The issue of game-throwing has long been a major annoyance for the League of Legends community, while Riot has been struggling to find solutions. The reasons why an individual or a group decides to throw a game can sometimes be quite… “ridiculous”: being banned or losing their preferred champion, being placed in an undesirable lane by Riot, not getting lane approval from teammates, or feeling that teammates are picking champions they dislike… In short, there are countless reasons that lead players to throw games.
One of the most commonly condemned ways of throwing a game, according to most players, is going AFK during the pick and ban phase or declining a match right after it is found. The reason these actions are most criticized is that players have already gone through a long wait to find a match, then choose their champions and runes, but then get thrown out and have to start the matchmaking process all over again, which is incredibly time-consuming and can even lead many to feel frustrated enough to quit playing altogether, especially for those who can only play at internet cafes.
Riot has issued numerous penalties, but while penalties for throwing games during matches can target the right individuals, the penalties for AFK behavior during the pick and ban phase have not really been sufficient as a deterrent, especially since previously, penalties only applied in ranked matches.
However, recently, the League of Legends community may find some comfort as Riot has indeed taken a stronger stance. Specifically, going AFK during the pick and ban phase of a normal match can now result in heavy penalties. The player who “tested” this punishment from Riot is Spideraxe – a well-known figure in the League of Legends community. Specifically, he was banned for 12 hours just for being AFK during the pick and ban phase or declining too many times in a normal match.
However, beneath Spideraxe’s post, a Riot employee personally stepped in to explain.
It can be seen that Riot is now truly taking a tougher approach in addressing the issue of game-throwing through AFK behavior during the pick and ban phase, declining matches that have been found, and similar actions. However, players also hope that Riot will provide more specific explanations regarding their penalties and implement the most thorough measures possible to bring the best gaming experience to the League of Legends community.