential Impact
Ultimately, Riot Games has proposed these changes in an attempt to balance players’ promotions, a move that evidently did not sit well with many. Nevertheless, it remains to be seen how these adjustments will impact gameplay in the coming months and whether the developer will backtrack on their decision following the community’s criticisms.
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