Riot Gaming is an American video game advancement company based in West Los Angeles. The firm established the Mob League of Legends published in Europe as well as The United States And Canada on October 27, 2009. Considering that the purchase of the last company shares in December 2015, Riot Gaming is a subsidiary of the Chinese Web Group Tencent.

League of Legends is one of the most famous and most popular games in the world. Unfortunately, it is also notorious for its extremely toxic community. The white Mango editor Benedict Grotius — and was surprised that after a break, he had to read a flood of insults.

Lol is toxic. Everyone knows that and who is new, learns that quickly. Colleague Philipp Hansen has only tried and determined the first time League of Legends until early 2020: they are really as popular as they all say.

In short, before Phil started with LOL, I've stopped (again) — about mid-2019. I've already played sporadically before, but the break now was probably the longest so far.

I'm used to it from the past, that one has always appealed. Was Never one of myself to blame for a defeat, insults were also happy... creative. With exactly this mindset I went to the game.

To my surprise, however, I was barely not bubbled up. None: YOU, NOOB!, None: Go die!, Not even a rather harmless: GIT GOD came from my teammates. What happened to the LOL that me got to know?

I already play League of Legends almost since Release 2009 and have sunk more hours into the Mob as I am ready to admit. Even in the semi-professional area, I used to play for my team.

However, E-Sports had not yet been established, so we participated in community tournaments. We only earned money after the change to Heroes of the Storm. But only on the edge.

2 years pause and suddenly are all peaceful?

From the past I am used to it that sometimes already written in front of the match of any nonsense in the chat. Today? Nothing. If any, then: Hello or players who ask for a role exchange.

In the game itself, I could not find an excessively toxic behavior by ping. I was not insulted, not insulted and with my closer relatives were also not copulated, either on foreign languages.

To my shame, I have to confess that I had completely deactivated the chat for the first rounds. Of course, it happened to me more peaceful. But even after reactivation, I was rarely approached.

It even happened that I was constructively pointed out something. And out of an untrained instinct I immediately switched to defense and folded my teammates who just wanted to explain something to me.

His colleague then explained to me that he only wanted to help me. I apologized myself, and we have won very confidently the round, even if it was narrowed several times.

People howling quieter

In all the gamer, however, which is quite typical for gamers is not quite typical. From time to time I still had myself with someone in her hair. Most of the Jungle, who complains that he did not deserve so bad teammates.

When I'm on the forest myself, there is still the sporadic insults, if one does not bank a lane often enough.

To explain: The Jungle combines the three lanes of the game. The Jungle moves between these lanes and admits that the respective team members can kill their opponents there. This gives a gold and level advantage.

In addition, however, it was peaceful. And even if it got louder, then mostly after the game and not in the round. In the meantime, more players knew that toxic behavior promotes only the tilt and favors a defeat.

But why are all nice?

12 years lol — and slowly it gets better

Riot, the studio behind Lol, has given a lot of effort over the last few years to restrict toxic behavior. A particularly serious cut was probably the deactivation of the general chat in the game.

That was a reason for me, why I prefer Heroes of the Storm. For without general chat, the colleagues have focused more on the game and not to be fitted with the opponents.

Already before, in June 2021, however, Riot has introduced some changes with the Behavioral System, which should restrict toxic behavior. Since then, there are about multi-week banns for players who go too long AFK and further penalties.

The whole thing goes back further. In 2012, the honor system was introduced, 2017 received a revision. Thus, players can give their comrades awards, which in turn leads to small rewards. And who behaves like an ass, who does not get anything.

Dear the good reward as the evil punishment

Since then, Riot has been pursuing the strategy of rewarding positive behavior than negative behavior. The latter may rather lead to defiance response and not insight. Such a thing showed studies that Riot has done itself (via spectrumlabsai.com).

In 2012 and 2013, Riot Games has tried various methods in millions of playing. In the course of the Optimum Experiment, motivational messages were tested in different colors and the reaction of the players were evaluated.

The result of the experiment was coarse: players are less toxic with the right incentive. Here was the incentive to show by news that one loses more with toxic behavior. Or otherwise: loses more often with negative behavior.

Even I have noticed that then and my behavior temperate at this time. I have much more often, I do not win, but more enjoyable has been playing since then all times. More about the Optimum Experiment you can read on the Gamester.

Of course, that was not the same from now on, but was a creeping process that has slowly banned more and more toxicity from the game. With a hard cut of 2 years break, however, you realize that perfect and direct.

Some fans even suspect that the success of Fortnite should have led to a less toxic community. Allegedly, the Battle Royale has lured all the toxic kids and guided away by LOL. Whether that's true, let it go.

But why are people toxic at all?

Toxic behavior — a gamer tradition?

12 years ago, to the release of League of Legends, the Internet looked different. Black humor and fashioned image boards, forums and chats were everywhere. Also, on video games hardly someone has paid great care, except for just a small mass of Gamer.

From our own experience, I can say that many gamers have looked at the time. And some developed an all others are idiots mentality. This hardens sometime, spheres each other and spreads.

LOL as a free game with a tremendous successful concept has spread quickly and well. Accordingly, many players were attracted — and underneath toxic players. Anyone who did not feel like it was just back. Was just a game. But the toxic core remained. Was her game.

In addition, LOL is highly competitive from nature. Here teams each play from 5 players against each other in long matches around the victory. Of course, you want to win there, even if it's about nothing — but especially in the ranking. It's fast to the adrenaline rush.

Helpful was also not that many role models have consistently behaved as it should not be USES in a game or shown how bad it looks in LOL:

Twitch Streamer behaves as Toxic how to imagine LOL — and all celebrate it A top player explains how toxic twitch streamer messes up lol Call of Duty star flees from Lol: The worst people in gaming

Since then, however, socially much has happened. Gaming has been stronger for years in the middle of society and more and more eyes focus on the gamers. Of course, there is a growing interest in the topic and also to make it more accessible.

Developers are interested in not only attracting the gambling with hard coat, but all. And that's just when toxic behavior has no room in modern play.

What does Toxic mean? Toxicity is talking if enormous negative behavior is laid on the day. This is due to insult and harassment about sabotage of your own team to regular threats and death wishes. Yes, the internet was — or is — a rough place.

A nicer environment for new players

Whether scheduled or not that exactly now the community of Lol is more pleasant than before, not only benefits the game. Through the new LOL series Arcane, a fresh hype is burned around the MOB.

Many new players start, many former returns. For example, I and several other colleagues from the editors. That you do not have to designate yourself in the first rune as a bumper son or worse, increases the motivation.

Apparently the measures have caused exactly what they should. Lol has become nice and as a new or former player you feel comfortable again. Or at least more comfortable than before. The one or the other evil remark is still, still available.

But I imagine that Lol and his community have become adult. This also shows Arcane itself, because the series can be really gloomy. It would be exciting if it is actually this series, which LOL has now made a better place.

In any case, I remember that Arcane Heroes VI, Caitlyn, Jinx and Jayce are often played at the moment. And took care, colleague Alexander Latch has a guide for exactly these heroes for you: So you play the 4 most important characters from Arcane right in LOL