League of Legends Fans Outraged Over New Champion Unlock System

LOS ANGELES, Calif. — League of Legends players are voicing frustration over recent changes to the game’s reward system, which has made it significantly harder to unlock new champions without spending real money. The backlash comes just days after the launch of the game’s new season, which initially received praise for its updated map and new features.

Previously, players could earn in-game currency or items to unlock champions through regular gameplay. However, Riot Games has replaced these systems with a battle pass model, which many players argue is less rewarding. According to calculations by the community, completing the battle pass’s 50 base levels and earning enough in-game currency to unlock a new champion could take over 800 hours of gameplay.

Andrei “Riot Meddler” van Roon, head of League Studio, acknowledged the concerns on social media platform X, stating that the team is investigating reports about the difficulty of earning Blue Essence, the in-game currency used to unlock champions. However, he indicated that other changes to the system are intentional and will remain in place.

Fans have taken to Reddit and other platforms to express their dissatisfaction. Many argue that the new battle pass offers less value compared to previous systems, with some calling for all champions to be made free to play. This demand is unlikely to be met, as champions remain a significant revenue source for Riot, especially given the company’s partnership with Microsoft, which grants PC Game Pass subscribers access to all champions as part of their subscription.

League of Legends, one of the most popular multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA) games, has long relied on a balance between free-to-play accessibility and monetization through cosmetic items and champion unlocks. The current controversy highlights the challenges Riot faces in maintaining player satisfaction while driving revenue.

Despite the backlash, Riot Games continues to innovate in the gaming industry, with successful titles like Valorant and multimedia projects such as the Netflix series Arcane. However, the company’s handling of community feedback and monetization strategies remains a point of contention for many players.